West Virginia State Capitol

Nearby Hotel
Exterior & Interior
State Capitol Architect

Completed in 1932, the stately West Virginia State Capitol is the tallest building in the state. Home to the West Virginia legislature, the State Capitol overlooks the gentle Kanawha River in Charleston. History buffs know that West Virginia did not become a state until two years after Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861. Deciding on a state capital wasn’t easy. For a few years, it moved between Wheeling and Charleston. In 1877, the beautiful city of Charleston was voted in. Eight years later, the first capitol building was open for state business. After a fire destroyed it in 1921, the current State Capitol building was built in three stages; the west wing in 1925, followed by the east wing 1927,an the rotunda connecting the wings in 1932. The final cost was just under $10 million.

For more information, visit www.wvculture.org/agency/capitol.html.

Charleston, West Virginia Hotel Near The State Capitol. Escape to Charleston, West Virginia where a variety of outdoor recreational and indoor cultural activities await you. At the Fairfield Inn Charleston, you’ll have easy access to Charleston’s activities, along with comfortable lodging at reasonable rates and ample hotel amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, business kiosk, fitness room and complimentary Early Eats Breakfast Bar. A convenient location puts many of downtown Charleston’s attractions and the West Virginia State Capitol in easy reach. [Top]

West Virginia State Capitol Exterior & Interior, Charleston

West Virginia State Capitol Exterior & Interior. The exterior of the West Virginia State Capitol is constructed of Indiana limestone. Rising 293 feet atop this classical-styled building, the gold dome is a beacon of West Virginia’s government. The dome is five feet taller than the U.S. Capitol’s dome. Much of the interior (two-thirds) is comprised of beautiful marble from a variety of sources, including Italy, Tennessee and Vermont. The West Virginia State Capitol features an expansive 535,000 square feet of floor space, including333 rooms for the state’s legislative endeavors. [Top]

West Virginia State Capitol Architect. Born in Zanesville, Ohio in 1859, architect Cass Gilbert designed the beautiful West Virginia State Capitol. After graduating with a degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Gilbert designed the Woolworth Building in New York City-the world’s first skyscraper. In addition to the West Virginia State Capitol, Gilbert designed the state capitols of Minnesota and Arkansas, as well as the U.S. Treasury Building and the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. [Top]

Fairfield Inn Charleston - Charleston, WV
1000 Washington Street East, Charleston, West Virginia (WV) 25301
Phone: 304-343-4661 Fax: 304-343-6269
Email: ffi-wv@swhospitality.com