In the very center of the downtown area of Raleigh you will find the State Capitol. Whether you simply stroll around the perfectly manicured lawn and check out the about a dozen statues found within the yard, or come on in a check out this impressive building or take a tour, you are sure to be captivated.
The state capital was completed in 1840. It is built in the Greek Revival Style of architecture. It has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Though this was the second state capital. When Raleigh was permanently established as the state capital a simple 2-story building was designed by Rhodam Atkins and built between 1792 and 1796. In 1831 the original building burnt down thanks to a few careless workmen. Only 2 chairs and a painting of George Washington survived the fire. Today visitors to the Capitol Building can still see the surviving articles as well as pieces from the building including part of what was once the statue of George Washington sculpted by Antonio Canova.
In August 1883 NY architects, Ithiel Town and Alexander Jackson Davis, took over designing the new capitol building. William Nichols was originally hired to design the building and in 1834 David Patton was the final architect of the building. The building was inspired by the Greek Temples and the exterior columns are Doric and modeled after the Parthenon. The ironwork, chandeliers, hard wear, and marble came from Philly as well as the workers.
The design is a cross shaped bulling. It reaches 160 feet from north to south. It is 140 feet from east to west. When you stand in the rotunda you can look up and see the top of the crown of the building which is almost 100 foot tall. The exterior walls are made from a form of granite called gneiss. The interior walls are made of stone and brick. The dome has a copper top. There is a wooden truss system in place to support the large domed roof.
Up until the 1880s, all forms of the state government were housed here. In 1888 both the NC Supreme Court as well as the State Library moved to nearby buildings. In 1963 the General Assembly moved to their own building. Thusly making it the first building made exclusively for legislative use. Both the Governor of NC (currently Mike Easley) and Lieutenant Governor (currently Beverly Perdue) and their staff have offices here.
On the first floor are where you can buy souvenirs, where you check in at, and where tours begin. In the middle is the rotunda which features a striking statue depicting George Washington as a Roman warrior (think Chucky Heston in Spartcus or even better Gerry Butler in the up coming movie 300) instead of the powered-wigged President we typically see. Since the original burned in the fire a copy was made in 1970 by Italian artist Romano Vio. In the early 1900s the Italian government generously donated the NC Capitol Building the plaster cast of Canova’s statue. There are also a couple of offices here and you can see Mike Easley’s office. There is also the display of the chairs and paintings saved from the fire.
The second floor houses the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the West Hall committee room. These rooms are still used on occasions by members and for public events. The rooms are open on the public but you need to be on a tour to get completely inside the room. The third floor holds the State Library room, the State Geologists office, and the House and State Galleries.
Today more than 180,000 people stop in to admire this dramatic building. You can simply tour the building on your own or take one of the guided tours offered. Take the time to also walk around the outside building which boasts a number of amazing statues honoring the military, governors, and presidents.
You can simply enjoy the capitol on your own everyday from 10am-4pm. Guided tours are offered on the weekend at 11am and 2pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. All adults over 18 must have ID in order to be in the building. The building is handicapped accessible. You can walk around the grounds of the capital at any time. There is no fee to tour the building. They can arrange private tours for groups of 10 or more. My guide on this tour, Patty Gibson, was just a fantastic guide who certainly knows her NC history.
The capitol building is close to both the NC Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. So while you’re at these places make sure to stop in. The building is truly an historical gem. It certainly seems to be popular with all ages. Our group ranged from a group of boy scouts to senior citizens, and everyone in between. They do hold a number of events through the year. Please go to www.ncstatecapitol.com
Very highly recommended