It just wouldn't be right if the Texas State Capitol weren't the biggest state capitol in the United States, and it is. Not only that, but when the cowboy architects built the structure, back in 1888, they made darn sure that their rotunda was even taller than that of the U.S. Capitol! Yep, bigger is better -- always!

Hyperbole aside, the Texas State Capitol is a definite "must see" for anybody visiting Austin, and I think that its one of the few state capitols that truly merits a special trip in and of itself. It's a fun place to visit, it's interesting, and a genuine slice of Texas spirit.

History buffs will find lots of interesting things in and around the Capitol, from the cannons out by the gates which were used in the Texas Revolution and the Civil War, to places in the neighboring Land Office (now the State Capitol Visitor Center) where literary giant William Sydney Porter (usually known by his pen name O. Henry) once spent his time writing more land titles and deeds than he did short stories. Naturally, the grounds are scattered with shrines and monuments to great Texans who lived lives as large as the plains they rode.


The Capitol Building...
The business of Texas state government takes place in this building, and the best things to see inside are the two legislative chambers, the old treasury office, plus the massively impressive dome.

You can't miss the dome. Not that you'd try to. Stand on the seal of the state of Texas and gaze upwards, over 200 feet to the gently curved arches of the dome's interior where they frame a star that sits at the pinnacle. You can also go upstairs and get some great vistas, gazing down and up. It's a lot of fun, and everybody loves gawking at the thing. You can't go all the way up into the dome anymore, but you can still get pretty darn high (about 4 stories up -- relax, there's an elevator for the stair-impaired).

The two legislative chambers are both on the second floor, on opposite wings of the building. The Senate chamber is the more stately, intimate, and impressive of the two. These chambers are where state laws are decided.

On the ground floor, just off the rotunda, stop into the old Treasurers Office. It's a really cool place, full of barred windows and massive vaults, though the Treasury has long since moved to other quarters. Nowadays, the office is used to hand out visitor info, and is a good place to get your questions answered.

You can usually stroll around the rest of the building, and into the new sprawling underground extension, but there's not much to see since most of it is taken up by representative offices. It's really just your basic work environment, no big thing.


Strolling the Grounds...
The capitol grounds are a good place to just hang out and relax for a while, with beautifully manicured green lawns covering gently rolling hills that span about 16 square city blocks (the capitol grounds are basically everything from 11th Street to 15th street and from San Jacinto to Colorado.

There's no public parking available on the grounds themselves, but you can often snag street parking nearby (at least on the weekends).

Of the several monuments scattered around the capitol, the oldest is called Heroes of the Alamo, dating back to 1891. There is also a monument to Confederate soldiers from Texas, and one for a particularly famous Texas Civil War unit called Hood's Brigade. Most of the other monuments are to Texans who served in various and sundry U.S. wars.

By itself, the grounds are (in my opinion) of only marginal interest, but as part of a complete capitol tour, they take on greater significance.


In the Visitor Center...
Housed in the old General Land Office Building on the Capitol grounds, the Visitor Center is a good place to start your tour of the Capitol, or to just stop in for a look-see by itself. The building was renovated in 1994, so everything is modern, bright, and airy.

The main level houses a state travel information center and a large gift shop selling lots of Texas souvenirs. Need your fix of ranger badges and stuffed armadillos? You can get 'em here! You can also arrange to get in on one of the guided tours of the Capitol.

Upstairs is a series of rooms housing some excellent exhibits, including several multimedia workstations where you can sit down and click through a few interactive trail rides. Step into one of the intimate small theatre rooms and pull up a saddle or a rocking chair while you watch stories of Texas' past. The short film about the XIT ranch is particularly interesting, as is sitting at the drafting table where O. Henry once worked...


Across the Street: The Governors Mansion...
95 percent of the time, your only view of the Governors Mansion is what I call "a dog's eye view" -- namely, gazing through the black iron bars wishing you could get through.

The building is a stately southern mansion, not unlike those you see throughout the South, with manicured grounds and a location across the street from the Capitol itself (on the corner of 11th and Colorado). Tours are available (weekdays from 10am to 11:30am), and if you're lucky enough to hit it at the right time, you'll see a lot of period furnishings from the mid to late 1800s, including some pieces that belonged to early anglo settlers and early Texas governors. It's interesting enough, but mostly just if you're into old houses and furnishings -- there's not a lot of genuine history in these walls, in my humble opinion, but it's interesting if taken in the context of a walking tour of downtown Austin...


Also Nearby: The Bullock State History Museum...
History buffs will want to stroll a couple blocks north of the capitol. The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is new and is popular. It showcases pretty much everything you can think of related to life and times in Texas, from Cadillacs with longhorn hood ornaments, to towering oil derricks. Learn about how barbed wire tamed the Texas plains. Find about famous Texans, from Tour de France cyclist Lance Armstrong to guitar virtuoso Stevie Ray Vaughn. If its Texan, its probably exhibited here. Bet you can't resist the siren call of the IMAX theatre...


Visiting Austin?
Without a doubt, the State Capitol is the single best thing to see in downtown Austin. It can be a bit dry for kids or folks who don't really care about history and government, but I think that just about anyone will find that there is enough interesting stuff here to capture your imagination for at least an hour or two. Combine a trip with visits to some of the city's other downtown attractions, and now you're talking quite a good day.

For more tips on things to see and do in Austin, check out my review of downtown Austin. Have fun!





Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Students
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May