Capitol Hill & The Smithsonian, Washington DC

Spent the next two days touring Government buildings (free of charge) which are all incredibly impressive and a couple of hours at each place is not nearly enough time.  Friday we visited Capitol Hill, lunched at Pauls, went to the Air & Space Museum, and finished the day with some shopping at Pentagon City.

Capitol Hill

It's lonely at the top.

 The Capitol is the home of the U.S.Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate.Construction of the U.S. Capitol began in 1793 and by 1811 the Senate wing and the House wing had been completed. In 1814, British troops set fire to the Capitol as well as the White House and other District buildings during the War of 1812. Fortunately, a rainstorm prevented the Capitol’s complete destruction, and in the following year reconstruction began and it was completed in 1826.

                                                                                     

The Apotheosis of George Washington

Within the building there are majestic paintings and sculptures.  One hundred and eighty (180 ft) above the floor is a massive fresco entitled, The Apotheosis of George Washington, it consists of a portrait of the nation’s first president rising to the heavens flanked by the allegorical figures of Liberty/Authority and Victory/Fame.  They are surrounded by maidens representing the first thirteen colonies.

The Smithsonian

 Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world's largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities.

National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics.                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                             

The Museum has hundreds of artifacts on display including the original Wright 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module, and a lunar rock sample that visitors can touch. 

Nice to see a touch of home when away :)