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State Capitols
A Never-ending Hobby

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Favorites, Intriguing Interiors

     

Kentucky

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All images on this page were
generously contributed by
T. and K. Adams of Frankfort, KY.

    
     

The Kentucky capitol interior was renovated in 1955, and in 1996 the exterior underwent major repairs. The capitol's design is greatly influenced by several famous French buildings, among them the Palace of Versailles, the Tomb of Napoleon, and the Grand Opera House in Paris.

Abraham Lincoln statue

The Rotunda
The focal point of many capitol interiors is the rotunda with the dome above. Kentucky's rotunda has another major feature, a 14 foot tall statue of Abraham Lincoln. Many people believe Lincoln was born in Illinois, but just his political career was born there. Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky.


The interior dome over the rotunda is copied from the one over Napoleon's tomb in the Hotel des Invalides in Paris.

Inner dome

Click here for
larger rotunda images

    
Elegant mailbox

The First Floor Sights
This elegant first floor mailbox has a chute that brings the mail straight down from the other floors for the convenience of the mail carrier.

Four doll cases on the first floor contain likenesses of all the Kentucky First Ladies and the only female Kentucky Governor.

First Lady doll case

Click here for larger mailbox and doll case images

     
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Favorites, Intriguing Interiors
Kentucky (continued)

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The Great Hall
Above the entrance-level rotunda, the Great Hall of the second floor reaches from one white marble staircase to another, leading to the Senate and House Chambers on the east and west ends of the building. The staircases imitate those of the Grand Opera House in Paris.

Click here for larger Great Hall images

One side of Great Hall

The photo above at far right was taken from one staircase looking all the way down to the other.

The photo at right shows the view from one side of the rotunda toward the other end of the Great Hall.

     
Great Hall

Lunette painting

Paintings of important events in Kentucky history decorate the lunettes over each end of the Great Hall.

     
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Favorites, Intriguing Interiors
Kentucky (continued)

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Senate chamber

The Chambers
The Senate Chamber above and the House Chamber below both have scagiola pillars and hand-carved mahogany woodwork. The Senate Chamber also has scagiola wall coverings behind the President's chair and in the balconies.

Click here for larger Chamber images

House of Representatives chamber
     
Mirror in State Reception Room

The State
Reception Room

At the ends of the very long State Reception Room are two matching mirrors that create the illusion of infinite depth. Shown here are the room's chandeliers reflected endlessly from one mirror to the other. This effect is copied from Marie Antoinette's Drawing Room in the Grand Trianon Palace of Versailles, in France. Versailles has another, far more famous mirrored room, the Hall of Mirrors, which can be seen here.

Click here for larger Reception Room
and Library images

Library
The Library


     

The Kentucky interior images on this web site were contributed by
T. and K. Adams
of Frankfort, Kentucky.

 
More on Kentucky:
Telling Them Apart, Prominent Decorations
What's On Top, Cupolas (on domes) 1
Favorites, Just Because
Kentucky Postcard & Image Gallery
Capital & Capitol History
Old & New Capitol Timeline

 

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Page Last Updated: May-02-2017

For complete image credits and information sources, see Credits & Sources.

Site Author: Valerie Mockaitis     ©2005-2017 Valerie Mockaitis