Atlanta is located 1,010 feet above sea level and is the highest major city east of the Mississippi River. With five million residents and growing all the time, the ‘capital of the South’ and once a simple railroad junction has become an important city of econmic growth. Tourists love to visit Atlanta especially since two of its latest attraction were opened.The Georgia Aquarium, the largest indoor aquarium in the world, and the new World of Coca-Cola adjacent bring thousand of visitors each year to learn about the biggest brand name in the world and see Mei Lan, a giant panda cub at the Atlanta Zoo.
Atlanta symbol is the Phoenix, which tells the story of the city that once burned resurrected from the ashes and became more beautiful and stronger just like the bird from Egyptian mythology.The most printed book in the world can be found in the Margaret Mitchell House. "Gone With The Wind” is a book about the Antebellum South. Atlanta is the only city in North America that has been destroyed by fire as an act of war.
Atlanta has some of the most interesting history in the United States. Martin Luther King began the Civil Rights movement in Atlanta. After 100 year history of interracial harmony between blacks and whites brought the "Centennial Olympic Games" to Atlanta in 1996 which were held just a couple of miles where Dr King said the most famous ‘I have a Dream Speech’.
The Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site commemorates the life, work and legacy of Dr.King. The centre stretches over several blocks and brings visitors on a tour of Martin Luther King Jr Birthplace and shows films in the visitors center telling about King's life in the house. The King Center for Non-Violent Social Change gives more information on Dr King's life and work, and where you will see his Nobel Peace Prize. Dr.King is buried here between the church and center.
In 1996 Atlanta was well known world wide when it hosted the 1996
Summer Olympic Games. Since then, the city has focused its development
energy on the downtown and Midtown neighborhoods, both of which have
flourished in recent yearsMost
of the high-rise
buildings in Atlanta are concentrated in the Downtown, Midtown, and
Buckhead area of the city.The city is also home to the worlds largest aquarium opened in 2005. In 2007 right beside the Aquarium the
World of Coca-Cola opened featuring the history of the biggest brand in
the world. Visitors can taste various Coca-Cola products and flavors
that are not available to buy in stores. One of the highlights in this museum for art lovers is one of the most iconic coke bottle paintings by Andy Warhol. Warhol is the leader of the Pop Art Movement and tok on the iconic coke bottle to pass commenary on consumer behaviour in the 1960's.
The aquarium brought in 5 million visitors in its first 18 months. That does not impress the animal rights activists who have criticized the aquarium for showing exotic whale sharks, two of which died not long after the attraction opened.