United States Capitol

Our Congressional office for our district in Oregon, Greg Walden, set up the tour and a congressional intern took us through.  Underground tunnels connect the Capitol office buildings, Rayburn and Longworth.  The Capitol also has it’s own separate water and air systems. We saw a lot more than the tours you take via a tour bus company.  We walked the underground tunnel that is also serviced by a monorail type train for staffers only.  We were able to see the old Supreme Court that was used from 1810-1860 and is still preserved as it was.  From there we went to the Senate Speaker’s balcony for a great view. 

Old Supreme Court

waiting in Greg Walden's office for the tour

Staff tram in subway

Balcony just outside Senator Mitch McConnell's office.

Box Magna Carta was delivered in -- diamonds in back

Rosa Parks

Office of Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan

Top of the Rotunda

View from balcony

The Capitol Crypt was designed to support the Capitol Rotunda.  George Washington was to be buried in the center but in his will, he asked to be buried at his beloved Mt Vernon farm. The crypt was used for bicycle parking. It is now a main thoroughfare for the underground pathway through the building.  Also, President-elects wait in this area then walk out to the Capitol steps to be sworn in on inauguration day.

Great Britain gave the U.S. the original copy of the Magna Carta and it was delivered in this case which is encrusted with diamonds -- guys were looking for the diamonds!

The Rotunda is awesome and surrounded inside by statues and paintings of the early events in U.S. history.  Each state can provide 2 statues for the Capitol building; others are commissioned by the US Congress and Senate. 

 Statue of President Ronald Reagan has a layer of stone from the Berlin Wall.

 Rotunda has statues all around.  There are many more statues throughout the building.  The white doors on right are the entry to the office of Majority Whip, Steve Scalise.  He was the senator shot in June 2017 at the congressional baseball game.

 This is a mold of the statue that sits atop the Capitol Rotunda.  Amazing that the mold has been preserved for so many years.