White House is the official residence and the workplace of the President of the United States, while the Capitol Building refers to a building that houses both the U.S House of Representatives and Senate Chambers as well as some other important offices. The difference between the white house and the capitol building is more than just the buildings themselves. Differences in power, history, and size are also evident. This blog post will explore these differences further!
White House
The White House is located on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. The White House is a historic building that has been the official residence of every US President. It is one of the oldest government buildings still in use today. The White House is also used for ceremonial purposes, such as an annual speech given by the president to mark the start of each new session of Congress and many other events that are meant to celebrate or honor American citizens.
Capitol Building
The capitol building houses both senate and house of representatives chambers, as well as many other important offices for congressmen. It houses Congress and is located in Washington D.C., as well. The Capitol Building is also the meeting place for both the House of Representatives and Senate.
Key Differences Between White House & Capitol Building
Design & Construction
The White House was designed by James Hoban, who won a design competition in 1792. Construction began on the White House in 1792 and it was completed in 1800. In contrast, the Capitol Building was designed by William Thornton and construction began on October 13, 1792.
The difference in architecture
The exterior architecture of the two buildings is quite different - the White House is Neoclassical style, while the Capitol building is more classical Greek & Roman. The interiors of each building also reflect their respective purposes - the White House has private living quarters for the president and his or her family, while visitors to the Capitol can tour its many grand halls and chambers. Finally, security is much tighter at the White House - visitors to Capitol Hill.
The difference in affairs conducted
The difference between the White House and Capitol Building is that the White House is a residence, while the Capitol Building is a governmental building. The White House is the meeting place for President and his family whereas the capitol building houses the congress. Capitol building is that the capital does not have a residential function like White House has. The capital also consists of meeting rooms, libraries, studies, committee rooms where senators work every day to conduct their business with each other or committees they are part of.
The difference in the area
The Capitol building is huge, it is the largest building in terms of area. The Capitol has an area of about 67,000 square meters with approximately 540 rooms. Whereas the White house is smaller than the Capitol Building with an area of just 5,100 square meters. It consists of six floors including 132 rooms.
Similarities between White House & Capitol Building
Both are exclusively government properties
The biggest similarity is that both buildings have been symbols of democracy and the American government since their completion. They are both government properties & are used for a variety of purposes by different branches of the government.
FAQs
Is the White House taller than Capitol Building?
No, the Capitol Building is taller than the White House, it is 88 m tall while the White House in comparison is just 21 m tall.
Is Capitol Building a residence?
No, unlike the white house it does not function as a home for public servants or their families. It has been used for this purpose in the past but currently only houses committees and legislative offices which are open to other government officials (including constituents).
Does the Capitol Building have a basement?
Yes, the Capitol Building does have a basement which is used by offices.
Is the White House connected to the Capitol?
The Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Maryland, is a diagonal street that connects the White House and the United States Capitol before continuing into Maryland.
What room does the president sleep in?
The President's Bedroom is a second-story bedroom in the White House. This suite is in the southwest section of the White House and includes a sitting room, as well as a smaller dressing room.
Does the White House have bulletproof windows?
The windows in the Oval Office's three south rooms are protected by bulletproof glass, and a "bomb-barrier," which is composed of concrete poured along the West Wall of the Executive Office Building.
What is the function of the Capitol Building?
The Capitol building houses both chambers of Congress, in addition to many committees and offices for senators & representatives. It has been used as a working office since the 1800s.
What is the function of the White House?
The white house is a residence and workplace for the President & their family. It has been used as a home, office, visitor center since the 1800s.
Which presidents did not live in the White House?
All of the previous American presidents have lived in the White House with the exception of George Washington who was the very first president. It should be noted that while he did oversee the construction he never lived in it.
Conclusion
The difference between the white house and capitol building is that one is a presidential residence while the other houses congress for conducting their business affairs every day at the workplace i-e capitol building. Besides these main differences, there also exist some more minor differences such as in terms of architectural design, the area occupied by these buildings, and also conducting different types of affairs in each. So, if you are ever in Washington D.C., be sure to visit both the White House and Capitol Building to witness their beauty and history!
References
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