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Photograph of the Capitol Building Under Construction in Washington, DC

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Photograph of the Capitol Building Under Construction in Washington, DC

description

Summary

Photographs of Federal and Other Buildings in the United States

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, which includes the U.S. Capitol building, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the House and Senate office buildings. It was established in 1855 and is one of the oldest federal agencies in the United States. The AOC is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings and grounds of the Capitol Complex, as well as the preservation of the historic and artistic elements of the buildings.

Founding fathers wanted the United States to be a complete break from the past and English influences. Jefferson saw architecture as an artistic declaration that the United States was unique and not European. The inspirations for his architectural views were the classic civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. The “Age of Reason” architects were drawn to the symmetry, clean lines and mathematical preciseness of Greek and Roman buildings. Jefferson probably had the largest architectural library in the United States.

date_range

Date

1857 - 1942
place

Location

create

Source

The U.S. National Archives
copyright

Copyright info

Public Domain

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