Looking Down on Lincoln
Did you know Kentucky’s Capitol Rotunda is a dome within a dome? If not, you’re not alone. Few people—more than a dozen and less than 100—each year make the twisted trek to the top of the Capitol dome.
Consider this: when you look up from the feet of Abraham Lincoln to the Centennial Murals, quite a height themselves, you’re less than halfway to the top of Beaux-Arts style structure, which was built 1905-1909.
To access the dome within the dome, you must first reach the fourth floor with an escort, and pass through a nice lady’s office (she waved to us as we filed by) to a back stairwell that takes you to the uncharted fifth floor. From there, visitors ascend an 80-step spiral staircase that leads to a series of iron ladders. At the top of the ladders is a wooden crossway and then another iron ladder that leads to the cupola.
No fan of heights, it took everything I had to make the climb, but I didn’t want it getting around the visiting Boys State that I backed away from a challenge. Looking down on the head of Abraham Lincoln offers a new perspective and the acoustics are spectacular. Just ask Boys State Executive Director Pete Trzop if you don’t believe me.
I hope you enjoy these pictures and video from our adventure.
