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The United States Capitol Building is a monument to the citizens of the United States and their government. It is an example of 19^th century neoclassical architecture. The design was submitted by an amateur architect who was the winner of a competition held in 1792. Work began in 1793 when the cornerstone was laid by President Washington. The building has gone through many construction stages over almost 200 years and 10 different architects to become what it is today. The original materials used were brick clad in sandstone and later brick clad in marble. The dome is made of 8,909,200 pounds of cast iron and is topped with the Statue of Freedom and stands 288 feet high. The length of the building from north to south is 751’4” and the greatest width is 350’. It covers a landscape of 175,170 square feet. It’s 16.5 acres of floor area is used by the two legislative branches of the US government, offices for Congressional leadership, and serves as a museum of American art and history. It sits as the east end focal point of the National Mall.