Virginia State Capitol

Virginia State Capitol
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Virginia Landmarks Register
The Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond in August 2017
Location	1000 Bank St, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Built	1785–1788
Architect	Thomas Jefferson; Charles-Louis Clérisseau
Architectural style	Early Republic, Palladian
NRHP reference No.	66000911[1]
VLR No.	127-0002
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	December 19, 1960[3]
Designated VLR	November 5, 1968[2]

The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in Richmond, the state capital. It houses the oldest elected legislative body in North America, the Virginia General Assembly, first established as the House of Burgesses in 1619.

The Capitol was conceived of by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau in France, based on the Maison Carrée in Nîmes. Construction began in 1785 and was completed in 1788. The current Capitol is the eighth built to serve as Virginia's statehouse, primarily due to fires during the Colonial period. The building also served as the Confederate States Capitol during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. In the early 20th century, two wings were added, leading to its present appearance. In 1960, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.