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Idaho State Capitol Building, Boise

4.6

Government Building · Monument

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The Idaho State Capitol in Boise is the home of the government of the state of Idaho. Although Lewiston, Idaho, briefly served as Idaho's capital from the formation of Idaho Territory in 1863, the territorial Legislature moved the capital to Boise on December 24, 1864.
Construction of the first portion of the capitol building began in the summer of 1905, 15 years after Idaho gained statehood. Architects were John E. Tourtellotte and Charles Hummel. Tourtellotte was a Connecticut native whose career began in Massachusetts and skyrocketed further when he moved to Boise. Hummel was a German immigrant who partnered with Tourtellotte in 1903. The final cost of the building was just over $2 million; it was completed in 1920. The architects used varied materials to construct the building and their design was inspired by Classical examples.
Tourtellotte and Hummel used four types of marble: red marble from Georgia, gray marble from Alaska, green marble from Vermont, and black marble from Italy. Architectural inspirations included St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, St Paul's Cathedral in London and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The most prominent feature of the capitol is its dome. Surmounting this dome is a bronze eagle, 5ft tall. The capitol building is 208ft high, occupies an area of 201720sqft, and contains over 50000sqft of artistically carved marble.

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Idaho State Capitol Building reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating

751 reviews

Google

4.7

By JoEllen D

A wonderful display of Christmas decorations in this beautiful Capital building. Also, very interesting history.

A wonderful display of Christmas decorations in this beautiful Capital building. Also, very interesting history. more »
By mydonna

Architects were John E. Tourtellotte and Charles Hummel. Tourtellotte was a Connecticut native whose career began in Massachusetts and skyrocketed further when he moved to Boise. Hummel was a German..... more

Architects were John E. Tourtellotte and Charles Hummel. Tourtellotte was a Connecticut native whose career began in Massachusetts and skyrocketed further when he moved to Boise. Hummel was a German..... more »
By Diane F

The capitol building was a beautiful marble building. There is a replica of the Liberty Bell out front. The dome is quite a site to see from the entranceway, looking up. There is a statue of George...

The capitol building was a beautiful marble building. There is a replica of the Liberty Bell out front. The dome is quite a site to see from the entranceway, looking up. There is a statue of George... more »

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By M

I enjoyed visiting the Idaho State Capitol over Memorial Day weekend. Luckily for us, Tank and I were the only ones there. After getting some great pictures around the grounds and appreciating the beauty of the architecture, we ventured to the front steps for even more photos. Due to this being an impromptu stop, we headed on our way to find leash-free doggo zones to run and play at instead of walking around the capitol.

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By Todd Beck

What a beautiful building, and what an example to other states and the Federal government about how to run a capitol. As it's the people's house, you can just go in freely. No security. No search. No magnometer wand. Just free access to enjoy the marble and the scale and the art.

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By Ben Bronsema

So amazing and beautiful! Definitely worth checking out if you’re in Boise. You can walk around and see the building. They have a lower level that has a lot of history and information.

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By LISA HANEY

Spent a little time lay the Capitol yesterday. It sick a beautiful building. The history and important decisions that are made in this building is fascinating.

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By Cristen Short

Such a beautiful, clean, well-kept Capitol building! The architecture was exquisite. Loved learning about the history… how it was structured with sandstone from Table Rock, that the Old Penitentiary prisoners hauled in. From the statues, to the breathtaking marble & pillsrs, inside and out, this is truly an Idaho treasure to behold. Be sure to read about Teddy Roosevelt’s part to play in Idaho’s history! Great place to bring out of town visitors when they come to stay with us. After we visited, I purchased a book for my children: “Ida Explores the Capitol” by Lori Otter (former First Lady of Idaho). It was an excellent read and perfect for parents & teachers alike.

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