Richmond, VA

Richmond is the capital city of Virginia, located in the Southeast region of the United States. Founded in 1737, the city has grown to a population of approximately 226,610 residents within a state of 8,631,393 people. As the seat of Virginia's state government, Richmond serves as the political and administrative center of the state.

The city is home to the Virginia State Capitol, a Neoclassical / Roman Temple structure that has been a landmark since its completion in 1788. Designed by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clerisseau, the capitol building stands as a testament to the state's history and governance, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.

Richmond has served as the capital of Virginia since 1780. Before Richmond, the state's capital was located in Jamestown and Williamsburg.

The Virginia State Capitol in Richmond was designed by Thomas Jefferson and modeled after the Maison Carree, a Roman temple in Nimes, France. It was the first public building in the New World to be built in the Classical temple form and has influenced government architecture across the United States. The building houses the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, the Virginia General Assembly, which has been meeting since 1619.

Notable Features

• Designed by Thomas Jefferson, modeled after the Maison Carree in Nimes
• First public building in the Americas in Classical temple form
• Houses the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere
• Life-size marble statue of George Washington by Jean-Antoine Houdon
• Rotunda with busts of all Virginia-born U.S. Presidents
• Two modern wings added in 2007 for additional space