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Madison’s WI Capitol Square and Wisconsin State Capitol

Wisconsin State Capitol, Capitol Square, Madison, WI

The Wisconsin State Capitol is a historic building that was built in 1906-1917 to house the state house of representatives, state senate, and offices for the Wisconsin State Government. Designed in a Beaux Arts-style by George B. Post, it replaced the previous state capitol, which burned down in 1904. The present building stands at 284 feet tall and 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 building underwent a major renovation in the 1970s and later projects between 1988 and 2002 restored the building while updating the building’s systems and functions for the modern needs of the state government. 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. The building also has a large dome that rises from a tall base and is the largest in the world to be entirely clad in granite. The Wisconsin State Capitol is a symbol of Wisconsin’s history and cultural heritage and is an important landmark that attracts visitors from around the world.

Posted by w_lemay on 2023-03-08 12:50:58