The Wisconsin State Capitol Building was designed by George B. Post in the Beaux Arts-style and was constructed between 1906 to 1917. It replaced the previous state capitol building that had been built between 1857 to 1869 and had burnt down in 1904. The current building houses both the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the Office of the Governor of Wisconsin.
The first state capitol building was built in the village of Belmont, before designating Madison as the state capitol. In 1837, a humble Greek Revival-style building was constructed, which was replaced by a larger Classical Revival-style structure between 1857 to 1869, with Romanesque Revival elements. The old Capitol had become inadequate for the growing needs of Wisconsin by the turn of the 20th Century, and a study was initiated in 1903 to construct a new building. In 1904, the old State Capitol burnt down, and its replacement was constructed on the same site.
Built on a Greek cross foundation, the building has four wings aligned with the compass directions of north, south, east, and west. Each wing is five stories tall and has porticoes with Corinthian columns, arched windows, rusticated bases with entrance doors, decorative keystones, and cornices with modillions and dentils. The exterior also features decorative reliefs, sculptural reliefs, and statues that symbolize various virtues and traits, such as law, agriculture, wisdom, and character.
The building is 284 feet tall, including the statue on the dome sculpted by Daniel Chester French in 1920, representing the state of Wisconsin. The dome is entirely clad in granite, making it the largest of its kind in the world, and also the tallest building in Madison. The building underwent a major renovation in the 1970s before later projects between 1988 to 2002, which restored and updated the building’s systems and functions to modern needs.
In conclusion, the Wisconsin State Capitol Building is a significant landmark for both architectural and historical reasons. Its construction, design, and symbolism reflect the state’s growth, development, and values over the years. Today, the building continues to serve Wisconsin and its people, as it has for over a century.