Hawaii State Capitol

Hawaii State Capitol

The Hawaii State Capitol opened on March 15, 1969 and replaced the former statehouse, 'Iolani Palace. It is an American adaptation of the Bauhaus style called Hawaiian international architecture.

The Hawaii State Capitol's distinct architectural features symbolize various natural aspects of Hawaii. Among them:

• The building is surrounded by a reflecting pool, symbolizing the Pacific Ocean.

• The two legislative chambers are cone-shaped, symbolizing volcanoes that formed the Hawaiian Islands.

• The columns around the perimeter of the building have shapes resembling coconut trees. Also, there are eight in either side of the building representing the eight main islands of Hawai'i.

• When standing in the center of the structure, the chandeliers from both legislative chambers which represent the sun and moon can be seen through the glass walls

• The Capitol is built in an open-air design, allowing sun, wind, and rain to enter.

• The area that is normally reserved for a rotunda in most capitol buildings is left open to the sky. It is said that the sky is Hawaii's capitol rotunda.

Location

415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, Hawaii
USA

Getting There

The Hawaii State Capitol is located in downtown Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. Here are some ways to get there:

By car: If you're driving, you can take H1 Eastbound and take the Punahou exit. From there, turn left on Beretania Street and the Capitol building will be on your right.

By bus: The following bus routes stop near the State Capitol: 2, 6, 13, 19, 20, 22, 23, 42, 51, 52, 53, 57, 58, 59, 65, 66, and E. You can use the Honolulu bus website to plan your route and find the closest bus stop.

By ride-sharing service: You can use ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft to get to the Capitol. Just input the address of the building into the app and you'll be directed to the correct location.

Note that parking around the Capitol can be limited and expensive, so it's recommended to use public transportation if possible.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Hawaii that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.