Disappointment was not had for us with the Indiana State Capital. As we initially drove around the building I was pretty sure we would impressed with what we would see. The exterior was sandstone with beautifully crafted carvings and at the upper portion of one side of the building several large intricately cut stone statues watched over a park-like area. We did have to go through security, but the inconvenience was made up for we made our way up to the first floor. It had been recently remodeled to mostly original. The colors of the floors matched that of the decorations on the walls which were done cleanly and modestly without being plain. The amount of art in the building was enough to be attractive and enjoyable without being overwhelming to the point of wanting to ignore it. There was also quite a few sculptures from busts to full statues, but again just enough. I personally enjoyed the eight statues in the rotunda that represented the desirable traits or attributes of a civilized society as well as several busts for not only the artistry but for their uniqueness. One was clothed in a leather duster with the collar up and the other was a former governor that had the kindest smile on his face and in his eyes. Most busts are so stoic it was a nice change to see a smiling face.

There were small little differences that on initial view that could be missed but once noticed showed the amount of detail in the building. The columns on the three stories reduced in circumference floor to floor as well as their decoration changed from Ionic, to Doric, to Corinthian. The use of Greek and Roman architecture has been a running theme throughout almost all of the capitals. There were quite a few surfaces that were faux painted to look like wood, however not as well done or maintained as Michigan's capital, they were done well enough to not tell that they were not real wood until you got up close.

The Senate and House Chambers were closed but, another neat and extraordinary thing about this capital, they could be viewed through windows. It was sad that the original interior was not maintained over the years, but they were attractive and regal. The Senate Chamber was unique in that everything was set at about a 33 degree angle to the window. The House was somewhat cramped by most standards but their Congress is part time and therefore possibly doesn't care about space. From here we made our way outside for our picture and then quickly moved on to be able to make it to Illinois before the capital closed for the day. We are getting the two capitals in one day down to a science. -Carrie