United States Capitol

The east front of the United States Capitol at night.

The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The House of Representatives occupies the south wing of the Capitol while the Senate in the north wing. Like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a neoclassical style and has a white exterior. Both its east and west elevations are formally referred to as fronts, though only the east front was intended for the reception of visitors and dignitaries.

Interior

Capitol rotunda

Capitol rotunda

West front of the United States Capitol, as seen in D.C.

The Capitol building is marked by its central dome above a rotunda in the central section of the structure which also includes the smaller center flanked by the two smaller wings (inner north and inner south) containing the two original smaller meeting chambers for the Senate and the House of Representatives and then flanked by two further extended wings, one also for each chamber of Congress: the new north wing is the Senate chamber and the new south wing is the House of Representatives chamber. Above these newer chambers are galleries where visitors can watch the Senate and House of Representatives. It is an example of neoclassical architecture.

Tunnels and internal subways connect the Capitol building with the Congressional office buildings in the Capitol Complex. All rooms in the Capitol are designated as either S (for Senate) or H (for House), depending on whether they are in the Senate or House wing of the Capitol.

Statuary Hall, viewed from the south.

Statuary Hall

The National Statuary Hall is a chamber in the United States Capitol devoted to sculptures of prominent Americans. The hall, also known as the Old Hall of the House, is a large, two-story, semicircular room with a second story gallery along the curved perimeter. It is located immediately south of the Rotunda. The Hall is built in the shape of an ancient Roman amphitheater.

House of Representatives Chamber

U.S. House Chamber

The House of Representatives Chamber, located in the South wing of the Capitol, has 448 permanent seats. Unlike senators, representatives do not have assigned seats. The chamber is large enough to accommodate members of all three branches of the federal government and invited guests for joint sessions of Congress such as the State of the Union speech and other events.

The Chamber is adorned with relief portraits of famous lawmakers and lawgivers throughout history. The United States national motto "In God We Trust" is written over the tribune below the clock and above the United States flag.

U.S. Senate Chamber

Senate Chamber

The Senate Chamber, located in the North wing of the Capitol serves as the legislative chamber of the United States Senate, and is a rectangular two-story room with 100 individual desks, one per Senator, on a multi-tiered semicircular platform facing a central rostrum in the front of the room. The Senate floor itself is overlooked on all four sides by a gallery on the second floor.

Exterior

Reflecting pool with Washington Monument in the background.

The exterior of the Capitol, known as the Capitol Grounds, consist of mostly of lawns and other grounds. Directly across the street from the West Front of the Capitol is the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the National Mall.