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Best and Worst Capitol Buildings in America?

210K views 161 replies 70 participants last post by  A Chicagoan 
#1 · (Edited)
I live in Connecticut and our Capitol Building is said to be one of the best in the country, along with Iowa and West Virginia. I agree—the building is very castle-like with a beautiful gold dome and stunningly detailed architecture.

What do you think the best Capitol Building is and why?
What is the worst?
In my opinion it's between Oregon and Ohio, both which have the podium for a dome but no dome. Florida and Louisiana's high-rise office-type buildings are bad too.

In terms of skylines, Massacussetts and Texas takes the cake. (In a good way.)

Connecticut State Capitol

http://jiskjoseph.com/wp-content/uploads/2011-04-29-Hartford-Conneticut-028.jpg

http://policyvoice.wp.trincoll.edu/files/2011/03/cfiles25066.jpg
 
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#7 ·
#8 ·
I tend to like the more unusual capitol buildings rather than the ones with the domes...so many of them are domed and look similar, even with the various architectural details.

I disagree with the criticism of the Louisiana capitol building...it's one of my faves, a beautiful art deco structure built in the 1920s:


New York's is pretty amazing and not at all like any others that I know of:


Nebraska's is unusual and very striking, also built in the 20s:


Oregon's is kind of strange looking...it looks like they ran out of money. I can't decide if I like it or not, but I'm leaning toward not:


Hawaii's is pretty unattractive, unless you like that Bauhaus style:
 
#160 ·
I tend to like the more unusual capitol buildings rather than the ones with the domes...so many of them are domed and look similar, even with the various architectural details.

I disagree with the criticism of the Louisiana capitol building...it's one of my faves, a beautiful art deco structure built in the 1920s:



Nebraska's is unusual and very striking, also built in the 20s:



Hawaii's is pretty unattractive, unless you like that Bauhaus
Hawaii's is not Bauhaus.

I agree about NE and LA...two of my favorites too.
 
#15 ·
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Wisconsin's State Capitol in Madison. It's one of my favorites!

I wouldn't say it's the most ornate capitol building, but it's an incredibly handsome structure. The way it's situated downtown (basically the city's centerpiece) in the middle of an isthmus makes it pretty unique and one of the most imposing from street level.




Image courtesy Laurie Grieg on Flickr
 
#18 · (Edited)
Agreed, it is a FANTASTIC structure that the state's residents are justifiably proud of. Also, unlike many of the others that only house the two (or one, in the case of Nebraska) branches of the respective state's legislature and related offices, the Wisconsin State Capitol, with its four wings, also houses the Governor's office and the state's Supreme Court (the wings are 'Assembly', 'Senate', 'Governor' and 'Supreme Court').

Also, when I first drove by New York's State Capitol during a roadtrip in the late 1990s, not knowing any better, from the street I thought that it was an old fancy hotel. :lol: Another story that I recall regarding the New York State Capitol building is that there once were plans to install a rotunda dome on it, but that engineers determined that its foundation was too weak to support it.

My first impression of the Oregon State Capitol building was that it looks amazingly like a Mormon (LDS) Temple. :eek:

Mike
 
#19 ·
Connecticut's interior is just beautiful and looks like you're living in the 1800's, really, and that ANGEL!!!
 
#22 ·
Feast your eyes on this:

Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison


Wisconsin State Capitol Building by Ray Cunningham, on Flickr

Wisconsin State Capitol (Madison, Wisconsin)

The Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison, Wisconsin, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature along with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. Completed in 1917, the building is the fifth to serve as the Wisconsin capitol since the first territorial legislature convened in 1836 and the third building since Wisconsin was granted statehood in 1848. The Wisconsin State Capitol is the tallest building in Madison.

Construction of the present capitol building, the third capitol to stand in Madison, began in late 1906 and was completed in 1917 at a cost of $7,250,000. The architect was George B. Post & Sons from New York State. Because of financial limitations and the need for immediate office space to house state government employees, the construction of the new building was extended over several years and was forced to focus on building one wing at a time.



South Gallery view by Ray Cunningham, on Flickr


More from the Wisconsin Capitol Building by kern.justin, on Flickr


The Wisconsin State Capitol by kern.justin, on Flickr


Last one from the Wisconsin State Capitol by kern.justin, on Flickr


Wisconsin State Capitol - Senate conference room by Ray Cunningham, on Flickr


Wisconsin State Capitol - Senate Ceiling detail by Ray Cunningham, on Flickr


Wisconsin State Capitol - Assembly by Ray Cunningham, on Flickr


State Capitol by eppsilon, on Flickr
 
#32 ·
And it is a great, great Capitol building. Nothing wrong with a stately dome, and Washington's is one of the largest. With the local setting of tall trees, a Capitol like New York's or New Mexico's would not work and those tower Capitols are just ugly. For the setting, they picked correctly.


Washington's old Capitol looked a lot like Connecticut's Capitol, until they had to take down the tower.


Here is what it looks like now. If you look closely at the sign in the park, you can see a pic of it with the tower:

 
#33 ·
I actually think Iowa's Capitolo building is the most beautiful of all! look it up!
 
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