Jumat, 02 Juni 2017

A US Capitol Tour Is An Amazing Lesson In History And Architecture

By Brian Morris


Washington, D. C. Is an exciting place to visit. There is more to do and see here than is possible in one trip. Most tourists make the White House their first stop. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are often next, along with the Mall. No visit would be complete though without taking time for a US Capitol tour.

Although these are the people's buildings, you should not expect to walk up the stairs of the house of Congress and be allowed to wander around on your own. You have to sign up for one of their guided tours that are conducted most days during normal business hours. The best idea is to plan in advance so you don't have to wait at the visitor center for an opening in a scheduled tours to become available.

The Crypt is located on the first floor of the Capitol, and is an interesting section of this building to visit. There are forty Doric columns that originally held up the overhead Rotunda. Guides will describe the architectural style and give an overview of the history of this room. There is a copy of the Magna Carta for viewing. Thirteen statues, representing the thirteen original colonies, are strategically placed.

You can't tour this building without spending time in the Rotunda. It is extremely impressive with all the works of art adorning the walls, and the friezes overhead that depict historical events in our nation's history. The Rotunda will probably look familiar even if you have never actually been there before. This is where Presidents and other dignitaries have lain in state.

In between the Rotunda and the House wing is the National Statuary Hall. There are currently thirty-five statues lining the walls that were contributions from various states celebrating distinguished citizens. Each state has contributed a total of one hundred statues, two for each state, and the remaining sixty-five are placed in strategic locations throughout the Capitol building.

There are a number of other tours visitors are welcome to take. Some include Exhibition Hall where visitors can get an up close and personal history lesson on the country and how the government was formed and still works today. You can tour the grounds with its monuments, fountains, and Capitol's beautiful reflecting pool.

Taking tours of the Capitol is something to be enjoyed, but it is a working building, and visitors are requested to abide by certain rules while they are touring the facilities. Guests are expected to dress in a respectful fashion and refrain from taking any food or drink on guided tours. Cell phones are permitted, but you are asked to keep them on mute or vibrate only.

A visit to the nation's capital is an exciting way to spend a vacation or long weekend. You will have to plan ahead to take advantage of all it has to offer. Most return to see interesting buildings they missed the first time.




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