Civil Courts Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Civil Courts Building |
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Courthouse |
| Location | 10 North Tucker Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri |
| Coordinates | 38°37′39″N 90°11′50″W / 38.6276°N 90.1972°W |
| Construction started | 1928 |
| Completed | 1930 |
| Cost | $4.5 million (64.1 million 2015) |
| Owner | State of Missouri |
| Management | State of Missouri |
| Height | |
| Roof | 386 feet (118 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 13 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Klipstein & Rathmann |
The Civil Courts Building is a famous court building in St. Louis, Missouri. It is used by the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri, which is where important legal cases are handled.
This building is easy to spot because of its unique pyramid-shaped roof. If you look at photos of the Gateway Arch from the Illinois side, you'll often see the Civil Courts Building right behind the Old Courthouse. It stands out in the middle of the city's Memorial Plaza.
A New Courthouse for St. Louis
The Civil Courts Building was built as part of a big plan to improve St. Louis. In 1923, people in the city voted to borrow $87 million. This money was used to build several grand buildings along the Memorial Plaza. Other buildings from this plan included the Kiel Auditorium and the Municipal Services Building. This project was part of St. Louis's "City Beautiful" plan. This plan aimed to make the city look more impressive and organized.
The Civil Courts Building took over from the Old Courthouse as the main court building for the city. Because of this change, the family of Auguste Chouteau, one of St. Louis's founders, tried to sue the city. They wanted the Old Courthouse back, saying it was supposed to always be a courthouse. However, they did not win their case.
Amazing Architecture
The pyramid roof on top of the Civil Courts Building was designed to look like the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. This ancient tomb was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The building features 32 large columns. These columns are in the Ionic order, which means they have a special scroll-like design at the top. Each column is about 42 feet (13 m) tall and 5+1⁄2 feet wide. They are made from a type of stone called Indiana limestone.
The roof itself is made of cast aluminum. On top of the roof, there are two large sphinx-like statues. These statues are about 12-foot (3.7 m) tall. They have the fleur-de-lis symbol on their chests, which is a special symbol of St. Louis. A sculptor from Cleveland named Steven A. Rebeck created these statues.
Preserving History
Over the years, some parts of the building have been removed during renovations. These old architectural pieces are now kept at a storage site in Sauget, Illinois. They are cared for by the St. Louis Building Arts Foundation. This foundation helps preserve important parts of St. Louis's building history.
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