Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol, completed in 1888, contains the offices and chambers of
the Texas Legislature and the Office of the Governor. The Texas State Capitol is
308 feet (94 m) tall, making it the sixth tallest state capitol in the country.
The cornerstone for the building was laid on March 2, 1885, Texas Independence
Day, and the completed building was opened to the public on April 21, 1888, San
Jacinto Day.
The designers originally planned for the building to be clad entirely with hill
country limestone quarried in Oatmanville (present-day Oak Hill), about 10 miles
(16 km) to the southwest. However, the high iron content of the limestone led it
to rapidly discolor with rust stains when exposed to the elements.
Learning of the problem, the owners of Granite Mountain near Marble Falls
offered to donate to the state, free of charge, the necessary amount of sunset
red granite as an alternative. While the building is mostly built of the Oak
Hill limestone, most of this is hidden behind the walls and on the foundations.
Red granite was subsequently used for many state government buildings in the
Austin area.
Location
1100 Congress Ave
Austin, Travis County
Texas,
USA
Getting There
The Texas State Capitol is located in Austin, Texas, and can be accessed by
public transportation. Here are some options:
Capital Metro Bus: The Capital Metro bus system has several routes that stop
near the State Capitol. You can take Routes 1, 2, 7, 10, 17, 20, 30, 37, 801, or
803 to get to the Capitol. Visit the Capital Metro website for schedules and
route information.
MetroRail: The MetroRail is a commuter train that runs from Leander to downtown
Austin. You can take the Red Line to the Downtown Station, which is about a
10-minute walk from the Capitol.
Ride-Sharing Services: You can also use ride-sharing services such as Uber or
Lyft to get to the Capitol.
Biking or Walking: The Capitol is located in downtown Austin, so you can also
bike or walk to the building if you are in the area.
Nearby Airports
This is a list of primary airports in Texas that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.
undo Major Attractions in Texas