The United States Capitol: Its Architecture and Decoration

by Henry Hope Reed

This wonderfully illustrated volume traces the architectural antecedents and building history of the magnificent U.S. Capitol. The U.S. Capitol, the building that houses the legislative branch of our government and a landmark that attracts 3-5 million visitors each year, has its origins in an architectural competition devised by George Washington. The winning design, submitted by William Thornton, combined "grandeur, simplicity, and convenience." Construction began in August 1793, but progress made during the following decade was less than satisfactory. English architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe was brought in by Thomas Jefferson in 1803 to oversee the work, which was finally completed under Charles Bulfinch in 1829. The U.S. Capitol is regarded by many as the finest example of classical architecture in America. This profusely illustrated book offers a detailed description of the building's exterior, its unsurpassed ornamentation, and the richness of its rooms. An illustrated glossary of architectural terms used and a section of brief biographies of persons associated with the Capitol are also provided as tools for the reader. 150 color plates.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[GrandpaBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book from the architectural (and apparent hater of the modern) authority and author Henry Hope Reed published in 2005. The book, loaded with wonderful color plus black and white photography, takes the reader on a historical and architectural tour of the United States Capitol, undoubtedly the most important building in the United States. After an outside tour, the author provides an inside tour of the public areas of the Capitol with detailed explanations of the architecture and decorative art found in the building. Descriptions and photos of the areas not open to the public are also provided. The Appendices are also worth noting which provides the reader with detailed identification of the features of the architecture, a glossary of architectural and decorative art terms, and short biographies of the artists, engineers and architects responsible for the building we see today. Readers should note how many immigrants were responsible for the building and decorating of the Capitol building. This book is a great companion to the history of the building of the US Capitol provided in "Freedom's Cap: The United States Capitol and the Coming of the Civil War" by Guy Gugliotta.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

While on a vacation in DC we did a tour of the US Capitol, it was actually a lost symbol tour of DC. I purchased this coffee table book because the images were beautiful. I finally made my way through the book and I really enjoyed it. It isn't a great read but there are wonderful pictures and drawings of the Capitol. It also features close up pictures of artifacts and architecture within the Capitol. It was a nice reminder of vacation!