The New York State Capitol Building

What I'd intended to be a simple breakfast at the Miss Albany Diner had morphed into a walking tour of downtown Albany and then into a driving tour in the area of the New York State Capitol building and Empire State Plaza. The Capitol building was under (restorative) construction and therefore not particularly picturesque, but hopefully it will be in excellent condition this summer. You can see the long stairway into the building. Do the State Legislators walk up those stairs? I'm sure they do not, but instead enter the doors beneath the stairs and ride the elevators:

The stonework on the Capitol is ornate and beautiful. There are human faces carved all over the building and I once was told that the stone carvers used the faces of the workmen all around them as their models:

A close-up of some of the stone carvings. I think the bird must be a wild turkey even though it kind of looks like a peacock:

Directly across from the State Capitol is the brownstone Albany City Hall. It also is high on a hill and its spire is visible for many miles:

The New York State Education building has some of the most impressive columns in the country. I've read that it used to house the State Museum until the new museum building was built in 1976 in the Empire State Plaza:

A better view of the Albany City Hall. That tower houses a carillon which broadcasts bell music at regular intervals. A nationwide carillonneur (musician who plays the carillon) convention was held here a few years ago:

Looking up the road with the State Capitol on the left and the Education Building on the right:

I thought this building was particularly lovely and wondered if it might be a private residence. If so, it belongs to someone very wealthy:

Turning back toward the river and the downtown center, I noticed the four-pronged church steeple. That turned out to be St. Peter's Episcopal Church. I once attended a pipe organ concert there:

A domed building whose identity was unknown to me. It sure looks official, though: