Maryland State House, Annapolis, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Maryland State House stands at the top of State Circle in Annapolis, Maryland, and is the oldest state capitol in the United States still used for lawmaking. It has also served as the national capitol, and its wooden dome is the landmark you can spot from many streets of the old town.

The story behind it

The building you see today is the third state house on this hilltop. Construction began in 1772, and the design is credited to Joseph Clark. The large wooden dome was finished some years later and is often described as the largest wooden dome in the country built without nails.

Its place in national history comes from 1783 and 1784, when Annapolis was the meeting place of the Congress of the Confederation. In December 1783 George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the Old Senate Chamber, handing power back to civilian government. In January 1784 Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris here, formally ending the Revolutionary War. The Maryland General Assembly still meets in the building today.

What to look for

• The dome is the first thing to study, and from the street you can see how it rises above the red brick walls and the surrounding rooftops.
• The finial at the very top of the dome is shaped like an acorn, a small detail that is easy to miss when you look at the whole skyline.
• The Old Senate Chamber, where Washington gave up his commission, is the room most worth finding if the interior is open to visitors.
• State Circle itself is part of the view, because the streets radiate out from the hilltop in the baroque pattern of the original town plan.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 30 to 60 minutes if you want to go inside, and a little longer if you also walk around the full circle outside.
• The building is a working government site, so expect security screening at the entrance and check current opening hours and visitor access before you go.
• Morning light is good for photographing the front of the building, and the grounds are usually quieter before midday.
• You are close to Main Street, the City Dock and St. Anne's Church, so it pairs easily with a longer walk through the historic centre.

See it on a quest

Annapolis Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. is a good way to see the State House as one stop on a longer walk through the old town. You reach the building on foot, the app tells you about it as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Annapolis suits you if you prefer a darker, story-led walk. The route takes you past the State House and the streets around it, with the app telling you about each place and setting a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.