Texas State Capitol

I would have never thought to tour a state capitol building, but this gorgeous domed bit of Italian Renaissance architecture just beckons from its perch in the middle of South Congress Ave.
We cycled from Shake Shack, and took grateful drinks from the ancient, cast iron drinking well that operates by foot pedal on the grounds out front. There were no bike racks that we could see, so we locked all our bikes (four total) together and left them in the shade. They were there when we came back, so I guess it’s safe!
We headed inside, which required a quick bag check and metal detector pass. Free tours were offered but not required as there are plenty of signs and information posted throughout the three floors of rooms and grand staircases and galleries full of paintings.
Depending on what’s going on that day, you can stroll around the Senate Chamber, which has these incredible star chandeliers and two do not miss paintings: Dawn at the Alamo and The Battle of San Jacinto (the former was referenced at the actual Alamo, and when I went I was able to say «Hey, I’ve seen that!»).
In the southwest U.S., it’s rare to see such beautifully preserved building features more than 100 years old. And this building is full of lovely surprises like ornate metal door hinges and door handles, gorgeously carved balustrades, vintage light fixtures and antique wooden picture frames, hand carved doors and door frames and of course that gorgeous dome … it’s a treasure trove of 1880s architecture.
Afterward, we watched a lovely young lady having her quincenera photos being shot out front on the grounds. It was the most perfectly Texas experience ever.

A very impressive Capitol building and grounds to while away the few hours I had left in Austin. When I visit any capital city in this great nation of ours, I tend to want to visit the capitol building in some fashion. Truly this capitol puts my home state of California’s to shame with it’s larger than life, everything!
In one of the pamphlets I grabbed it mentioned that this capitol is larger if not the largest of all the 50 states and rightfully so since Texas has this thing about size. One feature I loved the most was in the rotunda with the paintings of each and every governor who had ever graced the halls of this marble and gold leaf adorned interior.
Also, it was absolutely free to meander the halls and grounds. I’m glad I visited and can mark Texas off my list of the 50! :)

Such an amazing site! We learned a ton before even heading to the actual State Capitol by going to the Visitor’s Center first. We watched two short (~20/​30 minutes) films about the building of the Capitol. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: one was narrated by Matthew McConaughey!!!
The park that surrounds the Capitol building is really well kept, and provides some shady respite from the scorchin’ Texas heat.
Tours are given every 15 minutes. Our tour guide, Jenna, is a former history teacher, so was a total geek about history (we loved her!). If you’re in Austin to experience the awesome food, music, and beer scene, I highly recommend making a detour to check out the Capitol of the Lone Star State!

I like free attractions! Besides that, why visit this place if you are from out of town?
1. If you are remotely interested in the history of Austin, let alone Texas, you get a nice peak in to the past with the history written on the walls and on display.
2. It’s a lot cooler indoors.
3. As mentioned earlier, it’s free admission. Can’t go wrong with that.
4. Once you get past security, there are different floors to explore besides the first floor. Maybe you’ll end up with a spot with a great view looking up at the dome.
5. There are bathrooms so if need of a bathroom break, look no further.
6. One of the biggest reasons to visit the Texas State Capitol is that it’s better than sitting around at home. Perhaps you’ll be lucky to catch a live event performing beneath the dome like a local school ensemble.
Again, this place is definitely worth a visit. It should not be too difficult finding parking along the street or at any of the nearby parking lots. Either way, there are no regrets. I promise you. Treat it like a library but with loud talking permitted and lots of cool pictures and statues.

Very nice state Capitol building, too bad there was the construction going on. We also ended up wandering off away from the tour because it was so loud, we couldn’t hear the guide. What little we did hear though was very interesting. If you want to get some steps in on your Fitbit, this is the place to do it. It’s a fitness junkie’s dream, and I got almost 3,000 steps inside just by walking all the stairways instead of taking the elevator. It was cool to peek into the senate and house of reps rooms, love the décor. The bathrooms could use some updating for sure though. And we never did find the gift shop…

Guided tour of the public parts of the building was entertaining and educational. History, a lovely building and some fun facts about Texas. Worth a stop.

Great history preserved on the walls of the capital. Lots of statues and monuments on the grounds to see. I enjoyed walking through and seeing the senate room and rotunda. Good stop for the tourist.

There is security to get into the building, but it was moving really quickly. Upon entering there is a paper map that can be used to facilitate a self-​guided tour of the building and grounds. I opted for a guided tour (free) that at the time of my visit was running every 10 minutes.
We had a big tour group and the capitol was busy, but our guide had a great personality. She was easy to hear and knowledgeable. It was nice to have someone draw your attention to details that might go unnoticed on a self-​guided tour. We entered the Senate, but could not go into the house as the carpet was being replaced (till Oct 2016).
The tour did not provide access to anything you could not view on your own, but it gave a good lay of the land and the guide highlighted several things you could return to and view after the tour. The tour includes a stop in the underground newer portion of the building.

Beautiful capitol and grounds. Free entry and tours. Under renovation when I went May 2016.

Being a native Texan born and raised in Austin, I grew up with an appreciation for the state capital. I’m not sure if it’s still in the curriculum for junior high students but we were forced to learn about our states history and the leaders that made Texas the great state it is today. The Texas capital is on some of the more beautiful grounds out of any state capital I’ve been to and the fact that it’s so close to downtown is a bonus. It’s pretty easy to swing in and walk around, guided or solo you are able to see pretty much everything in the building within a couple hours.
One of the things I always remember from school is that the Texas capital is actually taller than the nations capital. Talk about your one upper!

TOURIST MUST SEE!
It’s the Texas State Capital so of course you have to come visit! This is mainly a huge administrative building that’s pretty to look at. They used to hold meeting/​trials here but now it’s just a museum. I just wandered around the place and there wasn’t much going on so I“m not sure if I was doing it right. But regardless, it was a nice visit.

It’s a very beautiful and old building and has been kept up very well. There are guides around talking to the touring folks, which was pretty cool. There is a security check on the way in.

This has to be one of the most beautiful capitol buildings in the country. I love its location downtown and that you can see it from miles away on Congress Avenue. It’s always cool to be hanging out in SoCo and to be able to see the building in the distance.
The grounds are impeccably maintained and would be a beautiful place to take photos or to relax on a beautiful day.
The entire building is beautiful, but the rotunda is my favorite part of the building. Even if you don’t do an organized tour you can walk around the main areas on your own. I visited once with friends and we enjoyed our visit even without a guided tour. I’m sure that the guided tour would make it that much more interesting though.
If you plan to be in downtown Austin at all then you should stop in and check this place out.

Came here as it was listed as one of the top things to do in Austin. It seemed to have a very large area and possibly lots to see. We didn’t have much time though so we walked around the grounds and into the main building to get the view of the inside dome structure. Pretty. Other than that, it was ok. Don’t get me wrong, if I were ever in the area, I’d check it out again, it would be at a leisurely pace for sure. Maybe on a tour. Or even a segway tour. Could be fun.

Well Howdy Texas, you’re awful purdy.
As a West Coast girl I had my thoughts on Texas predetermined — mostly I thought about it being landlocked. I need green! I need the sea! But over the years I’ve heard the whispers through the rolling hills…
Austin…
Austin.
You win Texas, as my tour of the capital informed that you REALLY like to do. I’ll go ahead and say it, I’d move to Austin. That’s right San Diego. You and your palm trees and beaches listen up. I didn’t think I’d like it — but you snuck up on me, you’re a charming (and pretty liberal) city and one of the biggest charms is your downright beautiful State Capital Building. In all it’s pink glory and standing in the lovely park. I’m smitten!
Take a tour if you can, and with a guide — as there is a lot of history in those walls. And underneath the main halls are three more floors of far reaching rooms. Much more than meets the eye!
The walls have portraits of past governors and stunning ceiling stretching to the sky. The star of Texas graces the floor. I found it both fascinating and beautiful — like much of Austin itself. The history of the great state will capture your mind, and the city of Austin (watch out!) could capture your heart.

As we wrapped up our time in Austin we decided to take a little tour of the city — a few sites, a lot of booze. To be honest, we were all the most hyped about reaching our final destination (Salt Lick), but I’ll be the first to admit that our visit to the Texas State Capitol building was nothing short of memorable.
What a beauty! The building is Texas big and surprisingly approachable. We walked through the front door, passed the metal detectors and then were free to roam at our leisure. The most photographed part of the building has to be the grand entrance lined with painting of past leaders. As one leaves office, the entire lineup shifts making room for the next. Really, really gorgeous!
My favorite part of the building was definitely the underground expansion. Though three stories underground you hardly feel buried thanks to some really crafty design. A unknown benefit of this architectural expertise is a bitchin’ little sound chamber that was more of a happy accident than anything else. Stand on the star, start your speech and you’ll feel like you’re talking to the masses. Really cool!

We always say here that everything is bigger in Texas … well this phrase it true when it comes to our capital too! The capital grounds are definitely on my list for most beautiful spots in Austin. There is so much history. When my parents were in town I took them here and I had never actually been inside the capital building, so this was a first for me. They offer FREE tours every 30 minutes the entire time they are open! I love that it is free. I absolutely recommend doing a tour as the tour guides know their Texas history and can point out and explain all kinds of facts and details that you would not know to look for if you were just walking around by yourself. It took us about 45 minutes to go through the tour.
The lawns at the capital are well kept and gorgeous too. This is the perfect place for an education family outing, a picnic on the lawn or a great spot to bring your out of town visitors — especially if they are into history!

A great free attraction and tour for history buffs or families to enjoy.
I was very impressed with the free four that the state capitol had. It leaves at the times posted inside the south entrance and foyer. Groups are treated to a low key tour with a guide that features the senate, house of republicans, artwork in the building, and grand hall under the dome. I happened to go during the winter holiday period and there was an orchestra putting on a concert in the main hall so this cut the tour a little short. I was very impressed with both the historical elements and the architectural elements of the tour. It was also the perfect amount of time (about 30 minutes). The guide wasn’t overbearing or boring and seemed to keep the attention of most members of the tour. They did a great job of sharing their enthusiasm for this interesting capitol.
As for getting to the location. There is a parking lot directly to the east of the capitol between 12^th and 11^th street. It is then a short walk to the entrance of the building. The south entrance was very crowded and had a long line, but the guards needed to metal detect and scan all personal items before entering. There was less of a line at the east entrance but it requires knowing how to get through the building to find the tour starting location. The tours start just inside the south entrance in front of the treasury. Visitors can also just walk around as they feel and go to all of the public areas that are featured on the tour.
Overall, this was a cool way to spend an hour in Austin. It covered art, architecture, history, and exercise. I was very impressed with the free tour and would recommend it over just walking around inside the building.

Not only is this a suitably grand building on the outside for an outsized state like Texas that you don’t mess with, but there are interestingly intricate details inside, wherever you go, all the way down to lightbulbs and intricately carved doorknobs. These details, and the history of the building and the personalities that have come through here, are explained in free tours that leave at frequent intervals from the rotunda. On these tours, you’ll also get to see the House and Senate chambers when they aren’t meeting.
While I’m uncomfortable with the fact that the Confederate seal is still displayed openly here, I can understand that it’s done so as part of the state’s history as part of five different countries. Highly recommended for history and politics enthuisasts.

The walking tours start near the entrance, every 15 minutes. Byron was my tour guide and he was very personable and informative. The attention to detail everywhere was the most amazing of things… like the engravings on the door hinges and the lights in the chandeliers, not only are they in the shape of stars, but they spell out T.E.X.A.S. It’s hard to believe that all of these amazing features, were even available in 1888, the year that the Capitol was built. My favorite part of the tour was the Senate Chamber. I think that Byron’s explanation and knowledge of it, made that experience though. So, do not try to walk through it on your own, you will miss out!
I was told by a local, not to miss the basement. But after the guided tour ended, I went down to the basement and I wasn’t impressed. Other that the gift shop and the pictures that recounted it’s history, I wasn’t all that impressed with the lower levels… maybe I missed something.
Another local told me that it took seven years to build and the laborers consisted mainly of prisoners. It is seven feet taller than the U.S. Capitol. But it was only able to claim that title after getting the statue to top it. The statue includes a 23 karat gold plated star.

Da ich aus Texas binmuß ich zugeben, daß ich einen ganz neutralen Bericht nicht werde geben können. Allesmoegliche’ hat schon bestätigt, diese beeindruckende Sehenswürdigkeit ist ein Besuch wert… und ich kann (natürlich) nur zustimmen! Nur schade, daß er es nicht geschafft hat einen Blick hinein zu werfen muß wohl nochmal hin. ;-) Denn die Inneneinrichtung ist genau so beeindruckend! Ein Rundbalkon verläuft rings um den Dom herum den man bis zum 6. Stockwerk betretten darf. Eine Höhe die in mir immer viel Respekt auslöst. Die Fußböden sind aus rosarotem und grauem Granit und in der Mitte ist der Lone Star’ das Texanishe Symbol schlechthin. (Texas kann ich einfach nicht klein schreiben!) Wenn zwei sich um den Stern an der richtigen Stelle gegenüber stehen (etwa 4 Meter auseinander), durch die Akustik kann sogar das leiseste Flüstern gegenseitig gehört werden, als wenn man direkt ins Ohr flüstert. Es ist ein akustisches Wunder! So ya’ll come on out, ya hear!

Bei meinen nächtlichen Streifzügen durch Austin ist mir natürlich immer wieder auch das schön illuminierte Texas State Capitol aufgefallen. Ich habe es nicht besichtigt, weil es für Besucher abends nicht so lange offen war, allerdings hat mich der pure Anblick schon begeistert. Das Gebäude ist sehr berühmt und einiges der wenigen annähernd historisch zu nennenden Gebäude in den USA. Witzig zu wissen, dass es sogar 15 Feet höher ist, als das National State Capitol in Washington, D.C. Gerade mal so das zweitgrößte Kapitol nach Washington. So ein Pech.