New York State Capitol- Albany, NY

In general, state capitol buildings tend to be fabulous. As a reflection of the prosperity of the state, and representative of the important matters handled within the walls, they would certainly need to be grand. While I have yet to visit one that wasn’t impressive, New York’s literately left me breathless. Its magnificent Great Western Staircase is something every architecture aficionado needs to see. Indeed, even though the entire building is stunning, here, it’s all about the staircases. Or at least mostly.

Built between 1867 and 1899, the Capitol is the product of three architectural epochs. The first was led by Thomas Fuller, an English trained architect, who emigrated to Canada in 1857. There, he designed Ottawa’s Parliament House, a grand Victorian Gothic affair, completed in 1866. The following year, he was retained to build Albany’s new Capitol building. With a budget of $4 million, he designed an imposing Renaissance structure, flanked with towers, and topped with a dramatic dome. A dome that ultimately would never be built; in fact, it is one of only eleven capitol buildings in the United States without one.

Almost from the beginning, the project was plagued with problems. During excavation, it was discovered the land contained glacial clay deposits, with pockets of quicksand. This would require an advanced foundation, including a four foot concrete mat in the basement to support the massive load bearing granite walls. The design required thousands of hand carved stones and hundreds of stone carvers, who were paid ten dollars a day, twice the wage of other laborers. By the time the cornerstone was placed in 1871, the project was already wildly over budget. By 1874, estimated construction costs had risen to $12 million, while construction had only progressed to the second floor exterior walls. Fuller was blamed, and replaced with Henry Hobson Richardson and Leopold Eidlitz. Richardson’s friend and longtime collaborator Frederick Law Olmstead also joined the team, designing the adjacent East and West Parks.

Under the new architects, the Capitol design shifted, taking on Richardson’s Romanesque style. Fuller’s wrought iron central staircase design was replaced with one made of Scottish Corsehill sandstone, which allowed for carving in fine detail. And that they did. An army of stone cutters, using only mallets and chisels, created seventy-seven famous faces, such as Abraham Lincoln and Susan B. Anthony, as well as hundreds of intricate patterns and designs. No decorative theme was repeated twice in the construction of the Great Western Staircase. Containing 444 steps, and rising 114 feet, construction took over 14 years, and cost over one million dollars. The result however is spectacular, and without a doubt one of the most beautiful staircases in the world.

On the opposite side of the building from the Great Western, Leopold Eidlitz designed the smaller, but no less grand, Senate and Assembly Staircases. The Moorish Gothic Assembly was the first staircase in the complex to be completed, in 1879. Built of sandstone and granite, it is as delicate and light as the Great Western is substantial. Although built with a skylight, it was removed in 1949; a 2011 restoration returned the staircase to its original configuration.

Also on the east side of the building, in the opposite corner, is the Gothic Senate Staircase, completed in 1885. It is somewhat similar in style to its neighbor, without the Mediterranean influence. Pointed arches and elaborate stone tracery, including rosettes, give this space almost a steampunk feel; it certainly would be at home in an Old World cathedral. It too lost its skylight when space was needed for additional offices in 1946, but it was recreated during a 2012 restoration.

On the forth floor, adjacent to the Senate Staircase is the magnificent Upper Senate Corridor, which reintroduces the Mediterranean vibe. Flooded with light, the arched space retains its original Minton tile floor, made of thousands of individual pieces, fit together in a mosaic pattern.

Given all this detail, it is no wonder that construction was once again over budget. Eight years after taking over the project, in 1883, HHR was out. Some accounts have Grover Cleveland firing Richardson and Eidlitz due to the cost overruns, others have Richardson quitting in frustration over construction delays. Either way, they were gone, and Issac G. Perry was appointed Capitol Commissioner. Perry remained until Theodore Roosevelt declared the Capitol complete in 1899, and then promptly retired.

Perry largely stuck to the earlier architectural plans, with some slight changes. He actually increased the amount of decorative stone carving on the Great Western Staircase, added intricate electric sconces, and changed Richardson’s stone dome to a skylight. His 1895 design included an opalescent glass laylight framed in white painted wrought steel, intended to flood the staircase in light, illuminating the intricate carvings. The original skylight and laylight were later destroyed in a 1911 fire. They were rebuilt, but were covered over during World War II; the staircase would remain dark until a 2002 restoration.

All told, the construction of the Capitol took over thirty years to complete, and cost an unimaginable $25 million dollars. It spanned such a long time, it became one of the first electrified buildings in the United States. While the vision changed many times over the years, along with architects, the end result is nothing short of magnificent. A glorious Gilded Age Chateau, which contains unrivaled craftsmanship. Both the exterior and interior have been restored in recent years, returning it much to its original appearance. Tours are offered several times a day, but visitors are also allowed to wander the spaces on their own. Make sure to also explore the adjacent Empire Plaza, where Brutalist architecture reigns; locked in a lifelong style standoff, each holds their own.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.