New Mexico State Capitol- Sante Fe, NM

I love capitol buildings. A showcase for the state, they often exhibit grand architecture and fine craftsmanship. While every capitol is unique, many are similar; then there is New Mexico’s: round and domeless. One of the newest capitols, its mid-century design certainly separates it from the pack.

Completed in 1966, the building was designed by W.C. Kruger to resemble the Zia Sun Symbol from above. Built in a Territorial Revival style with Neoclassical influences, it consists of a round central building, with four protruding wings, hence the nickname, “the roundhouse.” The 296 seat House gallery is located on the south side of the building, while the 210 seat Senate gallery is located on the north.

Should you miss the building’s symbolic shape from the exterior (you will), it is repeated on the floor of the Central Rotunda, in the form of The Great Seal of New Mexico rendered in turquoise and brass, inlaid in native Travertine. Above, flags from New Mexico’s 33 counties are displayed beneath a blue and pale pink stained glass skylight, which represents the sky and earth.

The third floor of the capitol acts as an art gallery, while the fourth houses the Offices of the Governor, as well as a display of governors’ portraits. While I can’t say it is my favorite capitol building, it is certainly unique. Of note, the state’s original capitol building, Palace of the Governors, still stands on the plaza downtown. Built in 1610, it is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States. Today, it houses the New Mexico State History Museum.