U.S. Capitol Dome

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PowerPoint Show by Andrew
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Beginning in 2013, the Architect of the Capitol
began an enormous restoration of the dome of the
United States Capitol Building in Washington,
D.C. Earlier this month, the restoration was
completed, at a cost of 59.5 million. More
than a thousand cracks were repaired, interior
and exterior decorations scraped, cleaned, and
restored, and 1,215 gallons of paint were used to
repaint the exterior. Collected here are some
images from the 1860s when the current dome was
originally built, some images of the recent
restoration process, and a few shots of the
newly-restored structure.
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The United States Capitol Building in 1846. The
cornerstone for this structure was laid in 1793.
The building here still had its original
copper-clad dome completed in 1818. The newer,
current cast-iron dome replaced the old one in
the 1860s.
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Hauling a fluted cast-iron column shaft for the
peristyle of the Dome from the train station to
the Capitol work yard in November of 1856. 
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A view of the new dome, under
construction, viewed from the Senate
(north wing) roof, looking south, August 12, 1857.
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Looking southeast down
Pennsylvania Avenue showing first
row of columns on the Dome. Photo taken about
1858.
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East Front of Capitol Dome under
construction, circa 1860.
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Marble cutters work the monoliths.
Construction at U.S. Capitol, 1860.
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Construction at U.S. Capitol, including African
American workmen with a column named in the
photograph to recognize Abraham Lincoln's
election as president on November 6, 1860. 
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Participants and crowd at the first inauguration
of President Abraham Lincoln, at the U.S. Capitol
on March 4, 1861. Lincoln is standing under the
wood canopy, at the front, midway between the
left and center posts. 
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The west front of the Capitol Dome under
construction in July of 1861.
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Northeast view of the Capitol Dome, still
unfinished on June 28, 1863.
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Washington, DC, in April of 1865. A bird's-eye
view of the Smithsonian Institution building in
the near distance with the Capitol building in
the background. 
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Architect of the Capitol Rigger, Al Ports (on
right in black vest / cigar), and other AOC
employees take a self-portrait 288 ft above the
East Front of the Capitol while preserving the
Statue of Freedom in 1913. 
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Bird's-eye View of the Capitol
on December 15, 2014. 
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A conservator works on restoring a
painting in the Senate reception
area at the US Capitol on September 28, 2013 in
Washington. 
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Capitol Dome restoration, early October 2014.
Deterioration and wear is visible on the facade
as scaffolding is erected that will reach, and
eventually cover, the entire Capitol Dome
enabling restoration work.
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Restoration work takes place
in the space between
the Capitol's interior and exterior domes.
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A protective canopy in place above the
Rotunda in May of 2014. 
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Stone Damage on the Senate Extension. A
worker removes bird wire and anchors
from the Progress of Civilization pediment.  
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Capitol Dome Restoration October 2015,
close look at cast iron detail.   
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Workers stand on the scaffolding
that surrounds the dome of the US
Capitol on November 17, 2015 in Washington, DC.
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Scaffolding erected during
the final painting phase of the
Dome Restoration Project, in December of 2015.
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Workers use a neutralizing solution to
remove remaining layers of paint
during the Rotunda Interior Restoration in
January of 2016.
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The final painting phase of
the Dome Restoration
Project begins in March of 2016.
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Paint is removed from cast iron in the
Rotunda in June of 2016. 
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Rotunda Interior Restoration Work, June 2016 U.S.
Capitol rotunda restoration work includes
removing hazardous materials (such as lead
paint), restoring ironwork, upgrading electrical
and mechanical systems, installing new lighting
and repainting to historically appropriate
colors. 
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Interior stairs leading to the
newly-restored interior
dome at the US Capitol on November 15, 2016.  
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Shane Gallagher, construction manager at
the Architect of the Capitol, poses
inside the newly-restored Capitol dome on
November 15, 2016. 
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The Interior of the recently restored
US Capitol dome is shown during
a tour, on November 15, 2016 in Washington, DC. 
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The Frieze of American History in the Rotunda of
the United States Capitol contains a painted
panorama approximately 300 feet in circumference,
depicting significant events in American history. 
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The Rotunda of the US Capitol is
seen from the newly-
restored Capitol Dome on November 15, 2016. 
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The old House Chamber,
designated as the National
Statuary Hall by President Lincoln in July of
1864.
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Interior supports between the
newly-restored exterior Capitol Dome
and the interior dome photographed on November
15, 2016. 
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The restored U.S. Capitol Dome,
photographed in November of 2016. 
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