Wisconsin’s State Capitol – Way Cool!

We’re rapidly approaching August and the warmest days of the summer. Looking for a way to cool off without splashing in the lakes or going shoulder to shoulder with mall-shoppers? Why not visit the State Capitol Building in downtown Madison? With it’s thick stone walls – there are 43 varieties of stone from all around the world – the interior is pretty darn cool. Pretty, too.

The Capitol Building, located on Madison’s isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, was built between the years 1906 and 1917. It’s price tag was just over $7 million dollars. Standing more than 200 feet high, it is topped with “Wisconsin,” a bronze statue created by Daniel Chester French. Inside, the rotunda’s ceiling features a mural called “Resources of Wisconsin” painted by Edwin Blashfield. The capitol’s interior reflects art, architectural features and furnishings that reflect a diversity of heritages. Thirty foot skylights allow natural light to reflect and play off the many niches and crannies, highlighting beauty at every turn.

I highly recommend a tour of the Capitol for nearly all ages. The building is open daily except for a few major holidays. Hours are 8 am to 6 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. During the summer months, the sixth floor museum and the observation deck are open. The deck is perfect for a view of downtown Madison and, if you are lucky, maybe even a cool breeze off the nearby lakes. Guided tours, which are free, are offered frequently throughout the day. You do not need reservations unless you are in a group of 10 or more people.

Some parking is available on the streets and also at nearby city parking garages, an easy walk to one of the Capitol’s many entrances.

— Bo Mackison is a writer and photographer from the Madison area. She has sought shelter from the heat in summer (and the cold in winter, too) inside the Capitol Building and always stays for hours captivated by all the visual treats. See her photo galleries at Seeded Earth Photography . Photo “Capitol Arches” © 2008. All right reserved.