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00:00:12The Senate Chamber is of a similar size as the House
00:00:16but looks different because of the way the area is used.
00:00:20There are 33 members in this body of the legislature,
00:00:23so they require less space on the floor, which gives the chamber
00:00:26its greatest physical difference with the House.
00:00:30There is no gallery in the Senate and the public seating
00:00:33is on the same level as the legislators.
00:00:37Both legislative chambers have a great deal of ornate decoration
00:00:41and show a high degree of craftsmanship.
00:00:44When the state of Ohio took such time and effort to build such
00:00:48an impressive structure throughout the mid 1800s,
00:00:52it was very clear that it simply was not just a place
00:00:55for people to come and work.
00:00:58The massive structure spoke to the aspirations of the state
00:01:01and how much confidence they placed in the democratic
00:01:04form of government, which was a bold innovation at that time.
00:01:09Both the House and Senate spaces make use
00:01:11of valued materials such as marble.
00:01:15The clever craftsmen could often make humble materials
00:01:18seem to be more than they were.
00:01:21The elaborately carved woodwork around the doors and windows
00:01:24throughout the Chamber is actually pine and poplar,
00:01:27inexpensive woods that could be acquired locally
00:01:31and were easy to work with.
00:01:33The woodwork is painted to resemble oak which is expensive
00:01:37and difficult to utilize.
00:01:39Clearly visible at the front of the Senate Chamber
00:01:41above the marble podium is a large eagle.
00:01:45The eagle is one of the symbols of the United States,
00:01:47and combined with the red, white, and blue shield
00:01:49it is perched on, is a reminder to the legislators
00:01:52who work in this room that what they do here
00:01:55is for the good of Ohio, but the State of Ohio
00:01:58is also one of the United States.
00:02:01The eagle itself is carved from wood and covered with
00:02:04a thin layer of gold leaf.
00:02:07Just beneath the eagle and shield is another interesting
00:02:09decorative element of both the House and Senate Chambers.
00:02:13The decorative stone bracket is actually painted on the wall,
00:02:17but painted in such a way as to appear three dimensional.
00:02:21Paintings of this kind are referred to by the French term
00:02:24"trompe l'oeil," which literally means "fool the eye,"
00:02:28which is exactly what this sort of work does.
00:02:31With modern technology today,
00:02:33anyone can view the proceedings of the Ohio Senate online at
00:02:37www.ohiochannel.org.
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions