Hartford Landmarks and Monuments

(Hartford, Connecticut - CT, USA)

Dominating downtown Hartford with its towering golden dome, the arresting Connecticut State Capitol Building sits on the southern side of Bushnell Park. The capitol was constructed between 1872 and 1878, and has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark since 1970.

Dating back to the very end of the 18th century, the original Connecticut Capitol is another notable National Historic Landmark and is generally referred to as the Old State House. There is simply so much history attached to every aspect of this building that it really is a must-see for those with an interest in the city's early development.

A visit to the Coltsville Historic District is recommended and this National Historic Landmark District is filled with significant buildings, spreading outwards from Samuel Colt's famous Armsmear mansion. Other sights of note around downtown Hartford include Bushnell Tower, the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, the City Place I skyscraper and the Travelers Tower, which make up some of the tallest structures in the city.

Connecticut State Capitol Building

Address: 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06106, USA
Tel: +1 860 240 0222
Two architects competed to design the Connecticut State Capitol Building, namely Upjohn and Batterson. Upjohn's Eastlake-style design was accepted and Batterson was chosen as the builder, although whilst building the Capitol, he secretly instructed his team to continually make changes to shape the structure and make it resemble his own plans. This saw the cost of the build more than double, topping US$2.5 million and including a previously unplanned tall central tower / rotunda. The dome and its cupola takes the overall height of the Capitol to almost 88 meters / 289 feet. With Gothic and French inspired architecture and many elaborate, cathedral-like features, the building is where you will find the Connecticut General Assembly, the Governor's office, the House of Representatives and the State Senate. Guided tours are available and allow visitors to learn all about the history of Hartford's number one building. You will be able to visit the Hall of Flags, the Connecticut Hall of Fame and the Legislative Office Building.
Open hours: guided tours, January to June, September to December, Monday to Friday - 09:15, 10:15, 11:15, 12:15 and 13:15; July to August, Monday to Friday - 09:15, 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 13:15 and 14:15; self-guided tours, Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Connecticut State Library and Supreme Court Building

Address: 231 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06106, USA
Tel: +1 860 757 6500
Sited close to both Bushnell Park and the State Capitol, the Connecticut State Library functions as the official library for Connecticut and boasts a huge wealth of important information, including precious archives, documents and public records. Architects from Hartford and New York joined forces to design this building, combining the state library and supreme court. They were strongly influenced by the popular Italian Renaissance style of architecture at the time and a grand groundbreaking ceremony subsequently took place in 1908, drawing large crowds. The library and its extensive collections was actually established in 1854 and relocated to this present purpose-built building following its completion in the year 1910. The Museum of Connecticut History remains one of the principal attractions here, along with the exhibitions relating to local Samuel Colt, best remembered for his mass-production of the Colt revolver.
Open hours: library, Tuesday to Friday - 09:00 to 17:00, Saturday- 09:00 to 14:00
Admission: free

Old State House

Address: 800 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06103, USA
Tel: +1 860 522 6766
The Old State House certainly ranks amongst the most important of all the old landmarks still standing in Hartford today. Completed in 1796, this building was designed by one of the most acclaimed American architects of the time, Charles Bullfinch. A number of alterations have been added over the years, to make the building appear a little grander, such as the balustrading and the bell tower, crowned by a cupola. In the year 1960, the Old State House achieved the status of a National Historic Landmark and is now managed by the Connecticut General Assembly. Visitors are able to explore much of the building, including the original legislative rooms, although do keep an eye out for the reported paranormal activity. One of the building's biggest claims to fame was that it was here, in 1939, where the famous Amistad trail took place (United States versus Libellants and Claimants of the Schooner Amistad), after illegally kidnapped slaves had escaped from their shackles and taken over the ship transporting them to a port in Cuba.
Open hours: mid-October to early July, Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 17:00, late July to early October, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children and seniors, children five years old and under are free

Butler McCook House

Address: 396 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06103, USA
Tel: +1 860 522 1806
Just down the road from Buckingham Square Park is the most historic home in Hartford, namely the Butler McCook House. This stately property was built at the beginning of the 1780s and joined the National Register of Historic Places almost two centuries later. The house and its beautifully landscaped garden are currently managed by Connecticut Landmarks and are opened as a museum-type attraction, complete with old paintings, period furnishings and Victorian antiques galore.
Open hours: guided tours, April and October to December, Saturday and Sunday - 12:00 to 16:00; May to September - Thursday to Sunday - 12:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children and seniors, children five years old and under are free

Governor's Residence / Mansion

Address: 990 Prospect Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06105, USA
Tel: +1 860 566 4840
As the official residence of the Governor of Connecticut since it was acquired by the state in 1943, this mansion is politically one of the most important landmarks in the state and stands on Prospect Avenue, close to the highest point in the entire city. Based within the neighborhood of West End and constructed between the years of 1908 and 1909, the property resides alongside Elizabeth Park and features stylish Georgian Revival architecture, 19 rooms, no less than nine fireplaces and spacious grounds of some 1.6 hectares / 4 acres.
Open hours: January to June, September to November - tours by appointment
Admission: free

Aetna Headquarters

Address: 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06156, USA
Tel: +1 860 273 0123
This giant office block appears almost regal and palace-like, and is in fact the biggest Colonial Revival building currently standing on the planet. Hundreds of windows front the landmark, which was constructed between the years 1929 and 1931, at the cost of some US$8 million (more than US$80 million in today's money). It is easy to spot by its tall white Georgian tower, thought to have been inspired by the tower crowning the capital's Old State House. The building serves as the headquarters for American managed health care company Aetna, who allocated more than US$200 million in 2006 for their ambitious plans to renovate and upgrade the whole structure, inside and out.
Open hours: view from exterior only
Admission: free

Armsmear House

Address: 80 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06114, USA
Tel: +1 860 246 4025
Standing on the western side of Colt Park, close to the Hartford Hospital Heliport, is the rather beautiful Armsmear House. This historical building is often referred to as the 'Samuel Colt' House and was once the home of this wealthy American inventor and firearms manufacturer. Featuring an elegant Italian-inspired exterior, Armsmear was completed in 1855 and became a National Historic Landmark in the year 1976. The adjacent park was actually once part of the estate and was gifted to the city in the early years of the 20th century. The park now contains several baseball diamonds and an ice skating rink.
Open hours: view from exterior only
Admission: free

Cathedral of St. Joseph

Address: 140 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06105, USA
Tel: +1 860 249 8431
Relatively centrally located within the Asylum Hill district, the Cathedral of St. Joseph certainly strays far from traditional religious architecture, offering an altogether post-modern vibe, with Byzantine and Gothic elements. This concrete edifice was built to replace a previous cathedral, destroyed by fire on this spot on the very last day of 1956. It was completed in 1962 and stands a little more than 85 meters / 280 feet high, being topped by a stainless-steel crucifix. When visitors step inside they are often surprised to find such a cavernous interior, which is capable of accommodating almost 2,000 people within the two side chapels. A wealth of stained-glass bathes the interior in rainbow colors on sunny days and interestingly, these statement windows were created in Paris. Also worth looking out for is the tiled mural depicting 'Christ in Glory', as well as the giant pipe organ, which boasts some 8,000 pipes.
Open hours: guided tours by appointment
Admission: free, donations welcomed

City Place I

Address: 185 Asylum Street, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06103, USA
Sited in the city center and close to Bushnell Park, City Place I is certainly one landmark that is quite hard to overlook, since this tall skyscraper is clearly visible from a distance, towering high over the foliage of the trees. Measuring in at almost 164 meters / 538 feet in height and boasting some 38 floors, this is the tallest landmark in the whole of Connecticut. Much of the building is comprised solely of office space, although the lower floors are home to a number of shops and eateries. Of interest, City Place I was recently sold, in 2012, with its hefty price tag being just shy of US$100 million.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

University of Hartford

Address: 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06117, USA
Tel: +1 860 768 4100
This sizeable university complex is located on the northwestern side of the city, within the neighborhood of Bloomfield, where its campus covers an area of close to 150 hectares / 370 acres. This educational institution has its origins in the 1870s, when it began its life as the Hartford Art School. Today, more than 7,000 students attend the university, roughly 5,500 of which are undergraduates. Spread around the campus are a series of attractive buildings and halls, such as the Alfred C. Fuller Music Center, the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Hall, the Harry Jack Gray Center, Hillyer Hall, the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, and the Mortensen Library, along with the very contemporary Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology Complex (ISET).
Open hours: daily
Admission: free