Designed by Cass Gilbert, Minnesota's 1905 State Capitol is an architectural masterpiece embellished with art, from Daniel Chester French's gilded chariot on the roof to Edwin Blashfield's Senate Chamber murals celebrating the state's discovery and agricultural bounty. The governor's reception rooms are famous for their Civil War battle scenes, and images of historic moments (the Discovery of St. Anthony Falls; the Treaty of the Traverse de Sioux) garnish halls, niches and lunettes. No wonder Minnesota's Capitol is rightly celebrated as one of the country's most beautiful statehouses. 75 Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul; 651-296-2881

Runner-up: St. Paul City Hall