Madison’s Capitol Square and the Wisconsin State Capitol

Wisconsin State Capitol, Capitol Square, Madison, WI

The Wisconsin State Capitol Building was constructed between 1906-1917, and designed by George B. Post. It replaced the previous state capitol, which had burned down in 1904. The capitol building houses the Wisconsin State Assembly, Wisconsin State Senate, Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the Governor’s office. It has a Beaux Arts-style and is 284 feet tall. The building has a Greek cross footprint with four five-story wings that are aligned with the compass directions and radial streets following the compass directions that slice through the surrounding street grid, which is at a 45-degree angle to compass directions. The exterior of the building’s wings feature porticoes on the ends with Corinthian columns, arched windows on the third floor, rusticated bases with entrance doors and decorative keystones, decorative reliefs featuring festoons over the windows on the porticoes, cornices with modillions and dentils, and pediments with sculptural reliefs. On the east wing, which is home to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the sculpture known as Law, created by Karl Bitter, is located on the portico pediment. On the west wing, which houses the chamber of the Wisconsin Assembly, is a sculpture known as Agriculture, also created by Karl Bitter. On the north wing, which is home to a hearing chamber, is the sculpture known as Virtues and Traits of Character, created by Adolph Alexander Weinman. And finally, on the south wing, which houses the chamber of the Wisconsin Senate, is a sculpture known as Wisdom and Learning of the World, created by Attilio Piccirilli.

Posted by w_lemay on 2023-03-08 12:50:59