The Capitol Building in Madison, Wisconsin was built in the Beaux Arts-style between 1906 and 1917. Designed by George B. Post, it replaced the previous state capitol building which burned down in 1904. The building houses the Wisconsin State Assembly, the Wisconsin State Senate, the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor of Wisconsin.
The previous state capital building was built in 1857-1869 and replaced the small Greek Revival-style building constructed in 1837. As the population grew in Wisconsin, the old capitol building became inadequate and a study for a replacement started in 1903. The present building was built on the site of the previous building and completed one wing at a time to provide space for the government. The last wing to be finished was the north wing, leaving the remaining portion of the previous capitol building to serve as space for the state government during the construction period.
The building is made of Bethel white granite and stands 284 feet tall, with the dome being the largest in the world to be entirely clad in granite. The building underwent a major renovation in the 1970s but was restored in the 1980s and 1990s to update it for the modern needs of the state government.
The exterior of the 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. The sides of the wings feature simpler cornices with dentils, pilasters and recessed window openings.
In the center of the building is the rotunda, which is topped with a large dome that rises from a tall base. The dome is the tallest building in Madison, with a state law passed in 1990 stipulating that any building within a one-mile radius of the capitol is limited in height, which preserves the visibility of the building from the surrounding landscape.
The building orientation is unique, with a Greek cross footprint aligned with the compass directions and radial streets. The building is at a 45-degree angle to compass directions, instead roughly paralleling the shorelines of nearby Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.
Overall, the Capitol Building in Madison, Wisconsin is an impressive building with a rich history and unique design elements.