Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol, built between 1882 and 1888 in Italian Renaissance Revival style, stands 302.64 feet tall, taller than the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. Its exterior is sunset-red granite from Granite Mountain near Marble Falls, donated by the quarry's owners, and the building sits at the head of Congress Avenue in downtown Austin.
Plan Your Visit
- All visitors go through security screening to enter the Capitol building.
Important Information:
What to Bring:
- Valid photo ID if you're joining a scheduled guided tour group.
- Nothing large; expect a security screening similar to an airport- style checkpoint at the entrance, so keep bags minimal.
About Texas State Capitol
Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol has stood at the head of Congress Avenue in downtown Austin since it was completed in 1888, after six years of construction under architect Elijah E. Myers. At 302.64 feet, it's taller than the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., and it's built from sunset-red granite quarried at Granite Mountain near Marble Falls, stone that was donated to the project rather than purchased, which is part of why the building still reads as distinctly Texan against its Italian Renaissance Revival design.
A major addition in 1993 doubled the building's usable space by extending underground, a design choice that preserved the Capitol's historic exterior and north plaza while adding modern office and meeting space below. The dome's Goddess of Liberty statue, visible from Congress Avenue, is an aluminum replica installed in 1986; the original zinc statue was carefully removed and now stands at the Bullock Texas State History Museum a short walk away.
✨ Highlights
- A dome and exterior built from donated sunset-red granite, taller than the US Capitol in Washington, D.C.
- The Goddess of Liberty statue atop the dome, with the original zinc version preserved at the nearby Bullock Texas State History Museum.
- A 1993 underground extension that roughly doubled the building's usable space without altering the historic exterior.
- The Capitol Visitors Center in the General Land Office Building on the grounds.
📖 History
Construction ran from 1882 to 1888 under architect Elijah E. Myers, with the exterior granite donated by the owners of Granite Mountain near Marble Falls. The original Goddess of Liberty statue, made of zinc, topped the dome until 1986, when it was replaced by an aluminum cast and moved to the Bullock Texas State History Museum. A 1993 underground extension expanded the building's usable space while preserving its historic exterior and north plaza.
📍 How to Get There
The Texas State Capitol sits at Congress Avenue and 11th Street in downtown Austin, at the north end of Congress Avenue, a straight walk up from the Congress Avenue Bridge and South Congress.
📌 Good to Know
Self-guided access to the grounds and building is generally available during standard business hours, with guided tours run on their own schedule. [CONFIRM current guided tour times, group tour reservations, and any building hours restrictions directly before publish; those figures are not sourced in this draft.]
See every tour that stops here on the Austin tours page.
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