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There's a lot of awkwardness in state capitols. Illinois' dome is really great, but the mansard roofs above each wing are weird. Alabama's clock is a nice idea, but poorly carried out. Michigan's dome and base are both good, but they don't match each other at all. Etc.
Massachusetts may be my favorite, even though generally I prefer more heavily-ornamented marble to brick Georgian buildings. Indiana is probably my favorite of those that are clearly intended to invoke the US Capitol. Its dome and base building are both well carried out and are in good - if unusual - proportion to one another. |
Kentucky, Vermont, and Connecticut have nice ones as well IMO. Pennsylvania's is decent as well.
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Although tiny, I agree that Vermont's capitol with its gold dome and located right next to the mountains is one of the best. California also has a beautiful capitol, although it might be dysfunctional inside it. The Capitol Park, in front of the state house, is a very scenic building.
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The Capitol Park, in front of the state house, is a very scenic building. --> Oops! It is a scenic garden.
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The one I can see from my house - Colorado:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...n/DSC00855.jpg photo: mine http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...pitolhill2.JPG http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b0/Coloradocapitolhill2.JPG/800px-Coloradocapitolhill2.JPG Some cool things about it range from the 24k gold on the dome, to the rare (in fact, I think the worlds supply was used in its construction) marble used, also from in-state, to the marking of 1 mile above sea level on it's steps. |
any discussion of the best state capitols must include wisconsin's. not only is it one of the most classically elegant, but it's siting on top of hill in the middle of an isthums between madison's two beautiful lakes is wonderful. and the way the city grid works off of the building is great too. it's all just a very well thought out building and city plan.
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/...te_Capitol.jpg source: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sen11/news/ http://photos.news.wisc.edu/photos/a...campus_H02.jpg source: http://photos.news.wisc.edu/photos/a...campus_H02.jpg http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwd/images/citymap-small.jpg source: http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwd/downtown_madison_map.htm |
pretty cool.
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^Agreed on Wisconsin for the traditional, but the fact that this list doesn't include Nebraska is poor.
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This thread already fails without mentioning Massachusetts' capitol. All others are merely knock-offs and imitators.
http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles38113.jpg source: City-Data |
Thanks for bringing up Wisconsin Steely, I was going to say that too. Maybe I am just biased having grown up there, but the Wisconsin state capitol is definitely my favorite, especially among the classical domes, I think its got the proportions just right, even better, in my opinion, than the US Capitol.
My favorite part about the Wisconsin Capitol is how it completely dominates the city plan and is visable from just about every part of the city. It lies in the middle of what is essentially a giant four square block round about that has eight streets that terminate there. Here is the original city plan (which was carried out almost exactly as shown) for the city of Madison: http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/His...e/MadPlatr.jpg University of Wisconsin Library The capitol was constructed in the large empty square in that image with each of its wings facing a cardinal direction. The image above is somewhat misleading because the isthmus actually runs southwest to northeast and therefore the grid follows. So really, the diagonal streets in the plan run north, east, south, and west. The longest diagonal that terminates at the capitol square is now known as State Street and is the primary shopping and entertainment district and also runs directly to the University of Wisconsin. It is now a pedestrian mall (with the exception of buses) that provides for stunning views of the terminus at the Capitol. |
All of the state capitols are good! Just some of them are better than others.
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Yeah, Nebraska and Wisconsin have great capitols as well.
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there are plenty of nice ones, but it seems to me that any true urban geek should be all over the louisiana state capital "tower" (or even the lesser looking tower capital buildings in florida and north dakota) - heh!
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Louisiana's is tallest. That's should count for something on a skyscraper page. Are there any other towers besides Louisiana and Florida?
West Virginia should get some points for being the tallest building in the state though. |
Capitols, cathedrals, and old universities...the three top architecture types for the US. Lots of great buildings shown.
Washington and Idaho belong on the list somewhere. Iowa probably wins. |
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Interesting to see the setback used for all of the state capitols. The Mass. State House has almost none left. After additions in the 19th century, it's become fully integrated into the urban fabric. Not aware of any other capitols that don't have massive setbacks.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/287...statehouse.jpg |
^
That's one of the reasons why I like MA, although it has little to do with the architecture. I do like WI, but one weakness is that it lacks an obvious front. |
Ohio's doesn't belong in this discussion.
I love Wisconsin's and the urban fabric surrounding it (State Street Market is another plus) |
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