A huge granite statehouse with underground connections

Noteworthy for: Perched on a hilltop in the center of Austin, the 360,000 square foot Texas capitol is the largest state capitol building in the U.S.

In 1885, 1,000 convicts were used to quarry the Texas State Capitol's distinctive pink granite from a site near Marble Falls, 50 miles away. The granite cutter's union boycotted the project because they objected to the use of prison labor - but in a precursor to modern union-busting efforts, the contractor responded by bringing in expert stonecutters from Scotland.

Despite the structure's massive size, state government began to outgrow the available office space in the 1980s. Hemmed in by development on all sides, the capitol had no room to expand above ground, so they started digging. The Capitol Extension, which opened in 1993, was built entirely underground, adding 667,000 square feet of space.

Brochures for self-guided tours are available at the information desk inside the capitol rotunda. Be ready to strip off your metallic accessories: visitors are required to go through a metal detector before entering the building.