Colorado

Located in downtown Denver, the Colorado State Capitol’s dome is covered in real gold leaf, which shines brilliantly. It commemorates the Colorado Gold Rush. Learn more about the Colorado State Capitol history or plan your visit.

The capitol is home to the Colorado Governor and Colorado General Assembly, which consists of the Senate and House of Representatives. The color scheme of the General Assembly reflects that of the United Kingdom Parliament:

• The House is green like the House of Commons (the lower house).

• The Senate is red like the House of Lords (the upper house).

My first trip to the Colorado State Capitol was part of the 2022 Spring Break Road Trip with my college-age nephew during the waning days of the COVID pandemic. We arrived early afternoon on 14 March 2022 fresh from a half-day trip to the Wyoming State Capitol (Cheyenne, the state capital, is only a 1.5-hour drive from Denver).

Downtown Denver is very busy; despite this, I found a parking spot at a meter a few blocks away. I was excited to use the State Capitols Passport I just purchased in Wyoming but was a bit deflated when I found out that the information desk had closed at 3:30 p.m. (a common occurrence during COVID).

Since my first trip was early in my state capitols quest, my visit routine still needed improvement. In addition to the passport stamp, I also missed an important feature: the Mile High marker on the west side of the building.

With a better capitol visit routine established, I resolved both issues during a visit with a friend the following year on 18 May 2023 during my Long-Awaited Western Swing Road Trip. This time, we stayed at a hotel downtown that was an easy walk to the capitol.

Not only did I get to the Mile High Marker, but the nice lady at the information desk also provided me with a stamp dated with my first visit.

Inside, the Colorado State Capitol features stained glass windows that depict Colorado history. The rotunda’s third floor has portraits of all United State Presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden (Donald Trump’s portrait was removed after he publicly criticized the artist’s work on social media). Also, do not miss the Women’s Gold Tapestry (PDF), which honors the courage, perseverance, and sacrifices made by women in Colorado.

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