the United States Capitol Rotunda

The United States Capitol rotunda is the central rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., built 1818–1824.

The History of the United States Capitol by U.S. Capitol

It is located below the Capitol dome, built 1857–1866; the later construction also extended the height of the rotunda walls.

United States Capitol Dome Restoration by U.S. Capitol

It is the tallest part of the Capitol and has been described as its "symbolic and physical heart."

The rotunda is connected by corridors leading south to the House of Representatives and north to the Senate chambers.

To the immediate south is the semi-circular National Statuary Hall, which was the House of Representatives chamber until 1857.

National Statuary Hall is a chamber in the United States Capitol devoted to sculptures of prominent Americans.

To the northeast is the Old Senate Chamber, used by the Senate until 1859 and by the Supreme Court until 1935.

The Old Senate Chamber is a room in the United States Capitol that was the legislative chamber of the United States Senate from 1810 to 1859 and served as the Supreme Court chamber from 1860 until 1935.

The rotunda is 96 feet in diameter, rises 48 feet to the top of its original walls and 180 feet 3 inches to the canopy of the dome, and is visited by thousands of people each day.

It is also used for ceremonial events authorized by concurrent resolution, including the lying in state of honored dead.