It's often quipped that "everything is bigger in Texas". Well no joke, the Texas State Capitol is the largest state capitol by square footage, eclipsed only by the US capitol in DC. Construction on the original Texas capitol took nearly seven years and was completed in 1888 at a cost of $3.7 million. In 1993, a north extension was added underground so as not to eliminate the view of the north facade of the capitol. In fact, legislators have taken the views quite seriously, enacting an ordinance and later a law prohibiting construction that obstructs views of the capitol from different spots around the city. Parking is available in the visitor's garage on San Jacinto Blvd. The first two hours are free. Admission to the capitol is free, and most of it is open to visitors. Some rooms are open but roped off inside. Good spots to visit are the Senate chamber, House of Representatives chamber, and the Legislative Reference Library. Don't miss the interior of the dome and the floor beneath which is decorated with the seals of the 6 nations that have governed Texas (which is where the Six Flags company name came from). We did the general tour, which was informative but relatively short. There was some interesting information provided, but our tour was shorter than another group's which started at the same time. The length and amount of detail you get probably depends on what tour guide you get. The capitol was one of the more memorable points in our visit to Austin. Recommend! read more

See all

Beautiful... central... historical...and you can just walk in and explore! It's right in the city center, so we could just take scooters over from the hotel. The building itself is architecturally beautiful with a peaceful front lawn. We walked right in without any reservation or fee (it's free to the public) and explored! It wasn't very busy since we were there on a weekday. There are free guided tours available, but we opted to just wander around instead. There was something happening in the Senate Chamber, so we got to sit and watch that for a bit. I also enjoyed walking up to the upper floors for a better view of the inside of the dome. The frescoes in there were interesting to dissect. The longer you look, the more little details you uncover. We didn't spend a ton of time here because besides exploring, there's not much to do. It's still a great little piece of history to check out if you're in the area since it's free and doesn't take much time. read more

For the purposes of this Yelp review, I'm going to put aside all the garbage laws that have come out of this building and focus on my direct experience with the Texas State Capitol. I visited last month for the Texas Book Festival, a wonderful event that takes over the Capitol and the surrounding area for one weekend every year. I did an event with Texas native Attica Locke in the House Chambers of the State Capitol, moderated by local radio host Hopeton Hay. Attica was presented with the 2019 Texas Writer of the Year award, and it was a marvelous thing to see. She gave a moving, emotional speech, saying it was not lost on her that her ancestors were legally barred from reading, and here she was winning a literary award in her home state's House Chambers. The event was one of the coolest I've ever done--in no small part because I'm a friend and huge fan of Attica's, but also because the venue was both gorgeous and significant. The House Chambers was a huge room with spectacular, ornate high ceilings and rows and rows of broad wooden desks and leather chairs. We were not able to enact any legislation while we were there, but we still had a fantastic time. I enjoyed walking through other parts of the State Capitol, too, and appreciated the impressive architecture as I wandered the surrounding grounds. If you're visiting Austin, the Texas State Capitol is well worth a visit. It's a beautiful building with a ton of history. read more

Well, I didn't actually go inside of this building, but I did snap some pictures of it from the outside. But now that I'm looking at some other photos, it looks like some night time shots would have been pretty decent as well! Anyway, this building was built in 1825 by General Custer and has been a monumental landsite for the past 500 years. If you're walking around here, you can probably find a hotdog stand. I mean, I didn't, but if you look real hard I'm sure you can find some. It's Downtown Austin, they probably have a ton of rando stuff! read more

Texas Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

Beautiful and historic building. Impressive sight! If you go to Austin you definitely need to check out this place. read more

Texas Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

The hubby and I were only in Austin for his cousin's wedding so we basically had only one whole day open to ourselves. Therefore, the first stop in our itinerary: the grand Texas State Capitol. Admission is free and they also offer free guided tours, but you can also peruse the grounds independently. The architecture is absolutely stunning and the lawn which surrounds the building is very well-maintained and massive. It's definitely a beautiful place to take a morning stroll. The interior is just as exquisite and grandiose. We opted to roam around freely and were able to check out the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the stunning rotunda with portraits of all the former and present governors. While you're at it, don't forget to stop by the visitors center, which is about a two minute walk across the lawn. The center offers a few little exhibits, a gift shop and several free brochures, guides and stickers. Definitely worth a visit when in Austin! read more

This is probably one of the most beautiful capitol buildings I've ever seen. The architecture is just marvelous, the grounds are immaculate, and it's just HUGE!! It took us awhile to walk around the whole block to make it to the front of the building. We didn't look into doing a tour, but will check it out next time we visit. Also, the capitol is beautifully lit a night and you can see it all over the city! read more

See all

This was a definite must stop when visiting Austin... The interior and tour was fabulous everyone at the state capital were friendly and had no problems answering any of our questions... If you're looking for a place that doesn't cost you anything want to get out of the heat and enjoy the coolness of a state capital this is your place!!! Lots of cool architecture in history to back it up... Abundance of parking all around the capital making it an easy come and go. read more

Make sure you keep this on your Austin Check List.Parked our car on the street($2 for 2 hrs)behind the capitol . There are lot of people roaming around but the line is pretty small to enter the building. There is no admission fee which is a good part. Just go through the security check and boom you see the amazing ceiling . Definitely a great architecture which you must not miss. Pros: ------- Amazing Architecture Free Admission Street Parking and Paid Parking In Downtown 6th street , Congress Bridge is walkable Lots of Greenery Good for Photoshoots Cons: -------- None to me read more

Texas Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

National Register of Historic Places National Historic Landmark The Capitol is visually prominent as you drive down Congress Ave. It has 360,000 square feet of floor space, more than any other state capitol building. The interior features portraits of every person who has served as president of the Republic of Texas or governor of the State of Texas. There are guided tours, but we just walked around on our own. The rotunda was nice. We also visited the Senate and House chambers, which had Christmas trees. read more

See all

There is parking in the garage for guests then you can walk over to State Capitol. You have to go through a metal detector and have your bags check at the entrance. There is a tour you can take but we opted to walk around on our own. Definitely a must-see if you're in Austin. The building was magnificent from the outside to inside. A couple of floors, Texas history written across every wall, and a beautiful ceiling. A great place to take pictures. Bookmark this place for your trip to Austin! read more

See all

Must see place. Good for photos. Architectural stuffs and pretty nice ambience. Highly recommend for sight seeing. read more

See all

I'm not big on politics and government/history but BFF is. Was surprised it was open on a holiday. Easy to get in and is free. Beautiful facility and interesting to see where the lawmaking takes place. read more

You can't beat free! The Texas State Capital was a great way to spend some time in Austin. The history of the building and the state is quite interesting and the art and architecture of the building shouldn't be missed. Periodically throughout the day employees of the capital offer a comprehensive and interesting tour that is totally free of charge. You're permitted to visit the different chambers of the capital and check out the rotunda which is a marvel itself. I especially loved checking out the portraits in the rotunda. If you're visiting this awesome city for a few days this spot shouldn't be missed! read more

A must see for anyone visiting Austin! This iconic building is good to see anytime...day, night, close up or from a distance. It has great architecture which is on par with other historical masterpieces. The rotunda is slightly taller than the U.S. Capitol (you know the saying...everything is bigger in Texas) and the well manicured grounds are a delight to take a relaxed stroll through. This building is inspiring to just about everyone of any age. Tours can be self guided or docent lead (both are free) or you can roam the Capitol building at your own leisurely pace taking in the sites of this magnificent structure. Make sure to visit both the Senate and House of Representatives chambers, the portrait gallery of past governors in the Rotunda (which include some familiar faces...hint the current Secretary of Energy and a past U.S. President), the various statues/monuments throughout the grounds as well as the visitors centre. Hint: While in the Rotunda look down at the floor and you'll see the symbols of the six different flags that flew over Texas. Overall, this is a gorgeous piece of land located on a ridge overlooking Congress Ave. This well-manicured, lush landscaped piece of property with undulating gardens, lawns and trees should not be missed! "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppressions, come from what source it may." --Sam Houston read more

Texas Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I'm on vacation in Austin right now and decided to do a tour of the Capitol because it has such high reviews on tourist sites. Right now in October they are offering a "Rest In Peace" tour for free! Decided this would be a fun experience. The tour lasted about 45 minutes and allowed us to see a few different spots of the Capitol. Annalissa led the tour and was awesome. Super animated and great at storytelling. There are signs to wear masks before entering the Capitol, however the majority of their staff did not have a mask on at all. Parking was pretty easy at a nearby garage and the first 2 hours are free. Great place to beat the heat for a bit if you're in Austin during the warmer months! read more

A beautiful building in Austin with a great campus and free tours - it's a great attraction to visit if you want see some of the historical parts of the city. The tour itself, I found a little boring - but I think it depends on the guide you get...ours spoke in a flat voice and didn't seem too excited about anything that was going on and it was quite tough to hear him as well. Despite that, there's so much beauty and architecture here, that even walking around for a self guided tour is worthwhile. read more

Texas Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Impeccably kept grounds and knowledgeable tour guides. Be aware that if you're going during the week, you'll likely encounter brace teachers shepherding hundreds of school children through the capital. As non Texans, we were amused by the ample usage of State symbolism throughout the building. There are lone stars EVERYWHERE! It was also cool to learn about history and geek out for an hour. If you get overwhelmed with information you can always head to 6th street and dumb down afterwards. The location is centrally located near excellent restaurants and bars. read more

Texas Capitol - Front view on a clear blue day. Beautifully kept! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

We had some time between wedding events. My family and friends stopped to see the Pecan Street Festival. The sun was just too strong to enjoy it. The Texas State Capitol Building was just a few blocks away and after reading the earlier reviews, we thought it would be a nice (air conditioned) diversion. And, it was. We got there just in time for a Docent who was starting a tour. The tour was under an hour and the building was huge. Even though we saw a small part, there was so much it was hard to take in. Of course, in the times we live, you go through metal detectors before you are allowed to enter. For Texans with carry permits, no guns are allowed. You start right in the entryway where there are some beautiful oil paintings of the fall of the Alamo, the surrender of Santa Ana. Just a little further in start oil paintings - portraits of Texas Governors, all of the way back to the President of the Republic of Texas. And, the Capitol Dome is gorgeous from the inside. There are multiple levels to the building, both above and below ground. After walking through the main level of the old building, we went up to see the chambers of the Senate and the House. The paintings, the furniture, the decor was magnificent. While the Docent did not know everything about every item, what she did know was more than enough. One very interesting item was the desks were actually original to the building. There were two changes made to the desks over time: (1) there is now a phone on each desk and (2) where the inkwells used to be, there are now microphones. Then, we went down. Since the government has grown over the years and there was no way to build additions upward, they build underground and to the side. From the lower level, there was a beautiful view of the original Capitol building and the dome. We saw more history - busts, two walls dedicated the Texas Medal of Honor winners and more paintings. At the end, of course, you pass the gift shop. If you are in Austin you have to see this. It will be well worth your time. And, it's free. read more

See all

The Texas State Capitol is a very nice building, and I liked that they gave a free (and informative) tour. We had the last tour of the day, so our tour guide was struggling a bit, but I still enjoyed walking around and seeing where the legislative process took place in the state of Texas. As a tourist, you probably won't spend more than 30 minutes here anyway, so you might as well try to catch a 30-minute tour and get some learning in. It was also pretty cold that day, so finding a cheap indoor activity was a welcomed respite from the elements. read more

Texas Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

I admit it took me awhile to come here with so many distractions in Austin, but I'm extremely glad I did. I went to speak in person with Senator Kirk Watson's representative during graduate school, and the visit brought me through so many floors, hallways, and pockets of culture - that the general public was all just wandering through too. This place is rich with history and historical beauty, free to the public, and includes free parking to visitors. I'm not sure why you wouldn't visit it at least once. read more

Texas Capitol - Texas Capitol, view from a run - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Earlier this month, I went sightseeing at the Texas State Capitol. I joined one of the free tours inside. Fortunately, I was in Austin during the time of the year when the Senate is in session. Here, there is a part-time legislature, so they only meet 6 months out of every two years. When you tour the Capitol during this time, you can see senators and representatives meet and vote. One thing that I didn't know about the Capitol has the largest floor square footage in the nation. It's not the tallest building, but has the most floor square footage because of its underground extension (4 underground levels). It's very cool underground, too, which was nice after walking around hot Austin most of the day. Aside from the indoor tours of the Capitol building, I would recommend taking some time to walk around the grounds of the Capitol. There are numerous monuments and memorials there. Also, it's just very relaxing to walk the paths at the Capitol (you'll see many locals here). It's a very pretty area. read more

See all

The Texas state capital is absolutely beautiful and has 4 floors plus 2 underground floors (E1 and E2). It is open for tourist right now open feel days from 7am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 8pm. Tours at the moment are not being given due to the COVID situation but you are free to walk around the entire perimeter inside and outside of the state capital. Historic and Beautiful a must see site in Texas! read more

Such a beautiful, historic building! Due to it being the state capitol building, you have to walk through metal detectors and masks are optional inside. There are tons of free tours but I prefer going around solo. Considering how busy the employees are, visitors have access to quite a few areas which was surprising! If you are downtown Austin, you should go take a look! read more

The Texas State Capitol building is definitely worth a visit. The architecture and attention to detail is breathtakingly beautiful. I especially loved the chandeliers. If you look closely you will see TEXAS written out in them and throughout the interior of the building. There's so much history and interesting present day people to learn about. I learned a ton of new facts about Texas and how it came to be. I also learned Texas has the largest state capitol building in the nation. Who knew? It is such a large facility with so many areas to see. Our group's private tour guide was full of knowledge and very personable. I would definitely request Marsha. Overall it was a great experience & I highly recommend visiting. read more

See all

The state capitol is really quite stunning and interesting but we were really looking forward to the free tours of the capitol that everyone raved about. We arrived for a tour toward the end of the day (but it wasn't the last tour of the day). Our guide while a bit of a character didn't so much talk about the capitol itself but about the history of the state while sitting down. So much for touring the building. Yes we walked through a couple of the rooms but it was not the tour I was hoping for. The whole time she kept looking at her watch and talking about how she had to be done in 30 minutes. Very annoying. Perhaps my expectations were too high for a free 30 minute tour but I have toured other state capitols and this tour was lacking. read more

My wife and I were walking around Austin and decided to come check this place out. It was really hot outside so were glad that the inside had A/C and waters lol. Besides that, the building is stunning inside and outside. They give free tours as well. The staff there is really friendly. read more

See all

A neat place to check out when you are in Austin. The building itself is just amazing to look at. I liked that it was free to get in and there are free tours provided daily. You can join in anytime and leave anytime. It's just cool to be able to learn a bit more about history in general and try to get a sense of feeling of what went on in the building. read more

See all

If you have extra time or need a break from the weather, go on a your of the capitol or walk around by yourself. Went on a Sunday and it was surprisingly open. They offered a 30 min tour every 30 minutes that highlights a few of the room and the unique aspects of Texas government. Like the Governor and Lieutenant Governor don't run together so they could be from separate parties. Fun and interesting and random. read more

See all

I had a little free time between my meetings and walked over to the capitol building. Beautiful architecture, free to enter. There were TONS of small memorials all around the capitol building. If you open Google Maps while standing in the area, it will show you the names of the monuments and where they're located so you know which is which. I didn't have time to take a free tour but saw many who were. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy architecture and history. read more

See all

Definitely a nice state Capitol building from the interior to the outside with beautiful gardens and statues, it's very big and well maintained overall, this state Capitol is definitely in the top 10. read more

The state capital building is open to all visitor. You do need a covid test which they provide, then you may tour the entire building. It is a beautiful building must tour the inside, wait for dusk and see the breathtaking lid up building read more

Texas Capitol - Inside capital building - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

One of Texas greatest historical architecture. I would of love to take a free tour but it was just too much especially for a large groups of people. Hearing the guide was very difficult. We decided to do a self guided tour. Be prepared for a lot of walking. It was fun and I would of done it again and have a picnic lunch on the grounds. It is worth visiting not just to see the building but see the different historical places and artifacts of Texas. read more

See all

Fantastic quick trip visiting the capital. You can walk the capital in about 30 minutes checking things out since it is primarily offices. The park surrounding it is beautiful. Suggestions- Have a picnic outside! Moose Out read more

Me and my wife love to tour state capital buildings especially when they historic significance. It's a great way to transition into your trip before the hustle and bustle. Texas State Capitol was beautiful inside and out that day. Huge number of tourists and school children visiting. The school children sang in the open rotunda and the sound carried throughout the upper floors. They sounded great ! I suggest after touring this building guided or unguided you stop by the first Whole Foods a few minutes from here. read more

See all

Lots of people told us this was a super beautiful building (and it is) - but sorry Austin - your state capital building is not as beautiful as San Fran's city Hall...and just with all that happened at SF city hall (the sadness of Harvey Milk, etc) our tour is just better/more colorful. We did sit in on a State Senate session - but it was a dud, no senators there for the reading of a bill (apparently a bill must be read out loud 3x before voting) - so 1 gal was reading it really fast almost so your could not even understand it - and there were about 15 admin people sitting around. Kinda stupid that there was not even 1 senator there to hear it. (it is like trees in a forest?) read more

Very pretty from the outside, and the grounds are a great walk. However the inside makes it very apparent that tourist are not welcome. Not much to do or read, public tour was over crowed and a mob. The other part of the museum was directionless and most of the exhibits I could not determine why they were there. Gift shop was Neato read more

Whether you have lived in Texas your entire life, just moved to Austin, or are passing through, a tour of the magnificent Texas State Capitol building and grounds is a must! I had visited the Capitol grounds before, but had never done the docent led tour and cannot recommend doing so enough! The Capitol is gorgeous inside and out, but the history lesson you receive from the tour is fantastic and with it being the only Capitol of a once sovereign nation, Texas has such a varied, colorful, and diverse history that after you get the condensed version on this tour you will leave wanting more! Having been to the US Capitol and all 50 state capitols, I can honestly say aside from being the largest (by sq ft) and tallest domed capitol (it is taller than our nation's capitol due to the 15ft Goddess of Liberty statue at the top of the cupola), it really is one of the prettier state capitol buildings and grounds. The Senate and House chambers are impressive as are many of the works of art adorning the walls. If you really take time to study the paintings in the Senate chamber, it is amazing what you can find (see if you can spot Santa Ana fleeing the battle on horseback in peasant garb and a sombrero in the painting on the right wall). You can also explore so much of the building, from the underground expansion to the 4th floor. I also recommend laying on your back and looking up to the Star under the cupola in the main foyer to really get perspective (I did get some weird looks and a guide asked what I was doing, but it makes for a great picture!) and then go up to the fourth floor and look down. You can even go into the Governor's Public Reception Room and sit at the desk where all Texas legislature is signed into law. I also have to give kudos to our docent guide, Brandon, who did a marvelous job intertwining the fascinating Texas and Capitol history with humor and fun facts. He was very engaging and with a tour group of at least 20 people, he kept everyone together and the tour moving. By the end, if you aren't already a Texan, you will want to be! A wonderful way to spend an hour or two in downtown Austin! *Don't miss exploring the grounds and check out the Capitol Visitor's Center where you can see the original star from the original goddess that has since been replaced on the top of the capitol! read more

See all

Came here during my last trip to Austin. They have free tours running throughout the day. Learned a lot about Texas history and how unique/weird it is. For example, at one point Texas couldn't afford to pay a debt with money, so we paid with land the size of Connecticut. I bet no other state can say that! read more

See all

One of the most painless and interesting visits to a historical site. No fees, just history. My favorite part was seeing the rotunda and all the governor portraits (a surprising amount were women). read more