As the scaffolding around the Washington Monument comes down, another D.C. landmark will be covered in the temporary structure beginning next year.
The Capitol dome will undergo a major restoration project to repair thousands of cracks. Visible work will begin in the spring, Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers said today. The Hill reports:
Workers will construct a work area on the roof of the West front below the dome. Once the scaffolding is built up, workers will remove lead paint, solder together broken pieces of the cast-iron dome, and apply new paint and protective coating.
From below, the dome looks as majestic as ever, but there are cracks in the exterior skin, cast iron ornaments that are in danger of falling off and leaks causing water damage inside the rotunda.
Above is a video rendering of the scaffolding project, which is expected to last two years. Yes, watching this video while playing the Game of Thrones theme kind of works. We know you like that.