Building, location and importance: US Capitol Hill fast facts
The scenes that Americans are accustomed to watching in distant lands, played out in their own backyard - at the Capitol Hill - as supporters of Donald Trump pushed through police barricades and broke windows.
There were unprecedented scenes in Washington, DC on Wednesday evening after thousands of Donald Trump’s supporters laid siege to the US Capitol. These supporters want Trump’s defeat in the US presidential election in November last year overturned.
The trigger for these protest was a speech given by Trump, who asked his supporters to “fight” to stop the “steal” of the election and march on the Capitol where a ceremony is being held to certify the Electoral College votes that will formalise President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
The scenes that Americans are accustomed to watching in distant lands, played out in their own backyard as the protesters pushed through police barricades and broke windows. The violence also included gunshots fired in the Capitol, which led to the death of a woman.
Here is everything you need to know about the seat of the US government.
About the building and US Capitol complex
The five square kilometre neighbourhood houses about a dozen, most high-profile buildings of the United States, including the Senate, the house of Representatives and the Supreme Court.
It is one of the oldest residential neighbourhood in Washington, DC. According to the US Capitol Visitor Centre, the construction began in 1793 and the country’s Congress met for the first time in the completed portion in November, 1800.
The Capitol was expanded after a legislation was passed in 1850. The architectural work took 18 years to get completed, according to the visitor centre. The Capitol has more than 540 rooms, according to the visitor centre.
The Rotunda
The Rotunda is the very heart of the Capitol. Although it serves no legislative function, it is a ceremonial centre where state funerals have been held for presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Lyndon Johnson, distinguished members of Congress, military heroes, and eminent citizens.
Many visiting heads of state have been received in the Rotunda, and memorable individuals and events celebrated.
How important is the US Capitol?
Symbolically, the United States Capitol is among the most important buildings in the country. It stands as the monument to the American people and their government.
The Capitol complex also has a museum of American art and history. It has a separate police branch - the US Capitol Police - which is entrusted with protecting the Congress members, employees and visitors.
The domed Capitol building has for centuries been the scene of protests and occasional violence, including a 1954 shooting involving Puerto Rican nationalists. But Wednesday’s events were particularly astounding both because they unfolded at least initially with the implicit blessing of the president and because of the underlying goal of overturning the results of a free and fair presidential election.
