Steve A.
11/30/2019
Around the Capitol is this small building. It used to be a place to get water for horses. Summer House is no longer needed for that. People can still get water here. This is a nice quiet place...
Summer House
(6)
Photos
N Capitol St NW
Washington, DC 20002
Located in Washington, D.C., the Summer House is a historic brick structure nestled in the picturesque Capitol grounds. Built over a century ago, it has served as a haven for weary travelers exploring the area on foot, offering a place to rest and admire the Capitol's classical architecture and surrounding landscaping.
Designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the Summer House features an open hexagonal shape with intricate red brick walls adorned with artistic patterns. Inside, stone benches shaded by red Spanish mission tile roofs provide seating for visitors, while large oval windows offer different views of the Capitol and its surroundings. Originally designed to provide drinking water, the central fountain now serves as a decorative display, adding to the charm of this unique structure.
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Reviews
4.56 reviews
Christa C.
4/9/2025
We were excited to stumble upon this cute little place outside the Capitol building. It's actually a virtual geocache site so we were excited about that as well. It's a great place to take a seat...
Roger H.
6/29/2012
Stumbled upon this while walking around the Capital. What's THAAATTTT??? Oooooo. Go in and look really closely. Seats surrounding an old water fountain. Originally spring fed...look at the...
Zach G.
5/4/2009
There is something about this little thing that I love. It's a small brick structure just Northwest of the Capitol. Inside are some seats and a fountain in the center surrounded by several...
Mary Kate E.
6/4/2014
The summer house was created by F.L. Olmsted in 1879-1881 as a resting place for people coming through or passing by the Capitol. It provided shade with seating, also an area for people and horses...
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