Virginia State Capitol

The Virginia State Capitol is a government building in Richmond, Virginia, that stands on a hill overlooking the city and is surrounded by landscaped lawns. Its rectangular footprint is framed by white columns at the front and back, while a low dome crowns the center of the roof.

Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau designed the building between 1785 and 1788, using the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, France, as their model. During the Civil War it served as the seat of the Confederate States government before returning to its role as the Virginia capitol after 1865.

The building takes its name from the Latin word for the central hill in ancient Rome, where the city's most important temple once stood. Visitors today see it as a working space where representatives debate laws and citizens can attend public hearings.

Free guided tours run every hour from Monday through Saturday and provide access to the rotunda and the legislative chambers. Visitors should plan for security screening at the entrance and note that the chambers may be closed during active sessions.

The rotunda at the center of the building holds a life-sized statue of George Washington that stands as the only work for which the first president posed in person. A skylight in the dome illuminates the sculpture and makes it appear different as daylight shifts throughout the day.

Location: Richmond

Inception: 1785

Architects: Thomas Jefferson, Charles-Louis Clérisseau

Architectural style: Palladian architecture

Website: http://legis.state.va.us

GPS coordinates: 37.53880,-77.43360

Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:30