The State Capitol stands on the north bank of the Kanawha River in Charleston and is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the country. With the largest capitol dome in the United States, including the national Capitol, West Virginia's state Capitol ranks among the nation's most significant examples of 20th Century classical architecture. The building was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the United States Treasury annex and the United States Supreme Court Building.

The exterior of the Capitol is made of buff limestone over a steel frame. The dome is 293 feet high - five feet higher than the United States Capitol. The dimensions of the building, encompassing more than 14 acres of floor space, required more than 700 rail carloads of limestone and 160 rail carloads of steel weighing 4,640 tons.

Two-thirds of the building's interior is made of Imperial Danby marble. The floors are a combination of dark Italian travertine and white Vermont marble. The columns in the foyers outside of the main floor legislative chambers are smaller columns of black Belgian marble.

The Capitol took eight years to build. The total cost including land, architects' fees and furnishings, amounted to slightly less than $10,000,000. The Capitol was dedicated by Governor William G. Conley on the State's 69th birthday, June 20, 1932.

Two biblical inscriptions are carved in stone tablets on the north and south basis of the Capitol dome. On the north side: "Wisdom is the principle thing. Therefore, get wisdom. And with all of thy getting, get understanding." On the south side: "Happy is the man that findth wisdom and getteth understanding."

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