Colorado State Capitol

The Colorado State Capitol Building, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home of the Colorado legislature. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. It was constructed in the 1890s from Colorado white granite. The distinctive gold dome consists of a plate of real gold, first added in 1908, commemorating the Colorado Gold Rush. The building is part of Denver's Civic Center area.

Related Topics:
Denver, Colorado - Colorado legislature - United States Capitol - 1890s - Gold - 1908 - Colorado Gold Rush - Civic Center

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Serving as the beginning of the Capitol Hill district, the historic building sits slightly higher than the rest of downtown Denver. The main entrance hall is open 180 feet (55 meters) to the top of the dome, about the height of an 18-story building. Additionally, the official elevation of Denver is measured outside the west entrance to the building, where the fifteenth step is engraved with the words "One Mile Above Sea Level." From this step, around dusk, a magnificent view of the sun setting behind the Rocky Mountains can be taken-in at 5,280 feet.

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The interior of the building uses copious amounts of a rare rose marble from a quarry near Marble, Colorado. The amount used in this one building consumed the entire known supply http://www.milehighcity.com/capitol/. White marble from this same area was used in the construction of many significant buildings in the United States including the Lincoln Memorial and the (US) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Related Topics:
Marble - Marble, Colorado - Lincoln Memorial - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

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Many of the windows are stained glass, depicting people or events related to the history of Colorado. The halls are decorated with portraits of every president of the United States.

Related Topics:
Stained glass - History of Colorado - President of the United States

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