Magnifico Great Hall ceiling

Washington - District of Columbia - United States

Great Hall. View of ceiling and cove, showcasing the aluminum plating, stained glass windows, sculpture and murals. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. During the renovation of the Jefferson Building during the 1990s, it was discovered that the metallic ornamentation of the ceiling, once thought to be silver leaf, is actually aluminum leaf. When the building was being constructed during the 1890s, aluminum was more precious than silver. The scale-pattern design of the six large skylights echoes that of the marble flooring beneath." (Source: MyLOC.gov Great Hall exhibit, 2008)