Construction of the present Wisconsin state capitol, the third in Madison, began in late 1906 and was completed in 1917 at a cost of $7.25 million. As there was an immediate need to house state government employees, the construction of the new building was extended over several years and emphasized building one wing at a time.

The building was constructed of 43 types of stone from six countries and eight states. The exterior stone is Bethel white granite from Vermont, making the exterior dome, I believe, the largest granite dome in the world!

From 1988 to 2002 the capitol underwent a major renovation and restoration project costing $158.8 million. The project was performed wing by wing, the same as the original construction of the capitol, with the aim of converting the capitol into a modern working building, while restoring and preserving its original 1917 appearance.

Remodeling projects of the 1960s and ‘70s had introduced features out of character with the architecture of the building, such as dropped ceilings, movable partitions and fluorescent light fixtures, and many original decorative stencils were painted over. The restoration project returned public spaces to their original appearance. Original decorative stencils were repaired or recreated; gold leaf was replaced or restored, and the exterior granite was cleaned and repaired by workers who rappelled down from the dome. The renovation plan also included integrating modern technology into the original architecture – electrical, mechanical (such as plumbing and heating), and communications systems were upgraded; asbestos was removed, and air conditioning was added.

 

The inside of the capitol is as magnificent as the outside as Mike and I enjoyed first-hand as we wandered through its corridors. The floors, walls and columns are constructed of American marble, granite and limestone. I am unsure where the interior lights are from, but they are stunning and the facials of the elevators mirror something from an art deco museum!