|
As the focal point of
the government's Legislative Branch, the United States Capital Building is the centerpiece of the
Capitol Complex, which includes the six principal Congressional office
buildings and three Library of Congress buildings constructed on Capitol
Hill in the 19th and 20th centuries. A fine example of 19th-century
neoclassical architecture, the 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 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; from the basement floor
to the top of the dome is an ascent of 365 steps. The building contains
approximately 540 rooms and has 658 windows (108 in the dome alone) and
approximately 850 doorways.
The 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 third floor
allows access to the galleries from which visitors to the 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 Capitol are
occupied by offices, machinery rooms, workshops, and other support areas.
|
