The Wisconsin State Capitol Building is a Beaux Arts-style structure built between 1906 and 1917 to house the state house of representatives, state senate, and offices for the Wisconsin government. The building replaced the previous state capitol, which burned down in 1904. The building is the third to stand on the present site, and the fourth to house the Wisconsin state government since the state’s establishment in 1848. The state’s first capitol was in the village of Belmont, with the legislature meeting in a hastily constructed wood-frame building before moving to Burlington and eventually settling on Madison as the state’s capital.
The present building is the largest to be entirely clad in granite, and the tallest building in Madison. Its greek cross footprint comprises four five-story wings arranged according to compass directions and radial streets cutting through the surrounding street grid at a 45-degree angle. The building’s unique orientation places it at a 45-degree angle relative to Capitol Square and most buildings on adjacent streets. The exterior of the wings features porticoes on the ends with corinthian columns, arched windows, rusticated bases with entrance doors, and decorative keystones. Decorative reliefs feature festoons over the windows on the porticoes, cornices decorated with modillions and dentils, and pediments with sculptural reliefs embodying different symbols.
The central rotunda of the building is topped by a large dome that rises from a tall base. The main building stands at a height of 284 feet with a statue of a personification of Wisconsin atop the dome, sculpted by Daniel Chester French in 1920. Originally built in stages, each wing of the present building was completed one at a time, gradually allowing space for government activities. The central rotunda and dome were built after the other three wings had been completed, as they served a more symbolic than utilitarian purpose.
The building underwent a major renovation in the 1970s, with several original features covered up and modern features added to the interior. Later restorations between 1988 and 2002 restored the building while updating its systems and functions for modern use. The building houses both the Wisconsin State Assembly and Senate, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the Office of the Governor.
In summary, the Wisconsin State Capitol Building is a Beaux-Arts style structure built between 1906 and 1917, serving as the third capitol building to be constructed on the present site and the fourth to house Wisconsin’s state government since the state was established in 1848. It replaced the previous state capitol, which burned down in 1904. The building is one of the largest built entirely in granite and is the tallest building in Madison, with a unique 45-degree orientation relative to the surrounding streets. The building features four wings arranged according to compass directions and radial streets cutting through the surrounding street grid at a 45-degree angle. The exterior of the wings features porticoes, corinthian columns, arched windows, and decorative keystones, as well as cornices with modillions and dentils, and pediments with sculptural reliefs embodying different symbols. The central rotunda features a dome that rises from a tall base with a statue of a personification of Wisconsin atop the dome.