This landmark building, designed by Cass Gilbert and built in 1905 was looking somewhat shabby by the 21st century. What followed was a$310 million , 3+ year restoration and renovation. We had gone to see the results. All decorative art, murals, and paintings were restored to original patters and colors. New public spaces including galleries were added along with exposing limestone basement walls etc.
In the peoples house looking at the chamber of the State legislature. It was a great morning seeing our capitol restored to its awe-inspiring glory.
Next: The Minneapolis Institute of Art
I would like to make this trip also! Looks like our Tax Dollars were at work! Happy Father's Day! :)
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the Iowa capital is always getting a face lift. Like the domes all have. Your trip sounded fun, haven't been up since my parents moved away too many years ago, other than one trip to the mall.
ReplyDeleteDid you happen to notice a raccoon up on the dome?
ReplyDeleteHi TB - looks to be fascinating ... so good to see they've restored the building and letting you see the history of its progression. They have an amazing collection of art works ... what a great trip to have with your friends ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful! Thanks for showing me, and I look forward to the art institute next. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is good to see progress. The tours for people must be very interesting - a before and after experience.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a good, worthwhile project.
ReplyDeleteHow nice when they restore instead of replacing. History needs a face lift every now and then.
ReplyDeleteDear Troutbirder, I wish I was still in Minnesota to see the renovation. Cats Giblert is a favorite architect of mine. You know he did the train station in Stillwater. We studied his work in a class at the UofM back in 1969.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to your posting on the art institute! peace.
Beautiful public spaces are vital to civilisation. Thanks for the tour.
ReplyDeleteI've worked in two state capitols here in New England (Maine and New Hampshire, as a newspaper reporter) and visited the other four (Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island). I've always had a fondness for the architecture and majesty of such places.
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me many people might not have heard about the raccoon that transfixed Twitter an entire night late last week. A raccoon looking for pigeon eggs along a viaduct got frightened and scampered up the side of a St Paul skyscraper. It slept on ledges along the way but by midnight made it to the top. The fire department said it was too risky to try to get him or her and the building owners live in Switzerland or something. So Twitter went wild when it got over the top where it was trapped and released somewhere by people who know where to release things. The St Paul reporters down there, including from public radio who were the first ones on it and stayed on it all night, were national celebrities that night.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter goes to work there every day the legislature is in session! Isn't she lucky? I haven't seen it since the restoration and am looking forward to doing that my next trip home. I've heard the improvements are quite wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe use to see it overtime we went to the north shore. There and back and the capital is beautiful on the outside. Haven’t been to the north store for 14 years.
ReplyDeleteshore not store.
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