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The Capitol (by Pauline Marcoux)
United States Capitol
When you arrive in Washington you cannot miss the dome of the Capitol. This one dominates a great part of the town. Its elevated position reflects its high importance as a place of power for all the united states. It is as equal as the Palais Bourbon for french people as it is now the home of the United States Congress.
It was built between 1793 and 1904 to welcome the Congress meeting which has moved eight times between Philadelphia and New York since his birth in 1774.
Its architecture embodies the American typical architecture and the progressive evolutions of his plan retraces the history of the country. For example, during the 24th of August 1814, the Capitol was almost fully burned. With this tragic event, the 1812’s War, against British Crown, let his mark on the building which needed to be rebuilt 5 years long. In 1850, an expansion was carried out, that doubled the length of the capitol
The capitol building is marked by its central dome, above a rotunda in the central section of the structure. The Capitol contains as well a part of the world history in some of its famous room. The House Chamber is one of the well know. You can see on it the statues of those who participated to found Western World fair values : Hammurabi, Moïse, Solon, Thomas Jefferson or Napoleon Ier are in it.
Finally, the capitol has a long history in the art of the United States, beginning in 1856 with Italian / Greek artist Constantino Brumidi and his murals in the hallways of the first floor. Since then, many other artists have worked there.
To conclude, its is important to mention that the Capitol has played host to major events, including presidential inaugurations held every four years, Independence day celebrations, or visit of the Pope Francis in 2015 to give a joint address to the Congress.
sources: architecture books and wikipedia
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