The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and built in a neoclassical style with a white exterior. Central sections of the present building were completed in 1800, when the 6th United States Congress first convened there, and though the building was partly destroyed in the 1814 burning of Washington by British forces, it was fully restored within five years and enlarged through the 19th century as more states were admitted to the union, with the House of Representatives housed in the south wing and the Senate in the north wing. Its massive dome was completed around 1866, just after the American Civil War, and the east front portico was extended in 1958.
Facts
Year Created LocationCapitol Hill, eastern end of the National Mall, Washington, D.C. 1 Architectural Style Structural SystemCast-iron dome (built 1855-1866) over masonry wings 1 Primary MaterialBrick and sandstone, with later marble additions 1 Building TypeSeat of the United States Congress (legislative building) 1 Commissioned ByThe federal government, via an architectural design competition proposed by Thomas Jefferson 1 Construction Floor Area (sqm)54,000 sqm (580,000 sq ft) is the underground Capitol Visitor Center only, opened 2008, not the historic Capitol building's own floor area. Current UseSeat of the U.S. Congress; House of Representatives in the south wing, Senate in the north wing 1 Visitor AccessUnderground Capitol Visitor Center (opened 2008) provides a single security checkpoint for all visitors, including those with disabilities 1 Connections
In Form
Source United States Capitol (Wikipedia)
In Genre
Entity-backed identity for the genre enum value this work already carries, resolved to an arts art-form by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The genre fact itself, with its own citation, stays on the work unchanged.
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. United States Capitol (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIntroduction
It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
History, 18th century
In early 1792, after Pierre L'Enfant was dismissed from the federal city project, Jefferson proposed a design competition to solicit designs for the Capitol and the "President's House", and set a four-month deadline.
History, 19th century
Instead of repairing it, Latrobe demolished, redesigned and rebuilt the interiors within the existing brick and sandstone walls.
History, 19th century, Capitol dome
In 1855, the decision was made to tear it down and replace it with the "wedding-cake style" cast-iron dome that stands today.
Capitol Visitor Center
The complex contains 580,000 square feet (54,000 m2) of space below ground on three floors, and offers visitors a food court, restrooms, and educational exhibits, including an 11-foot scale model of the Capitol dome.
Introduction, exterior style
Like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a neoclassical style and has a white exterior.
Introduction, role
The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government.
Introduction, chamber layout
The building was enlarged during the 19th century, by extending the wings for the chambers for the bicameral legislature as more states were admitted to the union, with the House of Representatives housed in the south wing and the Senate housed in the north wing.
History, 18th century, design competition
In early 1792, after Pierre L'Enfant was dismissed from the federal city project, Jefferson proposed a design competition to solicit designs for the Capitol and the "President's House", and set a four-month deadline.
History, 18th century, cornerstone
On September 18, 1793, President Washington, along with eight other Freemasons dressed in masonic regalia, laid the cornerstone, which was made by silversmith Caleb Bentley.
Introduction, completion
Central sections of the present building were completed in 1800, when the 6th U.S. Congress convened there on November 17, 1800, moving the national capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C..
Capitol Visitor Center, size
The complex contains 580,000 square feet (54,000 m2) of space below ground on three floors, and offers visitors a food court, restrooms, and educational exhibits, including an 11-foot scale model of the Capitol dome.
Capitol Visitor Center, accessibility
The CVC provides a single security checkpoint for all visitors, including those with disabilities, and an expansion space for the US Congress.
Genre reference
The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.
In Form: Architecture, lead paragraph
The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the Nati
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