Colorado State Capitol

 

The State Capitol building in Denver is impressive from any angle with its golden dome - apparently covered in a thick layer of gold leaf!

 

 

Colorado became a state in 1878 and the seat of government settled in Denver towards the end of the century and so this building was only completed in 1901.

 

The inside of the building features ornate brass and paneling and flooring of a pink onyx only found in Colorado.  It is not surprising that the building took many years to complete.

 

Visitors are able to walk quite freely through the building even when the State Senate and House of Representatives are in session.  Each of their meeting rooms was impressive..

 

 

There were portraits on the walls throughout the building - former Governors of Colorado, former Presidents of the US. Dating from the 1920's and later there were also portraits in stained glass of important State figures.

 

The view up into the Rotunda was impressive and, had we been on an official guided tour, it would have been possible to climb a staircase into the gallery and walk around the inside of the dome.

 

It was an impressive building and much more ornate inside than the grey stone exterior might have suggested - well worth a quick look!