United States Capitol Visitor Center
| United States Capitol Visitor Center | |
|---|---|
 Capitol Visitor Center Plaza |
|
| Data | |
| place | Washington, DC |
| Construction year | 2008 |
| Floor space | 52,000 m² |
| Coordinates | 38 ° 53 '20.4 " N , 77 ° 0' 25.9" W |
The United States Capitol Visitor Center ( CVC ) is a complement to the United States Capitol . It serves more than 4,000 tourists a day as a meeting point and the US Congress as an expansion area.
It is located below the east side of the Capitol, between the Capitol and 1st Street East. The complex covers an area of 54,000 m², which are spread over three underground floors. The budget for the entire property was $ 621 million.
The CVC has space for use by Congress, including several new meeting and conference rooms. There is a large room that is mostly used by congressional committees . The new congress auditorium, a theater with 450 seats, can be used by the members of the congress or by the two chambers of the congress if their rooms are not available.
The CVC officially opened on December 2, 2008. This date was chosen because it marked the 145th anniversary of the assembly of the Statue of Freedom by Thomas Crawford on top of the Capitol in 1863, which marked the completion of the dome.
design
The CVC has three underground levels: a balcony-like entrance area, the Emancipation Hall (2nd level) and the 3rd locked level with new congress offices and meeting rooms. The construction of the CVC represents the largest expansion of the Capitol to date and has more than doubled the footprint of the US Capitol building complex . '
construction time
The construction of the CVC was overseen by the Capitol architect . The post was held by Alan M. Hantman until his term ended on February 4, 2007. The position is currently vacant and is instead held by Deputy Capitol Architect Stephen T. Ayers.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the CVC took place on June 20, 2000. Although originally planned for January 2004, the date of completion, without the expansion areas for the House of Representatives and Senate, dragged on until December 2, 2008. The calculated construction costs of USD 71 million became USD 671 million. The CVC has created controversy because it was over budget and behind schedule. Much was caused by soaring gasoline costs, security measures after the September 11th 2001 attacks, and inclement weather. At a hearing on CVC's cost overruns, Rep. Jack Kingston called it "a memorial to the inefficiency, ineptitude and excessiveness of government."
The first major construction contract, valued at almost 100 million dollars, went to Balfour Beatty (formerly Centex Construction) in the spring of 2002. This contract comprised the demolition work on the property, the setting of the diaphragm walls , the excavation, the construction of supporting pillars and the installation of the utilities on the property, the concrete and structural steel work, the waterproofing and the construction of a new service tunnel. By July 2005, Balfour Beatty Construction had completed all excavation and structural work, and the roof terrace covered the entire structure of the CVC.
Visitor center
The area is planned as a waiting area for visitors waiting for a guided tour of the Capitol. The number of visitors to the Capitol has tripled from 1 million in 1970 to currently 3 million, which makes it difficult to cope with the rush caused by such crowds. In the past, visitors had to queue on the east stairs of the Capitol, sometimes the line stretched to 1st Street East. The wait could be hours and there was no protection from bad weather. Tickets could not be booked in advance, but were issued in the order in which they arrived.
With the opening of the CVC, visitors now have a safe, handicapped accessible and educational place to wait for their tour of the Capitol to begin. The CVC can be explored freely by visitors and houses an exhibition hall, 2 gift shops and a food court with 530 seats. Visiting the CVC and the Capitol is free. The tours of the Capitol are also free and can be pre-booked online.
Emancipation Hall
The Emancipation Hall is the main hall of the CVC and measures 1,900 m². It was originally supposed to be called Great Hall , but the name was changed to Emancipation Hall due to a law . The bill, backed by Congressmen Zach Wamp and Jesse L. Jackson Jr., passed through Congress and was signed by President George W. Bush in January 2008 . Since the name was changed at short notice, some signs in the CVC still read Great Hall. The Emancipation Hall has two large skylights measuring 9.1m + 21m that offer a never-before-seen view of the Capitol's dome. The skylights let a lot of daylight into the hall. They are surrounded by a water basin and seating on the roof terrace.
In the hall you can see the original plaster model of the Statue of Freedom , the bronze statue stands on top of the capitol dome. Since 1993, the plaster model has been on display in the basement rotunda in the Russell Senate Office Building , across from the Capitol on Constitution Avenue .
The hall is also an exhibition space for 24 statues from the National Statuary Hall Collection . The entire collection consists of 2 statues per state. The statues were donated in honor of distinguished citizens by their respective states. In recent years, all 100 statues have been housed in the Capitol, many in the Statuary Hall . This has led to overcrowding and the move of some statues to the Emancipation Hall has again created some space in the Capitol. Acting Architect of the Capitol Steven T. Ayers would like more statues to be relocated to Emancipation Hall.
Exhibition Hall
In the Exhibition Hall, there is a plastic replica of the Capitol dome that is 3.4 m high and can be touched. The hall is dominated by 2 curved 28 m long marble walls, which are equipped with artifacts and interactive touchscreen displays. The collection includes documents signed by George Washington and Abraham Lincoln . Six models of the entire Capitol illustrate how the building has expanded over time. In two niches off the hall there are two large flat screens on which visitors can watch live broadcasts of the meetings of the House of Representatives and the Senate. A third niche behind the model of the dome shows the Lincoln catafalque , which was previously shown in the basement under the crypt .
other areas
Two cinemas above the Exhibition Hall show a continuous 13-minute film about the history of the congress and the Capitol complex . Visitors enter the cinemas on the lower level of the Emancipation Hall and exit on the level of the crypt. Both cinemas show the same film, but with staggered starting times, so that a steady flow of tourists into the Capitol is created.
Outside the Emancipation Hall there are also 2 gift shops, one on the north and one on the south end. These replace the gift shop in the crypt.
The CVC also has a dining area with 530 seats, which is supposed to relieve the canteens of the office buildings of the congress.
Congress area
Over 16,000 m² are reserved for the congress. The new auditorium of the congress takes up most of this area. Most of the remaining space will be converted into meeting rooms.
Operating areas
A number of tunnels were built as part of the CVC project. The first is a 300 meter truck tunnel, the entrance to which is near the Senate parking garage on north Constitution Avenue. The tunnel is designed to reduce traffic in the plaza and increase safety, as vehicles can be checked at a safe distance from the Capitol. A second tunnel was built to link the CVC and the Library of Congress. Part of East Capitol Street was closed during construction . The tunnel was completed in winter 2005.
criticism
Republicans have criticized the CVC for inadequate coverage of America's religious heritage. Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina said it has failed the CVC, the religious heritage that was crucial for the American success to adequately honor. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has tabled a petition calling for greater emphasis on religion in the CVC.
Incidents
On Easter Monday , March 28, 2016, there was a shooting at 3:35 pm local time. An uninvolved woman was slightly injured by splinters. The perpetrator was shot by security officials and taken into custody . MPs were not on Capitol Hill at the time of the shooting .
See also
Web links
- CVC website
- CVC website on The Architect of the Capitol
- Project Fact Sheet (PDF file; 223 kB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from September 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d Capitol Visitor Center: Project Information . Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . Archived from the original on November 1st, 2008. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ↑ a b Capitol Visitor Center Fact Sheet (PDF) Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . Spring 2008. Archived from the original on October 31, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ↑ Spencer S. Hsu, Christopher Lee: Delays for Capitol Visitor Center , Washington Post . November 29, 2004, p. A17. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ^ Preview of New Visitor Center
- ↑ Architect of the Capitol Archived copy ( Memento of the original from November 25, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ About the Capitol Visitor Center . Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
- ↑ a b c d United States Capitol Visitor Center: Frequently Asked Questions . Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ↑ Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol Archived copy ( Memento of the original from October 29, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ A b c Ashley Halsey: 6 Years Later Capitol Visitor Center Puts Out Long-Awaited Welcome Mat , Washington Post . December 1, 2008, p. A1. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Architect of the Capitol Archived copy ( Memento of the original from June 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Visitor Center Selections , Washington Post . September 30, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
- ↑ United States Capitol Visitor Center: Weekly Construction Summary (July 16, 2007) . Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . July 16, 2007. Archived from the original on November 27, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
- ↑ United States Capitol Visitor Center: Weekly Construction Summary (2003-08-18) , Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . August 18, 2003. Archived from the original on November 29, 2008 Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved November 19, 2008.
- ^ Government: US Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), Sequence 1 - Washington, DC . Balfour Beatty Construction. Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ↑ United States Capitol Visitor Center: Weekly Construction Summary (July 21, 2003) . Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . July 21, 2003. Archived from the original on October 31, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ↑ United States Capitol Visitor Center: Weekly Construction Summary (February 28, 2005) . Capitol Visitor Center , Architect of the Capitol . February 28, 2005. Archived from the original on November 3, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ↑ Ben Pershing: Is the Capitol Visitor Center 'Left-Leaning'? , Washington Post . December 5, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
- ↑ Peter Herrmann: US Capitol lockdown lifted after gunman shot by police , Washington Post . December 5, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ↑ Eric Bradner: Capitol Hill sealed off: Shots in the US Capitol , Neue Zürcher Zeitung . March 28, 2016.
- ↑ Peter Herrmann: Two Tourists Injured, Gunman Shot In Capitol Visitor Center Shooting , CBS New York . March 28, 2016.
- ↑ Eric Bradner: Capitol shooting suspect in custody, lockdown lifted , CNN . March 28, 2016.
