The Unit­ed States Capi­tol, locat­ed in Wash­ing­ton D.C., is one of the most icon­ic and beau­ti­ful build­ings in the world. Designed by William Thorn­ton back in the ear­ly 1800s, the Capi­tol is a stun­ning exam­ple of neo­clas­si­cal archi­tec­ture, with a white mar­ble exte­ri­or, grand columns, and a mas­sive dome that tow­ers over the city. The build­ing serves as the meet­ing place for the Unit­ed States Con­gress and is the home of the leg­isla­tive branch of the U.S. fed­er­al gov­ern­ment. The inte­ri­or of the Capi­tol is equal­ly impres­sive, with breath-tak­ing fres­coes, murals, and stat­ues adorn­ing the walls and halls. The Capi­tol is a sym­bol of democ­ra­cy and a must-see des­ti­na­tion for any vis­i­tor to Wash­ing­ton D.C.