Wisconsin State Capitol Building - Madison, WI - Puzzles in the Real World on Waymarking.com

The Wisconsin State Capitol Building was constructed from 1906 - 1917 and is the fifth building to serve this function. It is identical from all four sides. The view on the puzzle is taken looking northwest on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Olin Terrace.

Construction of the present capitol, the fourth building and the third in Madison, began in late 1906 and was completed in 1917 at a cost of $7.25 million. The architect was George B. Post & Sons from New York. He made the Capitol look the same on every side so that none of the businesses on the Square felt like they were on the back side.

Because of financial limitations and the need for immediate office space to house state government employees, the construction of the new building was extended over several years and emphasized building one wing at a time.

The Capitol is 284 feet, 5 inches tall from the ground floor to the top of the Wisconsin statue on the dome.

The Wisconsin statue on the dome was sculpted during 1920 by Daniel Chester French of New York. Its left hand holds a globe surmounted by an eagle and her right arm is outstretched to symbolize the state motto, "Forward". It wears a helmet with the state animal, the badger, on top. It is made of hollow bronze covered with gold leaf. Wisconsin is 15 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs three tons. The statue is commonly misidentified as Lady Forward or Miss Forward, which is the name of another statue on the capitol grounds.

The capitol ceiling, visible from the center of the building, features Resources of Wisconsin, a mural by Edwin Howland Blashfield. Due to the domed shape of the ceiling, the mural was painted in pieces and was assembled similarly to a jigsaw puzzle. It features a woman sitting on a throne of clouds, representing Wisconsin. Wisconsin is surrounded by other women, wrapped in a large American Flag, who are reaching for goods such as tobacco, lead, and fruits.

The capitol was constructed of 43 types of stone from six countries and eight states. The exterior stone is Bethel white granite from Vermont, making the exterior dome the largest granite dome in the world. The corridor floors, walls and columns are of marble from the states of Tennessee, Missouri, Vermont, Georgia, New York, and Maryland; granite from the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota; and limestone from the states of Minnesota and Illinois. Marble from the countries of France, Italy, Greece, Algeria and Germany, and syenite from Norway are also represented. Other Wisconsin granites are located throughout the public hallways on the ground, first, and second floors.

The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001. A 1990 state law prevents any building within one mile of the capitol from being taller than the base of the columns surrounding and supporting its dome.-Wisconsin State Capitol

Location City and Country: Madison, Wisconsin, USA Name of Location or Landmark: Wisconsin State Capitol Building Location or Landmark website: [Web Link] Puzzle or 3d model Manufacturer: Fine Art America Puzzle or 3d model Manufacturer's Website: [Web Link] Puzzle Type: Cardboard 2 dimensional

Visit Instructions:
Enjoy your visit, tell your story and post a photo.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.