The Architecture of the Library of Congress
Constructed between 1888 and 1897, the Library of Congress is located in Washington, D.C. at the intersection of 1st St. and Independance Avenue. It's beautiful, large-scale building is comprised mainly of marble, granite, iron, and bronze. The Library's architectural style is reminiscent of that of ancient Greece. It's typical Greek characteristics include columns of the Ionic order, relief sculpture, and statues of Greek god figures, such as Poseidon, god of the sea. These attributes are significantly comparable to those of the altar of Pergamon located in present day Turkey. Housing thousands of books, music, and art collections, the Library of Congress contains numerous reading rooms used by the public people. It is not restricted to use by special officials, but welcomes everybody as it was constructed specifically to serve as the American national library.
The present Library of Congress had a difficult time getting started in its early stages. Originally located in the United States Capitol building between 1806 and 1814(U.S. Government, 1), a fire caused the Library to be relocated to a temporary hotel location. Soon it was replaced into the north wing of the Capitol, and then into the center of the west front (U.S. Government, 2). Unfortunately, another disastrous fire burned the Library and yet again it had to be repaired. The Librarian of Congress at this time in 1865, Ainsworth Rand Spofford, realized the Library was expanding to the point where it would soon need it's own separate building from the Capitol. He drew up an architectural plan in 1872 and presented it to Congress who authorized it.
The new structure, named the Jefferson Building, was elaborately deco...
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...nce is that the Library of Congress celebrates mental values while the altar of Pergamon celebrates physical values.
The architecture of the Library of Congress expresses a modern presence of the past. It's similarities to the altar of Pergamon lie in physical appearances and in deeper meanings. Both reflect the beauty of Greek architecture and the values of the people who designed them.
Bibliography
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Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1995.
United States Government. "Jefferson's Legacy: A Brief History of the Library of Congress." http://lcweb.loc.gov/loc/legacy/bldgs.html. (1996): 1-12.
Allen, William C. The Dome of the United States Capitol: An Architectural History. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1992.
William H. Pierson, Jr., American Buildings and Their Architects: Technology and the Picturesque, (Doubleday & Company, Inc.), 295.
The Web. The Web. 03 Dec. 2013. http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson>. Summers, Robert S. "Presidents of the United States (POTUS).
2. Pamela Scott and Antoinette Lee, Buildings of the District of Columbia. New York, NY:
(Image taken from Tranchtenberg, Marvin, Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity. Second Edition. Prentice Hall, Inc. New Jersey: 2002.)
Soon after the fire, legislature decided to tear down the remains of the damaged structure and replace it with a larger and more stylish design. Chicago architect, Henry Ives Cobb, was selected to design and build the second capitol. The government gave him a budget of only $550,000, which was not nearly enough to reproduce the size and design that the legislature had envisioned. Due to limited funds, Cobb was unable to finish his intended design. Legislature was embarrassed and unimpres...
Will we be able to barricade ‘Doping’ from intoxicating the world of sports? The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) states that the term doping comes from the Africans word ‘dop,’ a concoction made from grape leaves that Zulu warriors drank before going into battle (as sited in Maxwell, & Melham, 2005, p.1). Today, many athletes worldwide have been found guilty of breaching the Anti Doping Act. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of drug offenders in sports, as the need to win becomes priority and dope is relayed from athlete to athlete, directly and indirectly. Though not used by all, it is imperative for sports personnel to be educated and be made aware of the health issues such as cardiovascular disease and legal ramifications associated with the use of Performance Enhancement Drugs.
The desire to compete — and win — is as old as history itself. From the beginnings of sport, athletes have sought out foods and potions to turn their bodies into winning machines. As early as 776 BCE, the very first Olympic games, there are records of attempts to increase testosterone levels (“Steroid Abuse in Sports”). Ancient Greek wrestlers ate vast amounts of meat to gain muscle mass, and Norse “Berserker” warriors took hallucinogenic mushrooms before battle. The first competitive athletes to be charged for doping, however, were swimmers in 1860s Amsterdam. Doping of all kinds, from caffeine to cocaine to anabolics quickly spread to other sports (“Anabolic Steroids, a Brief History”).
His design was a Neo-classical plan that followed the classical style of ancient Greece and Rome. He drew a building that consists of two wings that extended north and south of a centural section. A huge cast-iron dome rests on the central section of the building.(World, 196) President Washington was very pleased with Dr. Thorton's plans and he was awarded first prize. Now it was time for Washington to lay the cornerstone on September 18, 1793.(National Park)
With the Pantheon being built over 1700 years ago, it’s amazing that architects are still using features and techniques from this work of architecture in modern creations. The use of this type of classical architecture will continue to be used in works for public space due to its remarkable exterior appearance and it’s long lasting structural durability. When both Jesse hall and the Pantheon are compared it is possible to see their similarities from the types of domes that top each, their external facades, and their interior plan. While they share many similarities, the differences that Bell and Binder used in their creation make this work of architecture unique to many other public spaces.
Alcoholism is a very serious disease, which can cause illness, death, injuries, schooling problems, family breakups, and crime. It is a proven fact the alcohol kills more people than any other illegal drugs combined. Yet alcohol courses freely through American society, from college bars to corporate lunches. In a recent article from a journal named: The Scientist it is stated "Technology shows alcohol abuse changes brain's molecular programming and circuitry." Alcohol is a quick fix that will hurt us all in the long run.
Social Security has become a primary source of income for so many retirees and disabled workers. With the increase in recipients, the fund will experience a shortfall that will impact future retirees. The future of Social Security looks bleak unless the government takes steps to reform the program to continue to meet the needs of the current as well as the future recipients. Whether it is to raise taxes, decrease benefits, or privatize Social Security, action is needed. We all want the benefit of enjoying our later years after retirement but it would be hard to enjoy life after work when your primary source of income disappears with no alternative. There are many options to explore to make the changes needed. Reform to Social Security needs to be made soon or it will not last beyond the next generation of retirees.
Alcohol has been around since the earliest depths of recorded history. Man has enjoyed its drunken allure since the age of our ancestors. However, they have enjoyed it a little too much. The overconsumption of alcohol by man alike has caused a great deal of grief for them. The abuse of alcohol impairs one’s judgment and can even lead to the death of the drinker. Especially in America. The overconsumption and abuse of the drinking of alcohol has become a serious and dangerous issue in America, and it not only endangers the consumer but the people around and involved with the consumer as well. Laws concerning the consumption of alcohol in America need to be better enforced by the legal authorities due to the negative consequential effects caused by the illegal alcohol consumption.
This website describes the Biltmore, as a turn-of-the-century pleasure dome for the Vanderbilts, which now flourishes by giving tourists a great day for their money. It tells how George Washington Vanderbilt conceived the notion for his luxurious residence, details regarding the construction of the mansion; Restoration efforts in recent years; Who owns and runs the estate today.
The Natural History Museum is extraordinary place to explore and learn. It’s fun and breathtaking. The museum served as an agricultural fairground from 1872 until 1910. The original structure of the building from the 1913 and today’s structure are combined with a blend of many styles. Like a Spanish Renaissance ornamentation in the terracotta trimmings. There is a Romanesque style in the arched windows and the brick walls. The Beaux-Arts tradition is a T-shape floor plan. The building measures 75 feet in diameter with three wings. The Rotunda’s walls are made of Italian marble and the floors have a mosaic tile. The statue in the center of the floor called “Three Muses.” The Rotunda’s dome is 58 feet high with a skylight 20 feet across on top, which has been restored recently into a bright colored stained glass design. The museum had its first grand opening on November 6, 1913 and was called “The Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science, and Art. It was opened formally to the public. The museum was joined by other major cultural facilities in the park; the Memorial Coliseum, Sports Arena, Swimming Stadium, California Science Center, California African American Museum and the largest Municipal-Owned Rose Garden in the nation, with a beautiful water fountain in the center.
In 1894, construction neared completion on The Thomas Jefferson Building, the oldest of the three buildings which comprise the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.. With the exterior well in hand, the architects turned their attention to the interior, commissioning extensive murals by well-known artists. The commissioners of these murals deliberately set out to “personify the ideals of the [American] people” through the medium of government-sponsored art, and provide a relatively young nation with a story about themselves -- a visual “literature” which would connect them to the distant past.1 Among the most famous of these murals is Edwin Blashfield’s The Evolution of Civilization which occupies the massive dome of the Main Reading Room; twelve cultures are represented in the circle, each credited with a unique contribution to Western civilization.2 In one case, ancient Egypt is depicted as having contributed “written records” to civilization, represented by a figure wearing a characteristically Egyptian headdress.3 However, a variety of research, some of which actually occurred in the late nineteenth century, calls this particular choice into question; ancient cuneiform records from Mesopotamia date back to 5000 B.C.E.,4 while Egyptian hieroglyphics appeared around 3400 B.C.E..5 This suggests that Mesopotamia should share with Egypt the honor of having contributed written records to Western civilization, if not displace it.