what is the statue on top of the capitol building

The statue on top of the Capitol building is the Statue of Freedom, a colossal bronze figure standing 19 and a half feet tall and weighing approximately 15,000 pounds. It was sculpted by Thomas Crawford and is the crowning feature of the Dome of the United States Capitol. The statue depicts a female figure wearing a draped robe and feathered headdress, holding a wreath of laurel leaves and a sheathed sword. The statue was part of Architect Thomas U. Walters original design for a new cast-iron dome, which was authorized by Congress in 1855. The statue was cast in five main sections by Clark Mills, whose bronze foundry was located on the outskirts of Washington, and was finished in 1862 with the help of the slave Philip Reid. The statue was temporarily displayed on the Capitol Grounds before being hoisted in sections and assembled atop the cast-iron pedestal. The cost of the statue, exclusive of installation, was $23,796.82. Visitors can see the plaster model of the statue in the Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center.