A Day at the Iowa State Capitol

If you visit Iowa, the most impressive building in the state, hands down, is the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. This is definitely an American Midwest architectural gem.

It is renowned for its golden dome, plus four smaller domes, and intricate interior, including the Law Library. Completed in 1886, it is the only five-domed capitol in the country, symbolizing Iowa’s history and craftsmanship.

After living here for 22 years, and seeing it almost every day as I drive to work, I have not really gone inside this beautiful building. My excuse? It will always be there, so I’ll have time to visit it someday.

My wife and kids have gone inside the Capitol a few times, as part of their schooling, and just because we are residents of Iowa. We have even brought friends from out of state to tour the building. Except for me, for I only toured it from the outside.

On my day off last week, my wife told me that it’s time for me to enter the State Capitol, maybe before the aliens take it away and teleport it to another planet. And so I finally did.

As you enter the Capitol, you will encounter sweeping staircases, extensive marble work, hand-painted murals, statues and sculptures, wood carvings (including 12 native Iowa wood types), and ornate mosaics. From the floor, to the walls and pillars, and up to the ceiling, you will feel the grandeur of this building.

The commanding feature of the Iowa State Capitol is the central 275-foot towering dome, constructed of iron and brick and gilded with extremely thin sheets of pure 23-carat gold. The gold sheets were hammered so thin at 1/250,000th of an inch, making it thinner than a 1-ply toilet paper.

Here is the golden dome from the outside (photo below).

From the inside, the beauty, dignity, and arrangement of the interior become apparent as a you stand under the dome from the first floor (photo below). 

Blending architectural artistry with more than a century of civic life, not only is this building structurally beautiful, but also it is a functional office. As the seat of the Iowa Government, this building houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, and the Office of the Governor, as well as the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State. 

Below are the lawmakers in session. They are hearing the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte of the Philippines. Oh sorry, wrong jurisdiction and country!

The Iowa State Capitol has no entrance fee, and has a guided tour available almost every hour. We joined a tour group so we can learn more from the very knowledgeable and expert tour guides.

Photo below is when our group climbed the spiral staircase to get up near the golden dome.

After climbing the spiral staircase, we arrived at the “Whispering Gallery,” situated high up in the main dome. This architectural feature allows visitors to hear whispered conversations (and gossips) across the gallery, which overlooks the main rotunda below. 

Here you can get a breath-taking (literally, as you are still panting from the climb, and the dizzying feeling from the height) view of the floors below.

The Capitol also houses the Law Library, which is considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the country. The Law Library contains five levels of bookshelves with intricate wrought-iron railings and a dramatic spiral staircase. Besides books about law and governance, the library also contains rare manuscripts, including one from Benjamin Franklin.

I know of a fellow doctor here in Des Moines who also serves as a member of the House of Representatives, and so besides working in the hospital, he also calls the Iowa State Capitol as his office. Not bad for an office, right?

Is there a future for me as an Iowan law-maker? Nah!

From inside the Iowa State Capitol,

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