The capital of Wisconsin, Madison is also the seat of Dane County and the focus of a metropolitan statistical area that includes the entire county. The city was founded as the state capital, where no other permanent settlement had previously existed, on a unique geographic site, a narrow isthmus of land called Four Lakes Isthmus between two lakes. Since Madison was founded, the natural beauty of its setting has been enhanced by parks and boulevards with an impressive State Capitol Building and plaza at the center of the city. Madison is the base of the University of Wisconsin, a nationally respected research institution known for a tradition of academic excellence.