Regarded by many as the finest example of classical architecture in Amercia, the U.S. Capitol - the building that houses the legislative branch of the American government - has its orogins in a competition devised by George Washington. The winning design, submitted by William Thornton, combined "grandeur, simplicity and convenience". Construction began in 1793, with English architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe brought in in 1803 to oversee the work, which was completed under Charles Bulfinch in 1829. This illustrated book offers a detailed description of the exterior and interior features of the building, its ornamentation and the richness of of its rooms.