The Dome That Outgrew Washington

Read the story

Did you know Texas built its capitol dome to stand taller than the nation's capitol in Washington? When architect Elijah E. Myers designed this grand masterpiece in the Renaissance Revival style, he was not just building a home for the state government; he was making a bold statement.

Completed in 1888, the building was a marvel of its era, boasting 392 rooms and 404 doors. But the real showstopper was the dome. While the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., stands at 288 feet tall, Texas decided to go bigger.

The Texas State Capitol reaches a towering 302.64 feet. When it was finished, it was officially the largest statehouse in the entire country. It is a classic Texas move—taking a national icon and scaling it up, ensuring that anyone looking up from the streets of Austin knows exactly who holds the crown.

Updated June 2026