CONGRESS
Tour of the U.S. Capitol in Disrepair -- PICTURES
July 23, 2012 | 12:38 p.m.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers gave National Journal a tour of the nearly 150-year-old Capitol Dome, pointing out some of the 1,300 cracks in need of repair. Fixing the Capitol Dome will cost $61 million, and the House recently cut funding. Hoeven and Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., hope to have the funding restored.
Take a photo tour of the Dome below.
Rust gathers along the molding of the Capitol Dome. The architect of the Capitol says that water has seeped through the structure and is causing damage inside.
One of 1,300 known cracks in the Capitol Dome. A 2010 study found a 10 percent increase in damage to the cast iron since 2002.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., gestures toward the National Mall while talking with Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers on the tholos level, which is the pedestal for the Statue of Freedom. (Chet Susslin)
A look west over the Capitol grounds and the National Mall from the top of the Capitol Dome. (Chet Susslin)
The Capitol tholos--the pedestal on top of the Dome that supports the Statue of Freedom. (Chet Susslin)
Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers explains phase II of the Capitol restoration project. (Chet Susslin)
Pieces of the Capitol's cast iron ornamental structure lie in the Office of the Architect of the Capitol waiting to be refurbished and replaced. (Chet Susslin)
More pieces of the Capitol's cast iron ornamental structure await replacement. (Chet Susslin)
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