state capitol building

O3581RRlindas

Laid back atmosphere. Good food! cold drinks. Great service. Rich in the bar always treats us with a smile. Our favorite place to go after a golf game or a "I'm too lazy to cook" day!

914cc

I've been to many state capitol buildings, and by far, this is the ugliest, most boring, tepid, taupe, institutional, colossal, structure I've ever seen.The parking lot/grounds could easily double as several football fields, and there is certainly no 'wow' factor here. Fairly sure it would serve well as a nuclear fallout shelter.Due to its absurdly boring appearance, it ironically stands out in stark contrast to the typical Roman style capitol buildings of other states. I drove past it to 'check that box' for a capitol and kept on going, had no real desire to walk up and look closer. Fairly confident it is the highest structure in all of North Dakota. Next.

549kentg

Great views from the top, but only a few years back I remember getting the whole 360 view. Now there's a cafe up so the view is limited. Still, a great experience. Nothing like seeing for miles in every direction.

ScottyG777

Most people that I know don't like the North Dakota State Capitol Building, and I can't understand why. I think it's one of the two most unique state capitol buildings in the lower-48; along with architect Bertram Goodhue's fantastic example in Lincoln, NE. The story behind the North Dakota building is as interesting as the architecture itself is. I stop here every time I'm in Bismarck, the tour is great and it's fun to just walk around by yourself in the back stairways and to see the details and craftsmanship of this facility.

petey3

There is nothing amazing or outstanding about this capital. Its tall considering the rest of the plains but head across the road where the good stuff is.

davidmP4885OT

If you've never been to the ND State Capitol, take the time to go and take the tour. It is very unique in that it is 18 stories tall and built for efficiency yet beauty. It was built in the 1930's during the Great Depression at a total cost of about $2 million. No expense was spared, however, with brass, marble, and rich wood everywhere. The House and Senate chambers are down the Great Hall from the agency and elected officials which is just down the hall from the Supreme Court. Across a small parking lot is the Heritage Center. If you are interested in state government and history you'll be impressed, I believe.

BrandiT_13

I may be biased in this, because I love history and I love North Dakota; but I think the state capital is very interesting! From the portraits of famous people from North Dakota, to the wheat details in the main hall, to the very top floor (where the view is great); the capital is a fun day trip. And make sure to stop at the heritage center across the street, and walk the capital grounds! There are so many pieces of amazing artwork, and a beautiful landscape.

TravelBoy27

Made it - this was my 50th state and 50th Capitol to visit. Beautiful grounds and beautiful architecture with the building. Had a tour guide name Darlene (if I recall correctly), she was a hoot and provided a wonderful tour. Had me laughing a lot. She knew her stuff about the building and about all the people within it. At one point, she said "let's wait here for a second. It's about time for the Gov to come back to his office". Sure enough, he did and I got to meet him. A spelled tour - the heritage center was also worth the visit never knew that the French gave the USA 50 train cars after WWII - one to each state Capitol for liberating them. North Dakota is the only Capitol that I have seen that displays the train car prominently & proudly. Great job by my guide - she does almost all the tours. She was very helpful with a great suggestion for lunch as well (the Walrus - very yummy and not far from the Capitol itself). Thank you Darlene - I appreciate your time and wonderful knowledge of the North Dakota Capitol. Little side note and hint - ask to see the "Monkey Room". Amazing and very beautiful. Happy and safe travels

tdawg40sw

We took a group of 8 high school students and 3 adults to visit the ND state capitol. We had a great time taking the tour. Our guide was informative and kept things fun. She really knew her stuff. She took us to various areas of the building including the house and senate chambers and the supreme court. The view from the top observation level was fun too. You can see all of town from up there. You can also see the capitol building from almost anywhere in town.

wanderer05

Interesting in that they pretty much used a standard office tower as the "capitol building"... nothing to see here... someone from ND should go check out some capital architecture next door to see how it's supposed to be done, and start from scratch. The nearby McDonald's was surprisingly modern though...

daneitahargett

We went there while we were visiting the Heritage Center, its a very beautiful place so if you go to Bismarck make sure you check out theState Capitol Building, its a must see.

Outabout2014

Art deco on 1st floor is attractive and view ok if it is a clear day and you like flat land. Go if you have 15 minutes after the Heritage Center.

Fred7-12-44

We have visited many of the state capitols. The North Dakota capital is more like a high rise office building. there are several hallways that offer background and other interesting inforamtion about teh state. there is verh little in the way of ornate construction such as murals and chandiliers which are often seen in other state capitols. No dome. we chose not to take the tour due the start time and our schedule, but it was offered to us. The staff to whom we spoke were courteous and knowledgeable.

926SarahB926

We enjoyed the full tour. The guide was very informative and knowledgeable of all areas over the capital building and how all functions of the government. We did also appreciate the local accents.

champferg

I've visited a lot of state capitol buildings, and this one is unlike all the others. It has a great art deco feel, and a lot of neat brass and wood inside. It's a bit plain, as it was built during the depression to replace one that had burned. Everything is accessible, and I appreciated one gentleman in particular showing me a bit of the place, even taking my picture inside the house chambers. There are tours at certain times, and while I didn't take one, I think it would have been interesting. But this is definitely worth at least 45 minutes to an hour, and can be paired with the State Museum/Heritage Center, as they are just a two-minute walk apart.