|
Written by Shirley T
|
|
Saturday, 31 October 2009 10:34 |
|
 Visiting here? MyWiseWife can help you find hotels in cities near to this location. Click your preferred city below to search and book your stay. |
Visiting Austin Downtown would not be complete without stepping on the ground of Texas State Capitol. All the roads that lead to Austin Downtown would let you bedazzled with a glimpse of this majestic landmark of Austin. Housing the chambers of Texas Legislature and governor's office, State Capitol is the venue to catch an exciting story of Texas history and politics.
Sitting on two and a quarter acres land, Texas State Capitol was first designed in 1881 by Elijah E. Meyers - an architect who was later fired and the construction's direction was taken over by a civil engineer - Lindsay Walker (1882-1888). Originally, the building was planned to be erected entirely using limestone but the high iron content in limestone which would discolor over time had triggered the builder to opt for pink granite instead. This iconic building has an approximately 400 rooms and more than 900 windows.
On map, this significant landmark is almost a square confined within four streets namely W 15th Street (north), W 11th Street (south), San Jacinto Blvd (east) and Colorado Street on the west.
As one of the oldest monuments on Texas Capitol's ground, it features the name of Texans who lost their lives defending the fort at Alamo.
Check out some recognitions and interesting facts of Texas State Capitol building:
- The largest state capitol building in the United States
- It surpassed the U.S. Capitol building in Washington by 14.5 feet
- Its underground extension building is twice the size of the one above the ground
- In 1970, it was added to National Register of Historic Places
- In 1986, it was recognized as National Historic Landmark
- In 2007, it was ranked 92th in the 'America's Favorite Architecture' poll commissioned by the American Institute of Architects
State Capitol Complex dominates an area of about 50 acres and surrounded with greens and parks. The beautiful landscaped lawn is also the ground of 17 monuments and some stunning sculptures, fountain/pond and memorial stones. As usual, I did not miss the chance to capture most of them and especially the Monuments of Great Walk. Bring along some food and a mat as some corners under the shady trees are just perfect for picnic.
If you wish to visit the State Capitol, plan your tour so that it would not be coincided with any events (at UT or nearby vicinity) to enjoy the free parking at visitor's car park for the first 2 hours. Otherwise, the whole day parking rate could range between $7-$10.
Do not miss the free guided tours in the building. It is offered on Mon - Fri from 8:30am - 4:30pm, Sat from 9:30am - 3:30pm and Sun from noon to 3:30pm.
Getting there?
112 East 11th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: (512) 305-8408
The Capitol building is open:
Monday-Friday: 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
The Capitol Visitors Center is open:
Monday- Saturday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: Noon - 5:00 pm
Click here for Google Map
If you are looking to stay at this place you can try to do a Hotel Search
Trackback(0)
 |
Austin Top Attraction | State Capitol Complex - Texas History and Politics
TrackBack URI for this entry