Texas State Capitol

It was a beautiful sunny February afternoon when we decided to have 3-hr drive to finally see the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas.    Actually we drove south to eat again in Salt Lick Barbecue and since the Capitol Complex is in the heart of downtown Austin, which is 30-minutes away from Salt Lick in Round Rock, it was a perfect complement to our.  

Since this is our first time to visit the capitol, our main objective was to enjoy the  magnificent architecture of the capitol building.  Here are some of our shots. 

North View of the Capitol

 We visited California State Capitol before but we were not able to enter the building.  This time, I made sure that the capitol is open.  

We joined the first part of the guided tour and according to the tour guide the Texas being the largest state boasts to have the largest state capitol building as well.  

interior view of the dome

Stephen F. Austin (father of Texas) statue at the capitol foyer

Samuel Houston (leader of Texas revolution) statue at the capitol foyer

Check perforator

Terry's Texas Rangers

This bronze statue, by Pompeo Coppini, portrays one of Terry's Texas Rangers astride a spirited horse. In 1861, during the Civil War, Terry's Texas Rangers were mustered at Houston after Benjamin Terry and Thomas Lubbock's call for volunteers. Ten companies of 100 men each were formally activated as the 8th Texas Cavalry, and during the following five years participated in many engagements defending the Southern Confederacy. 

Source: State Preservation Board

view from the south gate

There are still a lot of places to see inside the State Capitol Complex.  Hopefully we can visit again next time and explore the other places.   

If you want to visit the Texas State Capitol, you can plan your visit using the State Preservation Board site so that you can maximize your stay.