Tennessee State Capitol

The Tennessee State Capitol, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Tennessee. It serves as the home of both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly–the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Tennessee Senate–and also contains the governor's office. The building also includes chambers for the Tennessee Supreme Court and the Tennessee State Library and Archives, which were originally located in the building. Designed by architect William Strickland (1788–1854) of Philadelphia and Nashville, it was built between 1845 and 1859 and is one of Nashville's most prominent examples of Greek Revival architecture. The building, one of 12 state capitols that does not have a dome, was the tallest building in Southeastern United States when completed, and is one of hte oldest working statehouses in the country. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

The Tennessee State Capitol building is located atop a prominent hill on the highest point in downtown Nashville. It contains numerous monuments, memorials, and pieces of artwork, and the surrounding capitol grounds are extensively landscaped. The tombs of James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States, and his wife Sarah Childress Polk are on the capitol grounds. The Tennessee Supreme Court Building and original state library building are located on the west side of the building on the capitol grounds, and additional state office buildings surround the capitol on the east, south, and west. Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, which is considered an extension of the capitol grounds, is located directly north of the building.