Legal Definitions - Architect of the Capitol

The Architect of the Capitol is a person who works for the government and is responsible for taking care of the buildings and grounds of important places like the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress. They also plan and supervise the construction of new buildings.

For example, if there is a problem with the plumbing in the U.S. Capitol building, the Architect of the Capitol would be the person in charge of fixing it. Or if the government wanted to build a new library, the Architect of the Capitol would be responsible for making sure the plans were good and overseeing the construction.

The Architect of the Capitol has been doing this job since 1876, which is a long time!