D.C. Capitol Ornament

• National Archives Store Exclusive
• Made in Oak Park, Illinois
• 2 1/2 X 2 1/2 inches
• Printed onto layers of colorful sheet glass using fine enamels
• Each piece is unique and one of a kind

• Product Description

• The United States Capitol is among the most symbolically important and architecturally impressive buildings in the nation. Exclusively designed for the National Archives Store, this wonderful glass ornament of the Capitol is a wonderful keepsake and holiday decoration.

Have you ever wondered why many landmarks in Washington, DC, look like Greek and Roman temples? When forming the country, the Founders looked to Greco-Roman principles of justice, rule of law, process, and liberty as successful models of government. When plans were made to build the United States Capitol in 1793, Thomas Jefferson asked that Congress be housed in an ancient Roman temple, in the same neoclassical style he had used for his design of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond in 1788. As can be seen in the National Archives building, the neoclassical style continued to be popular for government buildings and monuments well into the late 1930s.

The National Archives preserves and protects some 28,000 plans of public buildings, offering valuable insights into their design and construction, as well as maps and historical photographs of the Nation’s capital city.