Next stop the Minnesota’s State Capitol; the anticipation to visit the capitol had never been as strong as it was this time. The last time I had walked up the million steps and walked through the doors of the capitol was in 6th grade. All I could remember was running around and making jokes with my friends. Did I actually listen to the tour guide; did I actually learn anything about the capitol? NO, but this time was going to be different; I am now 23 years old and the appreciation for our state has grown tremendously. I was very excited to see the capitol and to learn about the history on a more personal level.
“Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worth to be remembered,” Daniel Weber. This quote is subscribed inside the chambers of the Minnesota State Capitol and is something I felt reflected the history of capitol itself.
The capitol was designed by Cass Gilbert after beating out forty other contestants in a competition in 1895. The design contained three stories and would be made of stone. The building would include a dome and would resemble previous architecture of the ancient Greece, Rome and the Renaissance period of Italy and France.
Minnesota’s Capitol was an important structure that would resemble the state of Minnesota and announce to the country that Minnesota was no longer a wilderness outpost. Gilbert wanted people to experience the renaissance period through the architecture in the building because the renaissance resembled antiquity in art and architecture. Buildings were considered more elegant and remembered as being fancy during this period.
Gilbert wanted the building to reflect Greece and Rome because of the significance Greece and Rome had on the government. Greece was known for western culture and democracy and Rome was known for the republic. It was very important to Gilbert to have such a building that would show the rest of the world Minnesota was a civilized society and sophisticated to the modern world.
The exterior of the building is created from stone, iron and steel but contains marble, granite and sandstone in the interior. It took 3 years to design the capitol and 9 years to build it. Within the 9 years of building murals were created and expected to show civic architecture. Gilbert was very particular on who he wanted to paint the murals and what the murals would represent to the public. Gilbert picked many new artist to paint the murals and was criticized by the public for not hiring artist who were already famous for their work but because architecture and art was a public symbol people trusted Gilbert’s decision and allowed him to continue his work.
When walking into the state capitol you are welcomed by an extravagant rotunda. The Rotunda is an open space that has many representations of Minnesota’s culture. The floor of the rotunda has a star with 8 points. The star represents Minnesota’s state motto “The North Star,” because the star has 8 points it allows the star to have the letter “M” coded into the design. Above the star is an 8 foot chandler. If I remember right the tour guide had said the last time the chandler had been lowered was in the sixties.
The rotunda allows the viewer to view all levels of the building and the beautiful representations of Minnesota. When a viewer looks above he or she will be greeted with four murals that are painted on the walls of the capitol. These murals were painted by a man with the last name Simmons. Simmons murals represent Legislation, Justice, Government and Liberty aligning a pose of gestures and opposing a symbolic narrative that will grasp the viewer’s eyes around the room.
Throughout the building you will see symbols that are significant to Minnesota’s history and culture; the state flower the lady slipper, bald eagles, corn, wheat, gophers, oak leaves, acorns, and produce. Everything throughout the capitol is symmetrical and contains lots of detail.
You will also be exposed to many other murals that will represent Minnesota’s history and challenges it had to encounter when becoming a state.
The Minnesota state capitol holds many impacting works of art and Minnesotans’ should be very proud of our capitol and murals that are painted throughout the building.
If you have not viewed the Minnesota state capitol I highly recommend it and if possible please take the tour. The tour is free and will give you a new out look at the structure and history of our state. If the weather is nice you will be able to walk the 62 steps to the roof and view the gold coated Quadriga. The Quadriga is a gold coated sculpture that sits at the base of the dome. The sculpture is called “The Progress of our State,” which shows a man in a chariot, two women and four horses that are dashing into the future. The four horses represent Earth, Fire, Water and Air; the two women represent Industry and Agriculture, and the man in the chariot represents prosperity.
I promise you that the experience is worth your time and you will not walk away dissatisfied. No person will be able to tell all of the great things you view and the lesson you will learn. This is something that only yourself can encounter and make final decisions on your thoughts and opinions. I am only here to get your interest in attending and viewing. I have more respect for the state capitol now that I have viewed it and taken more appreciation in the art and each room that you will be able to view.
“Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worth to be remembered,” Daniel Weber. This quote is subscribed inside the chambers of the Minnesota State Capitol and is something I felt reflected the history of capitol itself.
The capitol was designed by Cass Gilbert after beating out forty other contestants in a competition in 1895. The design contained three stories and would be made of stone. The building would include a dome and would resemble previous architecture of the ancient Greece, Rome and the Renaissance period of Italy and France.
Minnesota’s Capitol was an important structure that would resemble the state of Minnesota and announce to the country that Minnesota was no longer a wilderness outpost. Gilbert wanted people to experience the renaissance period through the architecture in the building because the renaissance resembled antiquity in art and architecture. Buildings were considered more elegant and remembered as being fancy during this period.
Gilbert wanted the building to reflect Greece and Rome because of the significance Greece and Rome had on the government. Greece was known for western culture and democracy and Rome was known for the republic. It was very important to Gilbert to have such a building that would show the rest of the world Minnesota was a civilized society and sophisticated to the modern world.
The exterior of the building is created from stone, iron and steel but contains marble, granite and sandstone in the interior. It took 3 years to design the capitol and 9 years to build it. Within the 9 years of building murals were created and expected to show civic architecture. Gilbert was very particular on who he wanted to paint the murals and what the murals would represent to the public. Gilbert picked many new artist to paint the murals and was criticized by the public for not hiring artist who were already famous for their work but because architecture and art was a public symbol people trusted Gilbert’s decision and allowed him to continue his work.
When walking into the state capitol you are welcomed by an extravagant rotunda. The Rotunda is an open space that has many representations of Minnesota’s culture. The floor of the rotunda has a star with 8 points. The star represents Minnesota’s state motto “The North Star,” because the star has 8 points it allows the star to have the letter “M” coded into the design. Above the star is an 8 foot chandler. If I remember right the tour guide had said the last time the chandler had been lowered was in the sixties.
The rotunda allows the viewer to view all levels of the building and the beautiful representations of Minnesota. When a viewer looks above he or she will be greeted with four murals that are painted on the walls of the capitol. These murals were painted by a man with the last name Simmons. Simmons murals represent Legislation, Justice, Government and Liberty aligning a pose of gestures and opposing a symbolic narrative that will grasp the viewer’s eyes around the room.
Throughout the building you will see symbols that are significant to Minnesota’s history and culture; the state flower the lady slipper, bald eagles, corn, wheat, gophers, oak leaves, acorns, and produce. Everything throughout the capitol is symmetrical and contains lots of detail.
You will also be exposed to many other murals that will represent Minnesota’s history and challenges it had to encounter when becoming a state.
The Minnesota state capitol holds many impacting works of art and Minnesotans’ should be very proud of our capitol and murals that are painted throughout the building.
If you have not viewed the Minnesota state capitol I highly recommend it and if possible please take the tour. The tour is free and will give you a new out look at the structure and history of our state. If the weather is nice you will be able to walk the 62 steps to the roof and view the gold coated Quadriga. The Quadriga is a gold coated sculpture that sits at the base of the dome. The sculpture is called “The Progress of our State,” which shows a man in a chariot, two women and four horses that are dashing into the future. The four horses represent Earth, Fire, Water and Air; the two women represent Industry and Agriculture, and the man in the chariot represents prosperity.
I promise you that the experience is worth your time and you will not walk away dissatisfied. No person will be able to tell all of the great things you view and the lesson you will learn. This is something that only yourself can encounter and make final decisions on your thoughts and opinions. I am only here to get your interest in attending and viewing. I have more respect for the state capitol now that I have viewed it and taken more appreciation in the art and each room that you will be able to view.
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