About the State Capitol
The current Illinois State Capitol is actually the sixth building to house the state legislative and executive branches. This building, located at the corner of Capitol and First Streets in Springfield, opened in 1888.
The Capitol was built in the French Renaissance style of architecture with some mimicking of the U.S. Capitol. The architects are Cochrane and Garnsey of Chicago. The Capitol’s dome is 361 feet tall, making it the tallest non-skyscraper capitol in the country.
The building is shaped like a Latin cross around the dome. In the center of the atrium on the first floor is “Illinois Welcoming the World”, a sculpture by Julia Bracken. This is actually a copy of a sculpture first displayed at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The model for the statute was Lillian Russell, the famous American opera singer and actress.
If you visit the Illinois State Capitol, be sure to stop by the recently restored House and Senate chambers on the third floor. There is an information desk on the first floor with more information about the Capitol Complex.
The Illinois State Capitol is accessible to people with disabilities. |
