Tennessee State Capitol- Nashville, TN

For a capital city historically known as the “Athens of the South,” a stately Greek Revival was really the only option for their capitol building. Designed by William Strickland, and set atop a hill overlooking the city, the timeless building was modeled after a Greek Ionic temple, with a cupola patterned after the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, rather than a dome.

Although the cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1845, the building would take fourteen years to complete; construction outlasted Strickland, who died in 1854, and was interred in a tomb he designed in the building’s northeast corner. Constructed of Bigby limestone, excavated, shaped and transported by slave and convict labor, the exterior consists of a rusticated basement, topped by an Ionic portico and unadorned pediment. Structural iron was used throughout, including for the roof trusses.

Inside the first level, Tennessee marble covers the floors and walls, while the vaulted ceiling features colorful Frescos by John Schleicher and Theo Knoch, depicting the migration of early settlers into Tennessee, surrounded by Muses of Literature, Sculpture, Music and Painting.

With high ceilings and large windows, the substantial stone second floor has a much more open, contemporary feel. Although converted from gas to electricity in 1895, the original Cornelius and Baker gasoliers remain in the main hall. In the House chamber, behind the speaker’s podium, stand two Roman spears, symbolizing strength in unity.

In the Senate Chamber, a special commission gasolier boasts 30 globes, decorated with Indian corn, elk heads, cotton blossoms and tobacco leaves. The elegant visitor’s gallery, accessed by a graceful marble staircase, contains original ironwork done by the Philadelphia firm Wood and Perot. Below, the balcony is supported by a colonnade made of Tennessee marble.

The architectural highlight of the building however is the former State Library, which has been restored to its mid 19th century appearance. Featuring an 1855 Cornelius and Baker gasolier, original cast iron spiral staircase, and ceiling portraits done by Theo Knoch and John Schleicher, it is an elegant, classic space with a very Victorian feel.

With clean lines and classic architecture, the Tennessee Capitol feels almost modern in design. Markedly different than many other capitols, even those built contemporaneously, it retains many original features. It even retains not so original features, such as a bullet damaged marble handrail, sustained in an 1866 incident related to the ratification of the 14th Amendment. All around excellent, its a fabulous space to explore before hitting a band on Broadway.