Minnesota State Capitol, State Capitol building in Saint Paul, United States.
The Minnesota State Capitol is a government building in Saint Paul built from white Georgia marble and topped with a dome rising about 75 meters. The facade shows Renaissance Revival elements with columns, arches, and sculptures, while the interior houses extended corridors and assembly halls for the legislature.
Architect Cass Gilbert designed the building, which was completed in 1905 after two earlier capitol structures were lost to fire. The work lasted several years and brought together craftsmen from different regions to complete the marble cladding and interior finishes.
The central hall carries the name Rotunda and shows large wall paintings depicting early inhabitants of the region and the transition to statehood. Visitors can see the chambers where laws are still debated today, while paintings on the walls recall past conflicts and treaties.
Guided tours take place on weekdays and allow access to the legislative chambers, rotunda, and reception rooms. Visitors should plan time to explore the upper galleries, from which you can look up into the dome structure from inside.
The dome supports itself through a construction of marble and steel, without supporting columns in the interior space, and is the second largest of its kind after Saint Peter's Basilica. This design allows an unobstructed view from the rotunda all the way up to the upper lantern.
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