Georgia State Capitol

Georgia's capital moved to Atlanta after the 1868 constitution named it the new seat of government. Atlanta then offered a site to encourage the state to move from Milledgeville: the 1877 convention voted to move the capital, the city's offer was accepted in 1879, and the site, previously occupied by Atlanta's first city hall, was conveyed to the state in 1880.

Construction began in 1884. The architects were Franklin Burnham and Willoughby Edbrooke of Chicago, the builders were Miles and Horne of Toledo, Ohio, and the cost was just under one million dollars. The University of Georgia Libraries give July 4, 1889 as the completion date, while Wikipedia says March 1889. The building is modeled on the U.S. Capitol, with a west-facing four-story portico and six Corinthian columns. The Capitol Museum lists Indiana limestone, Georgia marble, wood and cast iron among its materials, and the interior floors use marble from Pickens County, Georgia. It was among the early buildings to have elevators, central steam heat and combined gas and electric lighting. It stands 237 feet from the foundation to the tip of Miss Freedom's torch, according to the museum.

According to the state's official Capitol page, the dome was originally covered with an alloy of lead and tin. In 1958 it was gilded with gold leaf using gold from Dahlonega in Lumpkin County, site of Georgia's 1830s gold rush, which is why legislative news is often datelined under the Gold Dome. Accounts differ on the quantity donated and on whether the gilding was done in 1958 or 1959, and the dome has been regilded and repaired several times since. The statue Miss Freedom stands at the top.

The governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state have offices on the second floor, and the General Assembly meets annually from January to April. A 1997 restoration returned the House and Senate chambers to their 1889 appearance. The Georgia Capitol Museum, run by the University of Georgia Libraries, occupies the top floor and preserves the building's history with flags, artwork and artifacts; it also offers educational tours. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 9, 1971 and designated a National Historic Landmark on November 7, 1973.

Hours, tours and security procedures change, particularly when the legislature is in session, so check the Georgia Capitol Museum for current details. A private vehicle and driver with door-to-door pickup is a simple way to fit the Capitol into a downtown Atlanta day, dropping you at the door and collecting you when you are ready.