Idaho State Capitol
The Idaho State Capitol is the state capitol of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the seat of the legislation and is located in Idaho's capital, Boise. The main building was completed in 1913. It is the only State Capitol, which is heated by a geothermal source.
On 9 January 2010, after two years of a renovation, which cost 120 million dollars to complete. The completion was earlier than planned two days before the beginning of the legislature and a day.
Previous building
The first Capitol was built in 1886. It was between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, and Jefferson Street and State Street. Four years later became the state of Idaho and the building became too small for the growing government. 1905 a new building was commissioned.
Current building
The current building was completed in two phases. In the first phase, which began in 1905, the middle part was, with rotunda and dome, and the north wing, for the Supreme Court, built. Upon completion in 1912, the officials moved into their new offices. After the financing of the second phase of construction was secured, in 1919 started the construction of the east and west wings. These were completed in 1920 and host the meeting halls of the Senate and House of Representatives. The construction costs were about $ 2 million. The design for the building was based on the United States Capitol in Washington DC
Details of the building
The Capitol is connected by tunnel to the building of the Supreme Court and other government buildings. The tunnels, which are used daily by the government employees, are not open to the public. They can be used as a bunker for the governor and the officials. In addition to the main entrance of a parking lot for the car of the Governor is reserved, which bears the hallmark Idaho 1.
The big bell in front of the Capitol Building is a replica of the Liberty Bell. Visitors are allowed to ring the bell. Are located on the walls of the elevator shaft on the east side of the rotunda as well as the signatures of hundreds of pages of the House and Senate as well as the signatures of the elected representatives. The elevator can be stopped by manually opening the doors so you can see the signatures. The only rooms that are not open to the public, are the rooms that are used for the caucus, and the lounges of the Senate and House of Representatives.
Twenty portraits of governors, both the territory and the state, are shown. They were painted by Herbert A. Collins in 1911.
The State Capitol, designed by the architect John E. Tourtellotte and Charles F. Hummel from Boise. The partners have many churches and educational institutions in Boise, and designed the administration building of the University of Idaho in Moscow.
The columns in the main lobby are made of marble, but are a remarkable example of stucco marble.