Navigate to Homepage
Search
Main navigation
  

        
              Explore the Capitol Campus
                          Art
                            Buildings & Grounds
                            Capitol Hill Facts
                            Visitor Resources
                            Our Blog
                            What We Do
                          Areas of Expertise
                            Programs & Ceremonies
                            Projects
                            Publications
                            Strategic Objectives
                            About Us
                          Who We Are
                            History of the AOC
                            News & Notices
                            Organizational Structure
                            Partnerships & Recognition
                            Work With UsSearch Breadcrumb
    HomeExplore the Capitol CampusBuildings & Grounds
U.S. Capitol Building
        
                  Buildings and grounds
  

        
              U.S. Capitol Building
                                        Capitol Dome
                                                Capitol Rotunda
                                                Capitol Subway System
                                                Crypt
                                                House Wing
                                                Senate Wing
                                                U.S. Capitol Grounds
                                                U.S. Capitol Visitor CenterThe Basics
      
Location
    First St. SE, Washington DC

                  View on Map
            
Size
    1.5 million square feet

AOC Jurisdiction
    Capitol BuildingHere, the Senate and House of Representatives come together to discuss, debate and deliberate national policy; develop consensus; and craft the country's laws.

The United States Capitol Building is located in Washington, D.C., at the eastern end of the National Mall on a plateau 88 feet above the level of the Potomac River, commanding a westward view across the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument 1.4 miles away and the Lincoln Memorial 2.2 miles away.

At the U.S. Capitol the Senate and the House of Representatives come together to discuss, debate and deliberate national policy; develop consensus; and craft the country's laws. As the nation has grown so has the U.S. Capitol: today it covers well over 1.5 million square feet, has over 600 rooms, and miles of corridors. It is crowned by a magnificent white dome that overlooks the city of Washington and has become a widely recognized icon of the American people and government. The U.S. Capitol's design was selected by President George Washington in 1793 and construction began shortly thereafter.

The U.S. Capitol is among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. It has housed the meeting chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for over two centuries. Begun in 1793, the U.S. Capitol has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended and restored; today, it stands as a monument not only to its builders but also to the American people and their government.

As the focal point of the government's Legislative Branch, the U.S. Capitol is the centerpiece of the Capitol Campus, which includes the principal Congressional office buildings and three Library of Congress buildings constructed on Capitol Hill in the 19th and 20th centuries.

In addition to its active use by Congress, the U.S. Capitol is a museum of American art and history. Each year, it is visited by an estimated 3-5 million people from around the world.

A fine example of 19th-century neoclassical architecture, the U.S. Capitol combines function with aesthetics. Its designs derived from ancient Greece and Rome evoke the ideals that guided the nation's founders as they framed their new republic. As the building was expanded from its original design, harmony with the existing portions was carefully maintained.

Today, the U.S. Capitol covers a ground area of 175,170 square feet, or about 4 acres, and has a floor area of approximately 16-1/2 acres. Its length, from north to south, is 751 feet 4 inches; its greatest width, including approaches, is 350 feet. Its height above the base line on the east front to the top of the Statue of Freedom is 288 feet. The building contains approximately 540 rooms and has 658 windows (108 in the dome alone) and approximately 850 doorways.

Five Levels

The U.S. Capitol Building is divided into five levels.

The first, or ground, floor is occupied chiefly by committee rooms and the spaces allocated to various congressional officers. The areas accessible to visitors on this level include the Hall of Columns, the Brumidi Corridors, the restored Old Supreme Court Chamber, and the Crypt beneath the Rotunda, where historical exhibits are presented.

The second floor holds the Chambers of the House of Representatives (in the south wing) and the Senate (in the north wing) as well as the offices of the congressional leadership. This floor also contains three major public areas. In the center under the dome is the Rotunda, a circular ceremonial space that also serves as a gallery of paintings and sculpture depicting significant people and events in the nation's history. The semicircular chamber south of the Rotunda served as the Hall of the House until 1857; now designated National Statuary Hall, it houses part of the Capitol's collection of statues donated by the states in commemoration of notable citizens. The Old Senate Chamber northeast of the Rotunda, which was used by the Senate until 1859, has been returned to its mid-19th-century appearance.

The third floor allows access to the galleries from which visitors to the U.S. Capitol may watch the proceedings of the House and the Senate when Congress is in session. The rest of this floor is occupied by offices, committee rooms and press galleries.

The fourth floor and the basement/terrace level of the U.S. Capitol are occupied by offices, machinery rooms, workshops and other support areas.
          
    
      When did the Congress first meet in the Capitol Building?

        
November 17, 1800.
U.S. Capitol Building Spaces
Inside the U.S. Capitol Building
            
          Capitol Dome

The U.S. Capitol’s dome made of cast iron was designed by Thomas U. Walter and constructed from 1856-1866 at the total cost of $1,047,291.
    U.S. Capitol Grounds

The grounds immediately surrounding the U.S. Capitol are bordered by a stone wall and cover an area of 58.8 acres. Its boundaries are Independence Avenue on the south, Constitution Avenue on the north, First Street NE/SE on the east, and First Street NW/SW on the west.
    Capitol Rotunda

Conceived in the age of neoclassicism, the Rotunda was intended to recall the Pantheon, the ancient Roman temple. Bulfinch created in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda an ambitious orchestration of architecture, sculpture and painting.
    Capitol Subway System

The U.S. Capitol subway consists of three lines: two on the Senate (north) side of the Capitol, and one on the House (south) side of the Capitol.
    Crypt

This center section of the building was completed in 1827 under the direction of the third Architect of the Capitol, Charles Bulfinch.
    U.S. Capitol Visitor Center

The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is the newest addition to the historic Capitol Complex. At nearly 580,000 square feet, the Visitor Center is the largest project in the Capitol's more than two-century history and is approximately three-quarters the size of the Capitol itself.
Video

The History of the U.S. Capitol

Watch the video or click the link below to learn more about the history, construction, expansion and renovation of the U.S. Capitol Building from 1793 to the present day.

U.S. Capitol History
Recent Stories
Related Articles
            
          Behind the Scenes

  Embracing a Vintage Electric Cargo Tricycle for Greener Gardening

This innovative mode of transportation allows the dedicated gardening staff to move throughout the historic grounds of the U.S. Capitol with ease, all while carrying up to an impressive 300 pounds of gardening tools and horticultural materials.
    History & Discoveries

  Evolution of Women in Art at the U.S. Capitol

An in-depth look at the evolution of women in art at the U.S. Capitol.
    Public Notice

  U.S. Capitol Cherry Blossoms Map

On the U.S. Capitol campus, the AOC Capitol Grounds and Arboretum crew cares for groups of both Yoshino and Japanese flowering cherry trees.
    History & Discoveries

  Capitol Illumination

Learn more about the history of lighting this iconic building including the part of the Dome called the "tholos."
    
                      More Stories
Projects

Stone Preservation

Stone preservation is a top priority for the Architect of the Capitol as nearly every building is enveloped in stone and all have problems.

Discover the Details

View All Projects Serve. Preserve. Inspire.

              Contact Us
                            Accountability
                            Hill Staff Resources
                            AOC Staff Resources
Utility
  

        
              Privacy Policy
                            Image Terms of Use
                            Inspector General
                            U.S. Botanic Garden
                            U.S. Capitol Visitor CenterFacebook
	Twitter
	Flickr
	YouTube
	Instagram
	Subscribe