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The Texas State Capitol is the seat of government for the State of Texas. It’s a beautiful building located on a hill overlooking downtown Austin.
Visiting the Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol is open to visitors daily. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the building and grounds or join one of the free guided tours, available on a limited basis throughout the day. Guided tours are free (as of July 2025) and last about 30 minutes. They leave from inside the South Foyer about every 30 to 45 minutes. Check the official website for more detailed information and tour times.
Texas State Capitol Visitors Center
The Texas State Capitol Visitors Center is a great place to start your visit to the Texas State Capitol. It’s located on the southeast corner of the grounds. It’s open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and contains a gift shop and Texas travel office.
The visitors center is housed in the former General Land Office Building. It was completed in 1857 and is the oldest surviving state government office building in Austin. The building was designed by German architect Christoph Conrad Stremme (1807-1877) and functioned as the state’s land office building until 1917. Writer William Sidney Porter (1862-1910), better known as O. Henry, worked there from 1887 to 1891.
From 1919 to 1988, the General Land Office Building hosted museums run by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It was restored between 1989 and 1992, and reopened as the Texas State Capitol Visitors Center in 1994.
Capitol Construction Exhibit
The Texas State Capitol Visitors Center contains a handful of exhibits, including information on the construction of the statehouse. On display are blueprints, construction materials, and even the original star held by the Goddess of Liberty statue from February 1888 to November 1985.
The original Goddess of Liberty once crowned the statehouse dome and weighed over 2,000 pounds. It was designed by Elijah E. Myers (1832-1909), the architect of the Texas State Capitol, and was made of zinc. The replacement Goddess, made of aluminum, was installed on June 14, 1986. The original is now at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
A Hero’s Reward: Land Grants of the Texas Revolution
Another exhibit covers land grants given to veterans of the Texas Revolution. It displays information on the diverse groups of people who came together to fight for the independence of Texas as well as brief stories about and clothing worn by figures of the revolution. There’s also an explanation of the land grant process.
Partial replicas of homes built by citizens who received land grants make up part of the exhibit. One is a log cabin and another is a more modern home for the era.
Civil War Exhibit
Finally, an exhibit on display during my visit included artifacts and information about Texas during the Civil War. Two of the most interesting artifacts are a bible owned by Sam Houston Jr. (1843-1894) that stopped a bullet from killing him while fighting with Confederate forces at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 as well as a medical kit.
A display about slavery in Texas included leg irons and other items related to slavery. A replica military camp showed how soldiers would have lived while they waited to go to battle.
Grounds of the Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol sits on 22 acres of land. Over 20 monuments are scattered throughout the grounds. The four oldest monuments sit along the Great Walk, which is a wide tree-lined path.
Heroes of the Alamo Monument
The oldest monument is the Heroes of the Alamo Monument, which was erected in 1891. It was designed by J.S. Clark and sculpted by Crohl Smith. The monument commemorates those who fought and died defending the Alamo in San Antonio in 1836. The base is made of Texas Sunset Red Granite and is topped by a bronze statue of a Texan carrying a rifle. The names of 90 of the 189 defenders are inscribed on the base, while 47 other names listed were not recognized as having took part in the battle.
Confederate Soldiers Monument
The Confederate Soldiers Monument was the third monument erected on the statehouse grounds, unveiled in 1903. The base was designed by Frank Teich (1856-1939) and the statue by Pompeo Coppini (1870-1957). The statue was cast by Roman Bronze Works of New York City.
The monument is topped by a statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) flanked by soldiers representing the four branches of the Confederate Army (Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and Navy). Davis stands on a pedestal listing the 13 states that withdrew from the Union, 11 of which joined the Confederacy.
The front section of the base contains a panel with an inscription while the other three sides list important battles taking place during the Civil War. The inscription reads:
DIED FOR STATES RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH, ANIMATED BY THE SPIRIT OF 1776, TO PRESERVE THEIR RIGHTS, WITHDREW FROM THE FEDERAL COMPACT IN 1861. THE NORTH RESORTED TO COERCION.
THE SOUTH, AGAINST OVERWHELMING NUMBERS AND RESOURCES, FOUGHT UNTIL EXHAUSTED.
DURING THE WAR THERE WERE TWENTY TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN ENGAGEMENTS; IN EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO OF THESE, AT LEAST ONE REGIMENT TOOK PART.
NUMBER OF MEN ENLISTED: CONFEDERATE ARMIES 600,000; FEDERAL ARMIES 2,859,132.
LOSSES FROM ALL CAUSES: CONFEDERATE, 437,000; FEDERAL, 485,216.
Texas State Capitol Building
The Texas State Capitol is the third building to serve that purpose. The first was a small wooden structure that served as the capitol for the independent Republic of Texas and continued as the state capitol upon Texas’ admission to the union in 1846. The second was built in 1853 on the same site as the present capitol but destroyed by fire in 1881.
The current statehouse was designed by Elijah E. Myers (1832-1909) and built between 1882 and 1888. It’s the largest state capitol building in the US with 360,000 square feet of floor space. There are almost 400 rooms and over 900 windows.
The Texas State Capitol has a four-story central block topped by a dome, with symmetrical three-story wings to the east and west. It was built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and is covered in Texas red granite. It was modeled on the US Capitol in Washington, DC. The building was named a National Historic Landmark on June 23, 1986.
In 1993, a massive four-story underground extension of the building was completed. It added 667,000 square feet to the original statehouse but is completely unnoticeable from ground level.
South Foyer
The South Foyer has been the main entrance to the Texas State Capitol since the building opened in 1888. It was restored to its historic appearance in the 1990s, except for the crushed marble terrazzo floor installed in 1936 for the Texas Centennial. The floor commemorates 12 important battles fought on Texas soil during the Texas Revolution, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War.
Some important works of art grace the South Foyer. To the left of the entrance is the Surrender of Santa Anna by William Henry Huddle (1847-1892), painted in 1886. It depicts Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794-1876) on the morning of April 22, 1836, wearing the uniform of a private soldier in an attempt to avoid capture. A wounded General Sam Houston (1793-1863) sits under an oak tree surrounded by 30 other historical figures.
On the opposite side is another work by Huddle, David Crockett, painted in 1889. It’s a portrait of Davy Crockett (1786-1836), a hero who died defending the Alamo.
At the entrance to the Rotunda are two white marble statues. To the left is a statue of Sam Houston and to the right is Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836). Both were sculpted in 1901 by German-born artist Elisabet Ney (1833-1907). They were unveiled at the capitol on January 19, 1903.
Rotunda
The Rotunda of the Texas State Capitol features a floor containing the seals of the six nations to govern Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America. The walls are adorned with the portraits of past presidents of the Republic of Texas and state governors.
The dome rises 218 feet above the floor of the Rotunda. It contains a sheet metal star measuring eight feet from point to point, surrounded by letters spelling the word TEXAS.
The upper floors of the building contain a balcony around the Rotunda, providing great views down to the floor.
Finally, on the day I was at the Texas State Capitol, there was a choral concert on the floor of the Rotunda. It was a nice way to finish my visit to the building.
Public Corridors of the Texas State Capitol
The building’s spacious public corridors intersect at the Rotunda. There are five levels of corridors, each featuring beautiful woodwork, cast iron columns, and plaster molding.
Historic Flags
In the first floor corridor on the west wing are three historic flags. First is the Gonzales Flag, used by Texas settlers fighting under John Henry Moore (1800-1880) at the Battle of Gonzales on October 2, 1835.
Next is the flag that flew over the Alamo in 1836. It was a Mexican flag with the eagle in the center replaced by the year 1824, in reference to the Mexican constitution of 1824. Texans were fighting in support of that constitution. The flag was created in 1835.
The third flag is the Dodson Flag, or the first Lone Star. It was designed and sewn by Sarah Dodson during the Texas Revolution.
Agricultural Museum
On the first floor of the west wing is the Agricultural Museum. It was established by the Department of Agriculture shortly after the Texas State Capitol opened. The museum displays cases and jars filled with agricultural products grown in Texas and has been restored to its 1894 appearance.
Treasurer’s Business Office
On the first floor of the south wing is the Treasurer’s Business Office. The State Treasury served as the state bank of Texas. Officials from all state departments once made transactions with tellers sitting behind a long counter with a steel bar partition. The State Treasury moved out of the building in the 1970s, and the room was restored to its 1900 appearance in the 1990s.
One of the artifacts on display in the Treasurer’s Business Office is a check perforator dating back to about 1915. It was used to cancel checks received by the State Treasury.
Governor’s Public Reception Room
Heading up to the second floor, on the south wing is the Governor’s Public Reception Room. It’s used for ceremonies and to greet official guests. The room was closed during my visit.
Legislative Reference Library
On the north wing of the second floor is the Legislative Reference Library. Formerly a division of the State Library, it has an impressive collection that’s open to the public.
The State Library moved to its own building in the 1960s while the Legislative Reference Library remained at the Texas State Capitol.
A few important historic artifacts were on display in the library during my visit. They included the chair used by Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794-1876) after his capture at the Battle of San Jacinto. He used the chair to write during his imprisonment at the home of Dr. James Phelps.
Another artifact was the desk of State Representative Charles B. Metcalfe (1856-1941), who worked for women’s suffrage during his four years in the Texas House of Representatives from 1914 to 1918.
Senate Chamber at the Texas State Capitol
The Senate Chamber is on the east wing of the Texas State Capitol. It hosts the Texas Senate, which is the upper house of the legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate holding four year terms. The number of senators has remained unchanged since the building opened in 1888.
The main floor of the Senate Chamber is accessible from the second floor while the public galleries surround the chamber on the third floor.
The Senate Chamber still contains the original walnut desks and podium purchased in 1888 for the Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Senate, and 31 senators. Two brass chandeliers installed around 1890 hang from the center of the ceiling. The portrait of Stephen F. Austin hanging behind the Lieutenant Governor’s desk dates back to around 1836.
Several historic paintings decorate the chamber, including Dawn at the Alamo. It was painted in 1905 by Henry Arthur McArdle (1836-1908) and measures eight feet tall by 13 feet wide.
House of Representatives Chamber
The House of Representatives Chamber is on the west wing of the Texas State Capitol. It hosts the Texas House of Representatives, which is the lower house of the legislature. There are 150 members of the house holding two year terms. When the building opened, there were only 106 members.
The original battle flag carried by Texas at the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, hangs behind the rostrum used by the Speaker of the House. A replica flag hangs in its place when the House is not in session.
The House of Representatives Chamber, which is the largest room in the building, has been restored to its 1909 appearance. Like the Senate Chamber, the main floor is accessible from the second floor while the public galleries surround the chamber on the third floor.
Court of Appeals at the Texas State Capitol
Moving up to the third floor you’ll find the Court of Appeals, which is on the north wing. The court met there until 1891, when it was split into the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Court of Civil Appeals. The Court of Criminal Appeals continued to meet in the room while the Court of Civil Appeals spread to different cities throughout Texas. The room, which now serves as a meeting room, was restored to its 1910 appearance during the 1990s.
Supreme Court at the Texas State Capitol
Finally, across the hall is the Supreme Court. The Texas Supreme Court met in the beautifully decorated room until 1959. Restoration in the 1990s returned the room to its historic appearance, and preservationists were able to make exact reproductions of the carpet and drapery. The Supreme Court is now used as a meeting room.
