Where is this mysterious location? Northwest DC? A Maryland mansion? A European country? If you’re a famous Capitol Hill reader, you probably know where to find this hidden gem. This is the interior of Frederick Law Olmsted‘s well-shaded Summer House, tucked into a Senate side corner of the U.S. Capitol’s west front lawn. It’s an open brick structure with stone seats for 22 people (party!) surrounding a fountain originally used for drinking (read: not anymore), and had hooks for ladles on its sides. Terracotta tiles hang down on the little house, open to the sky, that shade the intricate brickwork Olmstead oversaw for this oasis at the foot of the Capitol. There were supposed to be two Summer Houses on the Capitol Grounds, but Olmsted encountered Congressional opposition (and that was 132 years ago, people!). Looking just beyond some fanciful iron fencing on one side, the Summer House faces a grotto (pictured) that the most detail oriented landscaper would envy. The little 1881-built hexagonal structure manages to stay fairly empty despite millions of visitors to the grounds. If you’re in DC very or too often, this is worth a trip on your lunch break this summer (with or without the dog) for quiet reflection in a place that lacks the hustle and bustle of our District.