Capitol steps forward

Renovations reveal stately changes

The capitol rises some 200 feet above street level and steps were added when the wings for the Senate and House were built. The bronze great seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia is in front of the steps. (Photo by Hillier Architecture)

A few weeks ago, my family and I drove down to Richmond to tour the newly renovated Capitol building. The renovation project had been completed in time for the commemoration of the founding of Jamestown in 1607, and the 400 years of Virginia history; and in time to welcome Queen Elizabeth II during her official visit to the Commonwealth.

In 1779, the General Assembly approved the relocation of the state capital from Williamsburg to Richmond. Construction on the new Capitol building, designed by Thomas Jefferson, began in 1785. The General Assembly met in the new building for the first time in 1788. The Confederate Congress also convened in that building throughout the Civil War. During the 1880s, telephones, electricity and an elevator were installed. In 1904-06, a complete renovation was undertaken, which also added two new extensions for the House of Delegates and the Senate chambers.

By 2004, a restoration and expansion project, costing $74 million, was undertaken to "revitalize Virginia's 216-year-old Capitol to ensure an efficient, modern working environment, while maintaining its historic properties." The most arresting feature was the construction of a brand-new, underground visitor's center, open along Bank Street.

The renovated Capitol was opened with much fanfare this spring, and it is well-worth a visit. Guided tours are conducted each day. Our tour was arranged through our local delegate's office, but plenty of tourists walked in off the street. The new visitor's center is magnificent, and its many displays clearly outline the history of the Capitol, and the plans for the future. A series of ramps, or elevators, convey the visitor up the hill to the main building which has received an entire facelift. The renovation included replacing mechanical, plumbing and storm water systems; replacing air-conditioning and electrical systems, preventing moisture penetration; restoring architectural and historic features; renovating the exterior surfaces; and re-landscaping the Capitol grounds.

The interiors are wondrous. We were directed to the second floor to see the famous Houdon statue of George Washington, the old Senate chamber and the old chamber of the House of Delegates, where so much history was enacted. In the center of that room stands a life-size statue of Robert E. Lee where he accepted command of the Virginia state forces in April 1861.

Our tour guide indicated a large, ornate gilded ceremonial mace surmounted by a magnificent monarchical crown; and resting in a glass case before the Speaker's chair. The mace is exactly similar to those used in the Houses of Parliament in Britain, Canada and Australia. The guide explained that when the General Assembly is in session, the clerk of the House of Delegates removes the mace every day from its case, and carries it ceremonially into the new chamber of the House of Delegates, where it is placed in a wooden cradle to symbolize the sovereignty of the legislature and the Commonwealth.

During her visit last May, Queen Elizabeth participated in a procession in which she followed the clerk carrying the mace into the House to address the entire General Assembly. A very historic tradition, but one wonders what she was thinking at that point: "What's this, has the Commonwealth of Virginia, after all these years, decided to rejoin the British Commonwealth?"

A visit into the modern chambers of the House of Delegates and the Senate was also very interesting, and called to mind the fact that representative government began in America here in Virginia with the organization of the House of Burgesses in 1619.

The grounds of the Capitol park have also been extensively landscaped, and include the large equestrian statue of Washington and other Virginia patriots; and the governor's mansion.

A drive to the Capitol in downtown Richmond only takes about two hours from Fort Belvoir. Additional information is available on the Web site, www.virginiacapitol.gov. Tours can be arranged by calling 804-698-1788.

Editor's note: Additional information was added from Jim Wootton, executive director of Capitol Square Preservation Council.