Trip Photos: Austin, Texas - Part 1

State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol is one of the most beautiful government buildings I've ever seen. Located in the middle of downtown Austin, it was built between 1882 - 1888.





This is a close-up of a replica of the star being held in the hand of the Goddess of Liberty. Though minus the bird sitting on the star, if you click on the photo above!

Here's the floor at the base of the dome, inside the building.
This close-up of the emblem clearly shows the six flags that have flown over its history.
The interior of the building has also been impeccably restored.

Throughout the building, the 5 pointed star and the 5 letters of T-E-X-A-S are represented over & over again.
The gentleman on the right, Bob, was our tour guide. He was soft spoken and very funny, with a very dry sense of humor.
When we got upstairs we first went into the Senate room.
Look carefully and you'll see the 5 pointed star over & over again.
Even the door hinges are specially made!
We then went into the House of Representatives.


This is a portrait of Davey Crockett. He spent most of his life in Tennessee and only spent time in Texas in the very last part of his life. But what a pivotal moment in history it was and an important historical figure he was!
This is a portrait of Miriam Ferguson, the first female governor of Texas. Her story is absolutely fascinating as well.
And we all know who this fella is!
This is a closeup of a painting of the first Battle of the Alamo:
This is the entrance to the Capitol Extension, which was completed in 1993 and is a 4-storey building that was mostly built underground, so as not to obstruct the view of the original structure.
This cannon and horse & rider monuments sit outside of the Capitol:

Looking south from the Capitol, I captured this interesting view:
This photo was also taken from the grounds of the Capitol. The building in the distance has an absolutely stunning cap but close-up the base of it was disappointing.
This is a view looking directly south on Congress Avenue: