October 31, 2017
Seminar Professor Trost
Tues/Thurs 1:30-2:45
The Wonder of Our Capitol
The City of Trees. The Big Tomato. The River City. Sactown. These are all affectionate names to describe California’s capital, and just like these known names, Sacramento is known for its State Capitol Building. In California’s history, Sacramento was named twice as the Capitol. Not to mention, the state had many capitol buildings before Sacramento was its last capital. The Capitol Building is one of the most important landmarks in California, and in my opinion, it is also the most beautiful location When I got the list in choosing our location to research about, for many reasons, I was elated that Sacramento’s Capitol Building was one …show more content…
It is filled with many gardens, flowers, and of course, trees. According to my tour guide, the building is based on the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. When the building was in the process of being built, the architects wanted it to look extraordinary and grand, so it was constructed in a neoclassical style, which was very popular back in the 1800s. The first thing you notice when you see the building for the first time are the massive columns, which are located at the entrance. There are eight columns at the entrance, but as you look towards the dome, there are almost 18 columns that help support the dome, which is the cupola. Next, there are two wings that are opposite of the Capitol Rotunda known as the North and South wings. According to my tour guide, those two wings represent the balance that is brought to the government. At the entrance, there is a covered area that has a triangular which is supported by pillars known as the portico. Then near the portico, there is a tympanum, which is the space inside the triangular upper part of the front of the building or a pediment. Inside that pediment is a carving that shows Minerva, the Roman Goddess of Wisdom, holding items that represent education, justice, industry, and mining. The thing that makes the Capitol Building so special is its double dome. It is a different type of dome with a larger and taller dome on the outside covering a smaller dome on the inside. The reason why there is an inside dome is that it is to make the smaller dome to be similar in size to the rest of the inside. In other words, the dome you see on the outside of the building is completely different from the dome you see inside because there are two different domes. Lastly, at the very top of the dome, there is round opening that is covered with windows. On the grounds, there are 40 acres of gardens that are covered with trees and shrubs from around the