The exclusive tour of the U.S. Capitol reserved for Congress members
The U.S. Capitol is one of the best-known historical American landmarks but there is a secret tour that you probably haven’t heard about. Here is an exclusive look at the secret staircase in the dome of the U.S. Capitol.
The U.S. Capitol dome completed construction in 1866 and was designed by architect Thomas U. Walter. The dome is made of cast iron and was designed around the roof of the atrium.
There is hallow space between the dome and atrium, based on the double dome of the Pantheon in Paris. This hollow space contains a 365-step staircase that winds up outside the atrium and leads to the cupola or roof of the dome.
Views from the top of the cupola are stunning and you can see everything in Washington. This sounds like a cool way of seeing Washington but this special tour is exclusive for members of Congress and their guests but it’s very rare that tours go all the way to the top.
The peak of the Capitol is a room called the “Tholos” which is at the very top and it looks out onto Washington in every direction, making this place truly unique. The special tour was offered to the public in the past but was closed due to several visitors passing out on the walk up and had to be carried down.
The Architect of the Capitol finished a $60 million dome restoration in 2016 that is expected to preserve the dome for the next 50 years. Though you’re unable to take the tour now it is possible they may re-open the tour in the future.
-
Appeals court overturns fraud convictions of two parents involved in ‘Operation Varsity Blues’ Two parents who were found guilty...
-
Violence Continues to Surge Throughout Pakistan The ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been held on corruption charges...
-
U.S. on Track for Record Number of Mass Killings in 2023: A Grim Look at Gun Violence in America...
-
North Carolina Republicans push for stricter abortion laws with a proposed 12-week ban and exceptions. North Carolina Republican leaders...
-
Elon Musk Threatens Legal Action Against Microsoft Over Twitter Data Use Tech mogul Elon Musk has taken to...
-
Air Pollution Improves Nationally, but Western States See Unhealthy Spikes Although air pollution in the United States has decreased...
-
Are we alone? US Senate to Hold a Historic Hearing on UFO Sightings and the Search for the Truth...
-
Kentucky and Tennessee leaders call for stricter gun control in the wake of recent mass shootings Kentucky and Tennessee...
-
Russia and China Step Away from US Dollar: What It Means for the Global Economy Russia and China have...
-
Trump indicted for campaign finance violations related to hush money payments. In August 2018, Michael Cohen, a former attorney...
-
Reported toxin levels are still above the accepted standard of safety. In the multiple weeks since the major train...
-
The bill would impose new safety regulations, as well as penalties for companies that disregard them. It’s been nearly...