“a priceless architectural and artistic treasure”
Pennsylvania’s Capitol is, first and foremost, a public building belonging to the citizens of the Commonwealth. It is also a priceless architectural and artistic treasure, a majestic symbol of history and power, and an icon of democracy and freedom. When President Theodore Roosevelt attended the dedication of the building on October 4, 1906, he said, “This is the handsomest building I ever saw.” The Capitol was designed in the American Renaissance style by Philadelphia architect Joseph Huston (1866-1940), who envisioned the building as a “Palace of Art.” Built and furnished at a cost of $13 million, the Capitol features paintings, stained glass and furnishings by some of the best artisans of the day. The building incorporates various Renaissance designs in some of its largest rooms: Italian in the House Chamber, French in the Senate Chamber, and English in the Governor’s Reception Room. It also reflects Greek, Roman and Victorian influences in its art and ornamentation. Throughout the building, Huston blended the various styles with motifs featuring Pennsylvania’s achievements in labor, industry and history, making the Capitol uniquely American. Its five-story exterior is faced with handsome Vermont granite, and the roof is composed of green glazed terra cotta tile.
Free guided tours of the building offered weekdays and non holidays. Beautiful architecture, and history. Stand where Teddy Roosevelt stood and take in the view. You can take a self guided tour but the free tour is highly recommended, and did I mention it was free.
There are 2 sites within Roadtrippers identifying as the State Capitol building in Harrisburg, PA. And if you request the app to ‘navigate’ you to either of these sites, you will end up in residential areas and NOT near the actual Capitol building. Therefore, use an alternate method to get directions to this site.
Be the first to add a review to the Harrisburg Capitol Building.
Harrisburg Capitol Building
Hours
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
Has RV parking changed? Let us know.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
The top things to do on an I-95 road trip
- 50 Places
- 41:46
- 1,983 mi
The top things to do on an East Coast road trip
- 32 Places
- 48:54
- 2,584 mi
The top things to do on an I-80 road trip
- 35 Places
- 53:41
- 3,194 mi