Virginia State Capitol Building

• Completed in 1800, this building is modeled on the Maison Carrée, an ancient Roman temple in Nimes, France.

• Thomas Jefferson, a U.S. diplomat to France, the first U.S. Secretary of State, third U.S. President, and a Virginia resident was one of the designers of this building.

• While stationed in France as a diplomat, Jefferson was enamored with a Roman temple in Nimes.

• In a 1787 letter Jefferson wrote:

Here I am, Madam, gazing whole hours at the Maison Carrée, like a lover at his mistress.

• Jefferson ultimately modeled the Virginia State Capitol Building after it.

• Located in Richmond's Capitol Square, it sits mere feet away from the Virginia Governor's Mansion.

• The building was the site of Aaron Burr's 1807 treason trail, presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall.

• During the Civil War (1861-1865), this building was used as the meeting place of the Congress of the Confederacy.

Written By: Aiden Singh Published: July 19, 2020