5.20.2024

Iowa State Capital

The "Iowa Statehouse" was constructed in the 1870s
The gold dome is 250,000 sheets of 23 karat gold. 
It needs to be refurbished every 30 years of so.
I was last redone in 1999

A little more detail of the beautiful capital building

The grand stair case

Westward, the mural by Edwin Blashfield depicting the migration
of early pioneers traveling through Iowa 

Looking up, a feast for the eyes



Looking up into the dome

From a distance it looks like a printed mural

Upon closer inspection...

it is a mosaic of colored glass pieces....

about the size of your finger nail
They are pieces of Milano glass from Italy

A very detailed model of the USS Iowa battleship

Our tour guide was fantastic

Checking out the carved panels on the supreme court's bench

More incredible architecture. 
Our guide told us there is more gold inside the capital than on the dome.

The stunning law library


The house chamber.
It were destroyed in a 1904 fire and recreated to match the original

There are incredible chandeliers through out the building

The senate chamber with original furnishings.
It was not touched in the 1904 fire.

Climbing 200 plus steps into the dome


It is the most beautiful state building I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.

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