TEXAS CAPITOL

The Texas Capitol, the seat of its government, has not always had a quiet existence, to say the least. The current building is the fourth in the state's history to serve as the legislative and gubernatorial (executive) headquarters. Its total area covers 33,000^{square meters}, more than any other capitol building in the United States. It is also the third highest in the country in terms of the height of its rotunda. It has about 900 windows and over 400 rooms. And although not all of them are accessible, you should allow a good 3 hours to visit it.

The construction of the building was approved by a law in 1876. It authorized the sale of land in North Texas to a huge Chicago company for the construction. More than 12,000 ^square kilometers of ranch land were ceded, but the contractors asked for an additional budget of nearly 4 million dollars. Initially, the architects had planned to build the entire building in limestone. But when the stone began to erode, they decided to use pink granite from a nearby quarry. After more than a dozen years of work, the Capitol opened its doors on April 21, 1888, the day of San Jacinto.

Inside, the rotunda, from its base to the top, is decorated with portraits of the various governors of Texas. There are also two statues, one representing Sam Houston, the other Stephen F. Austin. Work in 1993 consisted of expanding the offices. The extension fits perfectly with the style.