As planned, we reached Washington D.C. on 3rd April, in the morning around 7. And there began our day, with our first stop at U.S. Capitol. We walked through the beautiful and lush garden around the Hill, with cherry blossom trees in full bloom. It was a sight so beautiful, that it had to be captured with a camera. With Tulips, Cherry Blossom and all shades n colors of flowers, Washington looked Stunning.
Not just the flora, the buildings and the monuments; everything makes Washington all the more stunning. Around 8 in the morning, we walked up to the rear side of the Capitol, it was enormous and magnificent, with 3 police officers guarding the main entrance. We started clicking, and took out our tripod but within a minute an officer came to us and told that we are not allowed to use tripod on the premises of Capitol Hill, without permission. Well, we put it back inside and went downstairs to join a long queue of people waiting to get inside the Capitol, thinking that we'll be able to get a permission for using the tripod. We asked another officer, he plainly refused and said we cannot use tripod and no one gets a permission too. We rest our case and moved on with the security check.
The U.S. Capitol - is home to the U.S. Congress and its two legislative bodies i.e. the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Once inside the Capitol visitor Center, one can see the soaring domes and the beautifully crafted statues. Then, we were asked to get in another queue to get the tickets for the Guided tour, in the Emancipation hall, the lower level of the visitor center. We got the 9:10 pass and the tour began at the Orientation Theater, where we enjoyed a 13-minute film, showing the establishment of U.S. Capitol and the daily functioning of the Congress.
Then, we were given head phones by the guide and taken upstairs to the first hall with columns and statues of the dignitaries. The guide explained really well, he showed a small white design in the very center of the hall, which was supposed to be the exact center of the Washington state when it was built. But as the city expanded, it could no longer be called the center. The design of the center was made by George Washington and he wanted to be buried under that after his death. But that was not possible as the structure was completed, long after he died in Mount Vermont and moreover, they didn't want to move his body all the way from there on carriages, so the tomb beneath the center was closed.
After this, we were led into a huge hall called
Rotunda, which is also known as the heart of the Capitol. Its a ceremonial space where state funerals have held since the time of Abraham Lincoln (U.S. Capitol and Congress Brochure). Many celebrated paintings by artists and statues of the six U.S. Presidents, adorn the hall. And with a beautiful canopy painted '
The Apotheosis of Washington' by artist Constantino Brumidi, the hall stands magnificent.
Then we were ushered into the Old Hall also called as
National Statutory Hall. Draped in red curtains and decorated with statues which were contributed by the states, this hall was mesmerizing. We were surprised to hear, that prices of cattle was fixed in this chamber long before, but later they discontinued it as there were no windows in the hall and the smell of the cattle became unbearable for the Congressmen.
After this, we went downstairs outside the closed door of the
House of Representatives, special passes are needed to watch the house in session. Here, we gave back the headphones and went to the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress through the Library of Congress Tunnel (upper level of the Visitor Center).
The
Library of Congress, was established in 1800 and is now the world's largest repository of knowledge with over 142 million items in its collection. We went up to the first floor, into the Great Hall, beautifully crafted, the ceiling is decorated with stained glass skylights and on the east side there's a commemorative arch inscribed with the words 'The Library of Congress.' Designed in Italian Renaissance style, with paintings and statues and two beautiful staircases leading to the second floor. On the second floor, from the rear of the east corridor, a staircase leads to the visitor Gallery, from where one can view the Main Reading Room from behind a glass wall.
From there we walked back to the Emancipation Hall area and had food in the restaurant. In all , it took us 3 hours to see the whole of the Capitol. We came out around 12. It was a beautiful and an enriching experience.
View of the Capitol during the night.
