Virginia State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia, America..Photograph taken after sunset..The Capitol Building houses the oldest elected legislative body in USA, first established as the House of Burgesses in 1619

Getty Images

Virginia State Capitol

Top choice in Richmond


Designed by Thomas Jefferson, the capitol building was completed in 1788 and houses the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere – the Virginia General Assembly, established in 1619. Free one-hour guided tours of the historic building are available between 10am and 4pm Monday to Saturday, and between 1pm and 4pm on Sunday; self-guided tours are also available. Temporary exhibits are shown in the underground galleries near the visitor entrance.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Richmond attractions

1. White House of the Confederacy

0.27 MILES

This 1818 building was the executive mansion of the Confederacy between 1861 and 1865, and the wartime home of its president, Jefferson Davis. Guided 45…

2. Canal Walk

0.54 MILES

The 1.25-mile waterfront Canal Walk between the James River and the Kanawha (ka-naw-wha) and Haxall Canals is a lovely way of seeing a dozen highlights of…

3. Poe Museum

0.62 MILES

Contains the world's largest collection of manuscripts and memorabilia of poet and horror-writer Edgar Allan Poe, who lived and worked in Richmond…

4. Historic Tredegar

0.66 MILES

Part of the multisite American Civil War Museum, this fascinating exhibit – housed inside an 1861 iron works that at its height employed 800 free and…

5. Richmond National Battlefield Park

0.7 MILES

The dozen Civil War sites and four visitor centers that comprise this park can be visited on an 80-mile driving tour around Richmond. The best place to…

6. Virginia War Memorial

0.79 MILES

The Virginia War Memorial, dedicated to all branches of service who served in all theaters of American combat since World War II, is an impressive…

7. St John's Episcopal Church

0.91 MILES

It was here that firebrand Patrick Henry uttered his famous battle cry – 'Give me Liberty, or give me Death!' – during the rebellious 1775 Second Virginia…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "usa/virginia/richmond/attractions/virginia-state-capitol/a/poi-sig/457483/362235",
      "destination": "Richmond",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "USA",
      "region": "Virginia",
      "city": "Richmond",
      "position": "superzone"
    }