Search the travel guide:

City Guide

• Overview
• The Basics
• Contacts
• Attractions
• Airports
• Climate
• Photos
• Hotels in Providence

Directory

• Hostels
• Cheap Airfares
• Useful Resources

<< Back to Providence Attractions

State Capitol

Rhode Island’s magnificent white marble Georgian state house was inspired by London’s St Paul’s Cathedral and the US Capitol. It has the distinction of sporting one of only four self-supporting domes in the world, the others being St Peter’s Basilica, the Taj Mahal, and the Minnesota State Capitol. The beautiful building in Smith Street houses the original Rhode Island Charter of 1663 and an historic portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart, a Rhode Island native. The Washington portrait is renowned for being the one used on the American dollar bill.

Address: Smith Street
Website: www.state.ri.us
Telephone: (401) 222 3983, or 222 2357
Opening time: Guided tours of the capitol are by appointment Monday to Friday, on the hour every hour from 9am; last tour at 1pm. Self-guided tours can be undertaken Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm