Description

North Face of the Capitol, Washington

Work began on the original design of the Capitol by Dr. William Thornton in 1794. However the building was not complete when it was burned by the British in the War of 1812. The building was completed in 1829, but it has been under repair, restoration or enlargement almost continuously since. The cast-iron dome, constructed between 1855 and 1866, may well be the most famous man-made landmark in the country.