We were introduced to it as The Palace of Art. This is a rightful title given to what the tour guide described as the most beautiful government building in the United States.
Charlene and I travel a lot. We love art and architecture, and when the two come together, it is an incredible sight to see. We discovered that churches, cathedrals, basilicas and other religious places are where these great features come together beautifully.
Last year, during our journey into West Virginia, we discovered that city halls, capitols and other civic places could be destinations in themselves and have a great marriage of art and architecture. I plan to see these places if there are any where we are going. Our recent trip to Washington, D.C., had us make a slight detour to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. When we walked in, we knew immediately that the six-hour drive to get here was worth every minute.
Even though the drive was long, we arrived early and were the only ones on time for the tour. We waited in the Rotunda—a grand entry to this building designed to impress those who enter. There were a few displays of history, but the art grabbed our attention. Statues stood in place along the walks and on the stairs. The floor had nearly 400 tiles mosaics that spanned the history of this state. When we were walking up to the building, we were impressed with the art of the giant statues and the magnificent bronze doors. The Rotunda outdid those and thoroughly impressed us.
Our guide greeted us at this Palace of Art and showed great pride in taking us from one location to another. He started with the history of the grounds, and much like every other great building, it burned down in the past. The second version of the capitol looked like a school dormitory, and it was decided to rebuild something that represents the greatness of Pennsylvania.
The building and the art would cost nearly half a billion dollars in today’s funds, so it is unlikely another building of this grandeur will be built ever again. This makes the capitol all the more precious and valuable. Our guide talked about the history of the building, the business of the capitol, and the interpretation of the art. In the Senate, we would see stunning art and architecture being combined with the important work of governing. The art was to remind those under it that they serve a greater purpose to the people they represent.
Our next stop would be the House Chamber. Immediately, we were drawn to the large paintings that reminded us of pictures of the Sistine Chapel. The chandeliers ranged in weight from two to four tons each, and there is a door that a man can enter to clean and change the bulbs. The beauty of the Chamber gobsmacked each one of us on the tour.
Unique to Pennsylvania is the Supreme Court, which also shares the same building as the government. It has an Old Testament feel, with the art adorning the walls. A large glass dome dominates the centre. Unlike other states, the location of the Supreme Court changes based on the needs of the State, going back and forth to three different locations.
The tour was free, and the amazing part was that after the tour, we were free to wander and look at the art again. Unfortunately, the governor’s office was closed, so the art and architecture of that area was hidden from us. We would seek out the points our guide made and appreciate what we learned. I left the building with the impression that this was indeed the most beautiful of all the capitol buildings that we have seen so far, and whatever comes next will be hard to top.
- We reserved our tour online, but it is possible to drop in for one. Tours are given quite frequently.
- This is an active government building so if possible, try to tour when the government is on holiday since some of the rooms might be off-limits during other times.
- Be sure to check out the grounds for other art and monuments.
- The tour was about one hour long.
- Check out my Featured Map to see its location, and for directions to this and other great places, we have seen.
