Categories: Sightseeing / Travel

Texas State Capitol

My sweetie, Chip, and I went out on our very first date a little over a year ago. In Austin. Our plans were simple enough: Tour the Texas Capitol building, eat lunch (and dessert!) in downtown, then walk around the hip 6th Street. Little did Chipster know how much I put my digital camera to use. He was definitely a trooper though.

A few tidbits about the Texas State Capitol: Construction was completed in 1888. It has more square footage than any other state capitol building…..AND it’s taller than the United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (by nearly 20 feet). Now let’s get to the good part: Photos!

The exterior…

 
 
The monuments in front of the Capitol…

Confederate Dead monument

Confederate Dead monument

Heroes of the Alamo

Eighth Texas Cavalry, aka “Terry’s Texas Rangers”

 
Right above the front entrance…

 
 
A bronze 8″ x 8″ door hinge at the front entrance door…

 
 
The main lobby (rotunda)…

 
 
If you look straight up, you’ll see this stunning dome…

 
 
The House of Representatives (on the 2nd floor)…

House of Representatives Chamber

Another angle of the Chamber

Beautiful columns

 
The original Supreme Court (on the 3rd floor)…

Supreme Courtroom

I’m not sure, but I think this is the Criminal Appeals Courtroom…

 
 
Chip and I were on the 4th floor to get a better look at the dome…

That’s when I noticed the spiral staircase on the right…

…And I just *had to* get a better view of it :p

As well as glance down at the 3 floors below…

 
 
These folks had the same idea…

 
 
On our way back down…

Terrazzo floor on the 1st level
Seals of the 6 nations that, at some point, once governed Texas (the Republic of Texas’ seal is in the center)…

…including the Confederate States of America

These door frames reminded me of confessionals (okay, I was raised Catholic)…

 
 
I love these Corinthian columns…

 
 
Governor’s Business Office (on 1st floor)…

 
 
The lovely details of this front door, including the door knob…

 
 
The last photo I snapped of the Texas Capitol…

 
 
PS: Have I mentioned being wowed by 3 other Capitol buildings?

United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C.
(photo from this post)

Arkansas State Capitol Building in Little Rock
(photo from this post)

Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu
(photo from this post)

 
Up next is the USS Bowfin Submarine.

Road Trippin’ (Part One): Texas & New Mexico

Life in magnets

Voodoo Doughnut: Came, saw, conquered :P

Very first day in Hawaii

There’s whaaat in this beer?

Tags: Austin, Texas, Texas State Capitol