The "dome" on the top of the capitol building is probably the most recognizable part of our local landmark. Inside the rotunda is a "whispering gallery," which was mathematically designed by an acoustics expert. If two peope are up in the rotunda, on opposite sides (65 feet apart), one of them can whisper, and the other can hear it clearly...as the sound follows the curve of the wall around to the other side.
The exterior of the capitol is made exclusively of Missouri limestone marble, and the building took just over two years to build (from 1915 to 1917). By comparison, most other capitol buildings of similar architectural style took from nine to as many as 33 years to build.
It's hard to see the statue on the top of the dome clearly, but it is a statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, or more specifically of grain. In fact, we get the word "cereal" from her name. Agriculture has always been one of Missouri's largest sources of income, with corn and soybeans being the two largest crops.
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