Sangamon Sun

The Illinois State Capitol has been undergoing significant renovations, particularly in its north wing, which is currently in the midst of a three-year project aimed at modernizing the historic building while preserving its 19th-century atmosphere and décor. This follows previous renovation efforts, including a revamp of the House and Senate chambers in 2006-2007 and a large-scale rebuild of the west wing in 2011-2012.

The west wing renovation marked the installation of the final element of architect Alfred Piquenard's original vision for the Capitol. Construction on the current Illinois State Capitol building began in 1868 after outgrowing its predecessor. Designed by Chicago architect Alfred Piquenard, it was intended to be the tallest domed structure in the United States, with ample office space for state government agencies.

A notable feature of Piquenard’s design was a grand staircase facing the rotunda between the second and third floors, illuminated by a skylight above and lamps held by classically-draped female statues from France. However, some legislators found these statues too risqué for a public building in the late 19th century. As a result, they were replaced with plain lampposts.

Piquenard passed away in 1876 before completing his work on another project—the Iowa State Capitol—where his team incorporated similar architectural elements, including the controversial statues. These statues remain in Des Moines today.

In recent years, as part of efforts to restore historical authenticity during renovations, designers created exact replicas of Piquenard’s original statues using laser scans from Des Moines. These replicas have now been installed at their intended location on the grand staircase in Springfield.

This installation completes nearly 150 years later what Piquenard had envisioned for Illinois' grand capitol building.