Alabama State Capitol - Montgomery, Alabama
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xptwo
N 32° 22.662 W 086° 18.051
16S E 565767 N 3582517
The Alabama State Capitol building was completed in 1851 and served as the first Capitol of the Confederate States of America. Additions have been made over the decades, but the dome remains as the focal point for visitors.
Waymark Code: WMDV1F
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 02/25/2012
Views: 9
The Capitol Building is a replacement for the original building that burned in 1849. The Capitol was the site of the provisional congress of the Confederate States of America in 1861 and where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as the first President of the CSA on February 18, 1861. The Confederate capital was moved to Richmond, Virginia, in May, 1861, so the building returned to its previous use as home to the state legislature and government offices. Over the years since then, additions have been made to add east, west, and north wings. The building underwent a significant renovation from 1985 to 1992. While the Governor of Alabama and other state offices moved back into the building, the legislature meets in the nearby State House. The Senate and House chambers were furnished as they appeared in 1861 and are used on occasion. Free self-guided tours are available most days from Monday through Saturday, as are pre-arranged guided tours.
The coordinates are for the entrance at the west end of the building, which is the one normally seen in photos.
"The capitol was built on Goat Hill in 1847 and was destroyed by fire in 1849. The current State Capitol was constructed on the same site and completed in 1851. Over the years there have been many additions to the building to accommodate the growing government. They were the east wing added to the buildings rear in 1885, a south wing in 1906, a matching north wing in 1912, and along with a complete renovation to the whole building a modern addition to the rear in 1992.
The areas that are open for tourists are the entry foyer with twin opposing cantilever stairwells, the old Governors Office, the old State Supreme Court and the old Supreme Court Library, the Rotunda, the old House of Representatives, and the old Senate Chamber. The Alabama Legislature was housed in the capitol until 1985 when they moved to another building because the capitol was undergoing renovation. They are still in the other building although the constitution of the state says they are to be in the State Capitol building. They did convene at the Capitol on May 7, 2009 due to flooding in the State House but as soon as that was resolved they returned to the State House.
The original center core of the capitol building is done in the Greek Revival style featuring a circular drum tower capped with a dome and cupola. At a later time the Neoclassical wings were added at the sides and the back. The building stands 119 feet tall."
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