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The Capitol Dome
Design and Construction * Restoration * Inspiration
Design and Construction:
In 1793, President George Washington selected the design for the U.S. Capitol Building (pictured far left). Dr. William Thornton submitted the plan, modeled after the Roman Pantheon.
In the 1850s the Capitol underwent an expansion that added the north and south wings. To match the building's increased size, Architect of the Capitol Thomas U. Walter proposed a new Dome (pictured left). Walter's design used cast iron, making the Dome lighter and less costly than if it were built with stone.
Congress authorized construction in 1855, and work continued during the Civil War. Workers installed the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol Dome on December 2, 1865. |