<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article relies largely or entirely on a single source . Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page . Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources . (October 2012) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article relies largely or entirely on a single source . Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page . Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources . (October 2012) </Td> </Tr> <P> National Statuary Hall is a chamber in the United States Capitol devoted to sculptures of prominent Americans . The hall, also known as the Old Hall of the House, is a large, two - story, semicircular room with a second story gallery along the curved perimeter . It is located immediately south of the Rotunda . The meeting place of the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 50 years (1807--1857), it is now the main exhibition space for the National Statuary Hall Collection . </P> <P> The Hall is built in the shape of an ancient amphitheater and is one of the earliest examples of Neoclassical architecture in America . While most wall surfaces are painted plaster, the low gallery walls and pilasters are sandstone . Around the room's perimeter stand colossal columns of variegated breccia marble quarried along the Potomac River . The Corinthian capitals of white marble were carved in Carrara, Italy . A lantern in the fireproof cast - steel ceiling admits natural light into the Hall . The chamber floor is laid with black and white marble tiles; the black marble was purchased specifically for the chamber, while the white marble was scrap material from the Capitol extension project . </P>

Why is the room south of the rotunda called statuary hall