I haven't been to Iowa since I was 16, so I'm behaving a little like a tourist. The capitol building in Des Moines was amazing -- I wanted to go inside!
A straight-up view of the inside of the rotunda. Lots of gold leaf both inside and out. Completed in 1886, the building has been under a major renovation for a LONG time.
Two men have been working full time since 1987 to restore the original decorative painting.
The interior features 29 different types of imported and domestic marble.
Six mosaics in arched panels sit above a mural painting, "Westward," an idealized representation of the coming of the people who made Iowa.
The mosaics were made in Venice from small pieces of colored stone.
I climbed up to the rotunda. Here's the view from there of the 3 lower floors.
In the south hall across from the governor's office is a collection of dolls representing the 42 Iowa first ladies in replicas of their inaugural gowns.
The law library is 45 feet high and has beautiful spiral staircases going to the upper floors.
Down the street is the governor's mansion. This is as close as I could get before the state police stopped me.
I haven't been to Iowa since I was 16, so I'm behaving a little like a tourist. The capitol building in Des Moines was amazing -- I wanted to go inside!
A straight-up view of the inside of the rotunda. Lots of gold leaf both inside and out. Completed in 1886, the building has been under a major renovation for a LONG time.
Two men have been working full time since 1987 to restore the original decorative painting.
The interior features 29 different types of imported and domestic marble.
Six mosaics in arched panels sit above a mural painting, "Westward," an idealized representation of the coming of the people who made Iowa.
The mosaics were made in Venice from small pieces of colored stone.
I climbed up to the rotunda. Here's the view from there of the 3 lower floors.
In the south hall across from the governor's office is a collection of dolls representing the 42 Iowa first ladies in replicas of their inaugural gowns. 
The law library is 45 feet high and has beautiful spiral staircases going to the upper floors.
Down the street is the governor's mansion. This is as close as I could get before the state police stopped me.
That is one gorgeous capitol. Thanks for sharing all those lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteSomehow you've managed to get FARTHER from VA...
ReplyDelete