As you might already know, the State Capitol Building, located in downtown Atlanta, is the head office for Georgia’s state government. It houses the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, the State Senate, and House of Representatives.

But here are some things you might not have known about the State Capitol Building:

1. Construction on the building began in 1885 and completed in 1889.
2. The building’s original designs were provided by the Chicago architectural firm of Edbrooke and Burnham, while construction was completed by the Toledo, Ohio, company of Miles and Horn.
3. To fund the building, the state appropriated one million dollars for the Capitol’s construction, and used all but $118 of that budget.
4. The outside of the building is covered with limestone from Indiana, but the inside consists of marble and granite originating from Georgia.
5. Atop the building is a statue known as “Miss Freedom,” which – at one point – used to be called “the Goddess of Liberty.” This 1,600 pound structure is 26-ft. tall, and is made of copper that has been painted white. Miss Freedom points West, towards the capitol’s entrance.
6. The Capitol’s Dome consisted of tin until 1959 when it was covered with gold leaf originating from Dahlonega, Ga.
7. On April 14, GBA will begin renovating the Capitol building west steps that will be completed by December. In recent years, ceiling plaster was added in both the North and South wings of the building.
8. Surprisingly, the building remained undamaged when tornadoes struck Atlanta in 2008.

The Georgia Building Authority (GBA) is responsible for all services associated with the management of 36 buildings and various facilities located in the Capitol Hill Complex in Atlanta, including the Georgia State Capitol building. GBA provides maintenance, renovations, housekeeping, landscaping, food service, event catering, recycling, parking, and building access services to state employees housed in GBA-managed facilities.