While looking up from the rotunda at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, you wish you had a closer look at the plaster friezes encircling the dome. It features intricate bas-relief artwork. The panels are painted a bronze hue and depict historical moments such as when Lincoln and Douglas debated slavery in 1858. Flanking the dome are four statues pointing towards elaborate stained glass. The oculus is a state seal from 1839-1867. Interestingly, it is rumored the police department controlled a beacon on top of the dome to summon their officers prior to the invention of car radios.
