Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE
Washington, District of Columbia
Tel:
(202) 225-6827
Visit the seat of American legislative power at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The United States Capitol, the third building to house Congress since the ratification of the Constitution, was completed in the early 1800s, though it has undergone significant expansion since then. Today, the United States Capitol is open to visitors to view Congressional proceedings in all their authenticity and glory.
The cornerstone for the United States Capitol, a magnificent building in the American Neoclassical style, was laid on September 18, 1793. Construction continued for the next several decades, with the northern Senate wing being completed in 1800, the southern House of Representatives wing in 1811, and the Statue of Freedom atop the dome finally being completed in 1863. To this day, the United States Capitol survives as one of Washington's most recognizable structures.
Today, visitors to the United States Capitol can find a variety of tours available to them. Take part in a public tour of the United States Capitol available from a kiosk on the southwest corner of the grounds. You can reserve tours of the United States Capitol through your Senator's or Representative's office. Also, make sure you obtain passes to view the chambers of the Senate or the House of Representatives, open as long as Congress is in session—definitely worth doing. After your tour of the United States Capitol, you'll find plenty of restaurants in downtown Washington, with anything you may desire, from deli to pizza to health food and more!
To get to the United States Capitol, visitors should take the Blue or Orange line Metro train to the Capitol South station, then walk west on D Street Southwest, turn north on 1st Street Southeast, then west on East Capitol Street Northeast. Visit the United States Capitol, where freedom and justice endure!