Civics
3
The Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines serves as Iowa’s seat of government while also functioning as a public museum and ceremonial center. Chosen after the state sought a more westerly capital, the hilltop site was secured through a land gift from Wilson Alexander Scott, and the permanent capitol was authorized in 1870. Built from 1871 to 1886 under several architects, it is distinguished by a Renaissance design, a gilded central dome with four smaller domes, and richly finished interiors including the Victorian Law Library. Fires, weathering, and major restoration campaigns have shaped its history, but it remains both a working capitol and a major civic and cultural landmark.
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Des Moines, Iowa · United States