Capitol SquareRichmond's Capitol Square is a glorious oasis of old
trees and green lawns in the heart of the downtown area, perched on
a hilltop. The magnificent centrepiece is the neo-classical State
Capitol building, designed by Thomas Jefferson, which has been in
continuous use since 1788. In the Capitol's Rotunda stands
Virginia's most treasured artwork, the life-sized statue of George
Washington sculpted by Jean Antoine Houdon, for whom Washington
posed. Another highlight of the square is the Governor's Mansion,
home of Virginia governors since 1813. The mansion, which has been
restored, but boasts its original woodwork, plaster cornices and
ornamental ceilings, is open for tours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays (first floor only). Another historic building in the
square is the old Bell Tower, dating from 1824, which houses a
visitor centre providing tourist information about
Virginia.Museum and White House of the ConfederacyCivil War buffs flock to the Museum of the
Confederacy, which houses the most comprehensive collection of
Confederate artefacts, personal memorabilia and art to be found
anywhere in the United States. The exhibits include 550 battle
flags, 215 uniforms, including those of well-known officers, and
1,000 military buttons. Art works include E.B.D. Julio's heroic
painting, 'The Last Meeting of Lee and Jackson'. Beside the museum
is the White House of the Confederacy, the 1818 mansion in which
Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family lived during
the Civil War. It is still furnished with original items. Visitors
have to join a tour to see the White House. These depart regularly
throughout the day.Richmond National Battlefield ParkBetween 1861 and 1865, Union armies repeatedly set out
to capture Richmond, strategic capital of the Confederacy, and end
the Civil War. Three of those campaigns came within a few miles of
the city. The park commemorates 11 different sites associated with
those campaigns, including the battlefields at Gaines' Mill,
Malvern Hill, and Cold Harbor. Established in 1936, the park
protects 763 acres of historic ground. There is a visitor centre in
the Tredegar Irons Works on Richmond Riverfront Canal Walk at the
corner of Tredegar and 5th Streets. Here, a film depicting the
battles around the city is shown and information about self-guided
tours of the battlefields is available.Virginia Museum of Fine ArtsRichmond boasts an exceptional Fine Arts Museum, which
presents a panorama of world art from ancient to modern, including
the largest public Fabergé imperial Easter egg collection outside
of Russia, consisting of 150-odd jewel-encrusted creations made for
Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. The Museum also boasts a
collection of English silver, one of the world's leading
collections of the art of India, Nepal and Tibet, and six Gobelin
Don Quixote tapestries.St John's Episcopal ChurchSt John's Church has stood on Richmond Hill above the
James River since 1741, and is known for having been the venue for
the second Virginia Convention in 1775, attended by George
Washington and other historic personalities. The church is also
where legendary Pocahontas was baptised and married to John Rolfe.
The wooden building still boasts its original pulpit and some
exquisite stained-glass windows. Between May and September living
history performances are given every Sunday recreating the historic
Second Virginia Convention. Informative tours explore the historic
significance of the church building and grounds.Virginia Science MuseumThe hands-on Virginia Science Museum allows visitors
to touch, feel, observe and explore the impact of science on their
lives, covering everything from astronomy to computers, and
crystals to flight engineering. The museum is housed in a soaring
historic building, the former Broad Street Station designed in 1919
by John Russell Pope. The fascinating and fun museum is
complemented by a 275-seat Ethyl Universe Planetarium/Space Theatre
that screens Omnimax films as well as providing multimedia
planetarium shows.
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