Which neoclassical building in Washington, D.C., houses the U.S. Supreme Court?

The neoclassical building in Washington, D.C., that houses the U.S. Supreme Court is the Supreme Court Building.

The building stands at 1 First Street NE, directly across from the U.S. Capitol and near the Library of Congress. Architect Cass Gilbert designed it in a monumental neoclassical style, using a temple-like composition, marble façades, grand staircases, columns, and sculptural programs to express the judiciary’s independence and authority.

The Court did not always have its own headquarters. After the federal government moved to Washington, the justices met in borrowed spaces, including rooms in the Capitol. President William Howard Taft advocated a dedicated Supreme Court building in 1912, and Congress approved the project in 1929. Construction began in 1932, and the building was completed in 1935.

The building is often confused with the Capitol because the two stand across the street from each other. The Capitol houses Congress, while the Supreme Court Building is the official workplace of the chief justice and the associate justices.