Architecture + Design

Look Inside 15 Beautiful State Capitol Buildings

AD surveys the remarkable interiors of 15 state capitol buildings
  • Image may contain Building Architecture Apse Window Arched and Arch
    Photo: Jit Lim/Alamy
    1/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-02.jpg

    George Browne Post designed the Wisconsin state capitol, located in Madison. Construction was completed in 1917.

  • Photo: Stephen Bay/Alamy
    2/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-03.jpg

    Located in Des Moines, the Iowa state capitol—built in 1871—was devised by John C. Cochrane, Alfred H. Piquenard, and Edward Clark.

  • Photo: Nikreates/Alamy
    3/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-04.jpg

    In 1874, construction began at California’s state capitol, designed by M. Frederic Butler in Sacramento.

  • Photo: Philip Scalia/Alamy
    4/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-06.jpg

    Richard M. Upjohn devised the Connecticut state capitol, which was completed in Hartford in 1878.

  • Photo: Frank Tozier/Alamy
    5/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-07.jpg

    In Lansing, Michigan, the Elijah E. Myers–designed capitol was completed in 1878.

  • Photo: Purestock/Alamy
    6/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-08.jpg

    Founding father Thomas Jefferson and French architect Charles-Louis Clérisseau designed the state capitol in Richmond, Virginia, which was built in 1785.

  • Photo: Nikreates/Alamy
    7/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-01.jpg

    Charles Bulfinch designed Massachusetts’s state capitol, which was erected in Boston in 1798.

  • Photo: Ryan McGinnis/Alamy
    8/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-12.jpg

    Ohio’s capitol building, which saw five architects and a cholera epidemic, was finally erected after 22 years of construction, in Columbus in 1861.

  • Photo: Henryk Sadura/Alamy
    9/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-05.jpg

    In Springfield, Illinois, the Cochrane and Garnsey–designed capitol building was erected in 1868.

  • Photo: Joe Ferrer/Alamy
    10/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-11.jpg

    Architects Walter Wilder and Harry White devised Washington’s capitol building, which was completed in 1928 in Olympia.

  • Photo: Julie Thurston/Getty Images
    11/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-capitol-building-honolulu-hawaii-10.jpg

    John Carl Warnecke and the architecture firm Belt, Lemmon & Lo, designed the Honolulu, Hawaii, capitol building, which was completed in 1969.

  • Photo: National Geographic Image Collection/Alamy
    12/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-13.jpg

    Utah’s state capitol, in Salt Lake City, was designed by Richard K.A. Kletting and built between 1912 and 1916.

  • Photo: Nik Wheeler/Alamy
    13/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-09.jpg

    The Texas state capitol was completed in Austin in 1888. Elijah E. Meyers was the architect behind the design.

  • Photo: SuperStock/Alamy
    14/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-14.jpg

    Teams of architects, including Henry Hobson Richardson, Leopold Eidlitz, Thomas Fuller, Isaac G. Perry, and Frederick Law Olmsted, designed the New York state capitol in Albany, which was completed in 1899.

  • Photo: Ilene MacDonald/Alamy
    15/15

    dam-images-architecture-2015-06-state-capitols-inside-state-capitol-buildings-15.jpg

    Located in Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania state capitol was designed by Joseph Miller Huston and completed in 1906.

Alison Levasseur, the Global Interiors and Garden Director at Architectural Digest, joined the brand in 2012. In overseeing residential project submissions at AD and directing the much-anticipated annual AD100 list of the industry's best and New American Voices she believes in cultivating long-standing relationships with both emerging and established design... Read more
Global Interiors and Garden Director
ExploreArchitecture
Read More
celebrities
Inside Famous Homes at Christmas
From Kris Jenner to the Vice President of the United States, decorating for the holiday season is a big affair. Today, AD steps inside some famous homes to see how they prepare for Christmas.
architecture
Inside a Legendary Modernist Home Designed to Flow Like a Waterfall
Today, AD travels to Vancouver, Canada, to tour Eppich House II. Designed in the 1980s by renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson for businessman Hugo Eppich, this home uses rigid materials to create soft, organic forms. Curved steel layers cascade down the landscape like a waterfall, while an abundance of windows flood the home with natural light. Everything in the house, from the landscape to the furniture, was designed by Erickson’s collaborators and has been beautifully preserved. This home is a feat in modernist architecture and is considered one of Erickson’s best designs.
Architecture + Design
New York Skyline: Everything You Need to Know About the Big Apple’s Big Buildings
The skyline is among the world’s most recognizable, from One World Trade Center to Empire State Building and more
architecture
Francis Ford Coppola Breaks Down The Design of ‘Megalopolis’
Today, AD is joined by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola to break down the architectural details of ‘Megalopolis’. Modeling the fall of Rome in an alternate version of New York City, ‘Megalopolis’ has been ‘The Godfather’ director’s passion project for over 40 years. Join Coppola as he discusses the metaphors behind his movie’s design and how he brought his long-awaited dream to life. MEGALOPOLIS is now available On Demand.
design
How ‘Wicked’ Built Immersive Real-Life Sets, From Shiz To Emerald City
Today, AD welcomes production designer Nathan Crowley to explain how he designed the sets for ‘Wicked’. Through his extensive use of practical effects, Crowley designed sets where Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo could shine and come alive as Glinda and Elphaba. From planting nine million tulips for Munchkinland to Shiz’s 52-foot high set, Crowley’s designs for ‘Wicked’ are truly immersive and nothing short of impressive. WICKED is in theaters November 22, https://www.wickedmovie.com/
celebrities
Decorate for Christmas with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley & More
As Christmas approaches, AD joins Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Derek Blasberg, and more as they decorate and cook in preparation for the holiday season. Level up your hosting game as you learn how to set the perfect holiday table with interior designer Noz Nozawa and make a delicious meringue tumble with Chef Jeremy Lee.
Travel
11 Frank Lloyd Wright–Designed Houses You Can Rent for Your Next Vacation
Time to relax in architectural splendor
Outdoors
18 Exterior House Colors That Add Major Curb Appeal
Whether you go for classic white or a more daring hue, these colors will help your house make a great first impression
AD-it-Yourself
28 Tasteful Bathroom Decor Ideas, From Quick Fixes to Major Makeovers
Make your powder room or primary bath a personal wellness sanctuary with this advice from interior design pros
Magazine
Notre-Dame de Paris Prepares to Reopen After a Monumental Reconstruction
With heroic help and an army of outstanding artisans, engineers, and architects, the landmark is rebuilt five years after a devastating fire
Architecture + Design
Step Inside a Lavish Upper East Side Home Reimagined With Bold Moves
Ryan Korban brings a fresh perspective to a historic Manhattan residence for a family of five
Architecture
The 10 Most Beautiful Luxury Cruise Ships in the World
Traveling to destinations as dazzling as the vessels themselves, these ships combine relaxation and adventure