This Sunday was a beautiful day, following the storm Saturday. I walked over the the National Building Museum to see what was on exhibit (not much currently).
The building is really spectacular though. Built in 1882-1887, as a fireproof US Pension Bureau’s headquarters ( for $250,000!), it had a 2nd use as a grand entertaining space for big functions, such as inaugural balls. The design was based on the Palazzo Farnese by Michelangelo (1589). 
Wrapping the building on the exterior is a freize by Caspar Buberl to cemmemorate the civil war
The entire building is brick, even the large columns in the center hall that are covered in plaster and faux painted to resemble marble.
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13 comments:
Love those Corinthian columns....obviously!
They say they're among the largest columns in the world, columnist! I don't know about that, but they are MASSIVE!!
stunning! the freize by caspar buberl is a true masterwork!
cheers : )
yes, paul, it's probably the most stunning thing on the building (other than sheer size!). I always thought there were no repeats in the freize -but it's actually a couple of different 60' long panels that are repeated - it's enormous!!
I love the light in the central hall. It glows with all that gold plaster and rose and gold banners.
yes, ptae -because of the large size of the room, the light blue painted ceiling and the many many windows, the inside is all naturally lit all day long -even on cloudy days! I read also that it was designed to naturally ventilate as well - great that they were thinking about air quality nearly 150 years ago!
I don’t know but something wrong with the size of those columns …
They're bit, Zelda - very big! They fit the scale of the space pretty well -but on their own are oddities!
never been (gasp!)
PD -you HAVE to go! It's in a very convienent location - PLUS lots of parking around there. Wait till there's a major exhibit going on though - right now there isn't really anything there.
I've been past that building many times but never inside--it is stunning!
Thanks for the tour. It is stunning.
It really is a magnificent place, SC!
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