US Supreme Court & Thomas Jefferson Building, Capitol Hill, Washington DC
United States Supreme Court & Thomas Jefferson Building (Library of Congress)
A brief history;
- The Supreme Court was established in 1787 at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention and forms the Judicial Branch of U.S Federal Government.
- Cass Gilbert was chosen to design the new building which would accommodate the Supreme Court, the result was a fabulous Corinthian edifice, with sculptures depicting the allegorical figures of the "Contemplation of Justice" and the "Guardian of Law" located beside the steps up to the court and relief stone carvings of William Howard Taft (Chief Justice) & John Marshall (Chief Justice) in the pediment above the main entrance.
- Carved above it's main entrance are the words "Equal Justice Under Law", the motto of the Supreme Court and which the court is charged to guarantee.
- The Thomas Jefferson Building (Library of Congress) was designed by John L. Smithmeyer & Paul J. Pelz in the Italian Renaissance style and completed in 1897.
- The Library of Congress as it is known today was first established as a refrence library in the United States Capitol Building by congress. When the U.S capitol was burnt down by the British in 1814, Thomas Jefferson offered his own book collection as a replacement.
- Today the Library of Congress has the largest collection of books.
Photographs include the;
- Western exterior of the U.S Supreme Court Building
- Western facade of the Jefferson Building (Library of Congress) designed by John L. Smithmeyer & Paul J. Pelz
If you would like to see more of my photography from the Capitol Hill region please visit these galleries;
Please take a look at my photography portfolio at Fotolia by clicking on the links below;
Print