In The Middle Of Somewhere (Post#11) : Fox Theatre Lobby
Before and after the show, people gathered at the lobby to socialize and had a bit of fun before watching the show and before leaving the Fabulous Fox. These photos are part of Shaping Sound event at Atlanta Fox Theatre Photo Collection November 2015.
Interior (Post#12) : Atlanta Fox Theatre
Atlanta Fox Theatre is already part of history and its significance is being recognize not only in the city but in the whole country. The theatre has been planned for demolition before and due to circumstances it has been saved. Right now the 1920’s former movie palace is now self-sustaining as it generates income that can maintain its structure. The building design both exterior and interior shows its Moorish style. When I entered the theatre from entrance to balcony it significantly show the Middle Eastern and Egyptian style from it doors, windows, ceilings, walls and flooring. Even the lighting used and decorations significantly show its Arabic concept. And when I learned that it was originally planned and designed as new headquarters of Shriners in Atlanta (a national fraternal organization that is a subgroup of the Masons, is the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic), I understand why the theatre has the Moorish concept. But because of the cost it needed, the member of Shriners lease the building to movie tycoon William Fox and had a deal about having its 5000 seats. These photos are part of Shaping Sound event at Atlanta Fox Theatre Photo Collection November 2015.
Entrance
Some of the interior decoration
Mezzanine Level
Auditorium with stage and balcony photos
When the weather in Atlanta becomes better, I took my chance to walk in some part of the city during my last weekend and last Friday in the metropolis. I grouped my walk in six major places as listed below. The order of these places that I saw in my leisure walk around the city are not necessarily based on how I presented it here, but I used north (Midtown) to south (Downtown) direction to tell the story of the places that I had seen in the city.
1. Peachtree St NE (Midtown)
This is the part of the walk where the following places can be found : Margaret Mitchell House, Fabulous Fox and Georgian Terrace.
2. Peachtree Street NE (Downtown)
Here the following buildings can be found : Bank of America Plaza, Emory University Hospital, SunTrust Plaza and Hyatt Regency. Hardy Ivy Park can also be seen along this street.
3. Pemberton Place
It is the home of World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium and Center for Civil and Human Rights.
4. Centennial Olympic Park
A place where you can enjoy a walk with Atlanta Skyline view and not far from it you can decide to ride Skyview Atlanta.
5. Peachtree Street NW (Downtown)
The walk in this part of Peachtree Street NW can enjoy Margaret Mitchell Square, Flatiron Building and Woodruff Park.
6. Underground
This is the place where you can enjoy the oldest streets of Atlanta and understand why it was called city beneath the city.
When I reached Woodruff Park and as I walked along Peachtree St NW, I found another place that caught my interest to have a leisure walk and that was Underground. I first heard Underground place from my colleague at work based in Atlanta. And he recommended me to go there and have some time to look around. When I saw its name from a distance, I felt excited then I walked towards it. Next thing that I saw was the Peachtree Fountain Plaza and the 138-feet tower where the New Year’s Eve Peach Drop happens every year, the 138 feet of the tower symbolizes the 138 miles of the railroad run from Downtown Atlanta to Chattanooga Tennessee, an interesting facts that I learned somewhere. At Peachtree Fountain Plaza is where usually people of Atlanta celebrates the switching of year from old to new.
Peachtree Fountain Plaza
138-feet tower of lights where Peach Drop happens every year
I walked towards Lower Alabama Street and I walked inside Underground. First thing that I saw were kiosks of small retail stores lined along the street. Its kind of discovering a part of Atlanta.
Then, I saw an area where you can take photos of yourself. I was not able to take mine because I was not really good in taking selfie pictures. But it looks like it is a photo booth where you will pay for photos but if it closed at night, I guess you can take photos for free and if you have friends with you can even have a groupie photos.
Photo booth
While wandering inside the Underground, I found some information boards where it tells a historical piece of facts that is worth to know. One of the things that I found were about Architectural Cast Iron which used in buildings after Civil War, then it followed by Gate City Bank in 1885, where there were still remnants of stonework of original buildings that still visible at the time of my visit, the Block Building of 1882, the Pryor Street Railroad Crossing, the Humbug Square and Packing House Row.
Architectural Cast Iron
Gate City Bank
Block Building (Coca-Cola ads)
Pryor Street Railroad Crossing
Humbug Square
Alabama and Pryor Street
Packing House Row
Wandering along the streets of Underground I reached the other end of it which is at Central Avenue SW. Here I found some small exhibits and pieces of information about Underground with a matching of train station platform. It also explained why the Underground exist at all which kind of a solution that people thought at earlier years to resolve the problem between automobiles and trains in busy and crowded roadways through building a viaducts. And that was exactly happened why we have such Undergound in Atlanta.
After enjoying sometime at the Courtesy Station of Underground, I walked back and continued enjoying my walk along Lower Alabama Street. On my way, I found additional carriage stone, a stone for gentry to step on to when people come out of their carriages. And finally, I finished my walking adventure and walks towards reach Five Points MARTA station which located at the start of my walk just below Peachtree Street SW.
End of Lower Alabama Street
Carriage Stones
At Five Points Station
And that’s how I end my walking adventure in Atlanta that day, until then.
Notes:
1. Plan to visit Underground Atlanta ? – Please check latest information here
2. Entrance Fee – Walking in the city is totally free
3. Public Transportation Ticket – Use MARTA Breese Card, here’s the official website, here’s alternative site for the card
4. Directions to Underground Atlanta using train :
If you will ride within Red Line or Gold Line regardless which station you will come from, just remember to get-off at Five Points Station.
If you will ride in any of Blue or Green Line, you are required to transfer at Five Points Station and take Red or Gold Line and get off at Five Points Station.
From Five Points Station, there is direct exit towards Undeground Atlanta.
Discovery (Post#34) : Carriage Stone – Underground Atlanta
Walking inside the streets of Underground such as Lower Alabama Street and Lower Pryor Street has some benefits in rediscovering history of Atlanta. One of the reminders of the old city are the carriages stones that still exist at the front of the stores along the street. Honestly, I didn’t knew the carriages stones means something until I read historical facts about its uses. It is used as step for the people who alighted from horse-drawn carriages so that their feet will not get dirty specially if the street became muddy. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Chromatic Outlook (Post#43) : Humbug Square Sights – Underground Atlanta
While walking along Lower Alabama Street, I found a man and a bear sculpture which represents the common sights during the pioneering days of Atlanta along the said street from Peachtree Street and Pryor Street. The common sights show trained bears together with its master to show some entertainment to the public. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Colors (Post#10) : Lower Pryor Street – Underground Atlanta
When I entered the Underground, I walked along Lower Alabama Street and then the road that it crossed is the Lower Pryor Street. Once famous street and a rail road crossing which serves over 100 trains per day with direct service between Atlanta and New York City; Cincinnati, Ohio; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Knoxville, Tennessee; Augusta, Georgia; Macon, Georgia; and Columbus, Georgia. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Discovery (Post#33) : 138-Foot Tower (Peach Drop) – Underground Atlanta
When I walked towards Underground and when I passed the Peachtree Fountain Plaza, I saw a 138-foot tower. I didn’t knew at first if its significant in the area, the tower used where a huge like peach is drop as part of New Year’s Celebration in the city. Then, when I learned about Peach Drop, I realized the function of the tower. And then, while I was looking for information about Underground, I discovered something about the reasoning behind the 138-Foot Tower. The 138 Foot symbolizes the 138 miles of the railroad run from Downtown Atlanta to Chattanooga Tennessee. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Name Of The Place (Post#40) : Underground Atlanta
They call Underground as the “Original Streets” in Atlanta and “City beneath the city”. Underground is a shopping and entertainment all in one near in Five Points. This historical place has been going on its ups and downs for the past century and up to this point Underground still struggling to survive. The photos that I captured was taken year of 2015 so I am not sure if the things that I saw that time will be the same as of now. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
After coming from Centennial Olympic Park, my journey in exploring the city continues. I walked towards Andrew Young International Blvd NW and turned right in Carnegie Way NW until I reached it end at Forsyth St NW. From there I crossed the street to reach Margaret Mitchell Square which located between Forsyth St NW and Peachtree St NW.
Margaret Mitchell Square
From Margaret Mitchell Square, I wandered along Peachtree St NW and stopped when I reached Auburn Ave NE. Here I saw the historic Flatiron Building which built in 1897 and the curve fountain called International Peace Fountain which commemorates the significant role of Atlanta city towards civil and human rights movement.
At Auburn Ave NE
Flatiron Building
At Northern Edge of Woodruff Park
International Peace Fountain at northern edge of Woodruff Park
Playground “ATL”
Atlanta Streetcar
Peachtree St NW
When I crossed Auburn Ave NE, I reached the main area of Woodruff Park. The park was named after Robert Woodruff a former president of Coca-Cola company. Here I saw a monument that symbolized the rebirth of the city after civil war that was torn when it was burned by William T. Sherman’s Union Army.
At Woodruff Park
Woodruff Park
Atlanta From The Ashes or The Phoenix monument
At Edgewood Ave SE
Georgia State University-Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Next walking adventure happens at Underground Atlanta. Until then.
Notes:
1. Plan to visit Downtown Atlanta ? – Please check latest information here
2. Entrance Fee – Walking in the city is totally free
3. Public Transportation Ticket – Use MARTA Breese Card, here’s the official website, here’s alternative site for the card
4. Directions to walk in this part of Peachtree Street NW using train :
If you will ride within Red Line or Gold Line regardless which station you will come from, just remember to get-off at Peachtree Center Transit Station.
If you will ride in any of Blue or Green Line, you are required to transfer at Five Points Station and take Red or Gold Line and get off at Peachtree Center Transit Station.
From Peachtree Center Transit Station, get off at Forsyth Street NW, cross next road which is Peachtree Street NW. And walked along Peachtree Street towards Downtown direction or towards Marietta Street NW.
Arts and Craft (Post#16) : Atlanta From The Ashes (Phoenix) by James Siegler
While walking in Peachtree St NW, at the end of Woodruff Park, I saw a monument called “Atlanta From The Ashes” or simply “The Phoenix”. The monument symbolizes the rise of Atlanta from the ashes during the Civil War to become a world city. The monument was created by James Siegler of Houston, Texas. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Transportation (Post#10) : Atlanta – Streetcar
In Atlanta they call it as streetcar which reminds me of trams in Melbourne. Though I haven’t taken this one at the time of my walks in Atlanta, it gave me impression as I had seen photos of the city that it uses streetcar before specially in major street such as Peachtree Street but I learned that it was phased out in 1949. But thinking about the streetcar, the city is trying to put it back. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Random Angle (Post#6) : Flatiron Building (Atlanta)
Another interesting historical building that I found along Peachtree St NW is what they called Flatiron Building (or as English-American Building) which completed in 1897, 5 years earlier that Flatiron Building in New York. At the time that I found this building it was under renovations. This building is protected by the city and listed in National Registers of Historic Places. Currently, the building is used for commercial space such as eateries, events and offices. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
The next place that I walked around was Centennial Olympic Park just beside Pemberton Place. While walking towards the park, I admired who did the urban planning of the area. Thinking how they carefully thought about the location of two major tourist destination Pemberton Place and Centennial Olympic Park. Because both locals and visitors can enjoy these places as it close to one another, a strategic objective with the mind for the guests welfare to appreciate this part of Downtown of the city.
The things that I immediately saw after crossing Baker St NW
At the same day of my first visit in Pemberton Place, I crossed Baker St NW to see the open park which they called Centennial Olympic Park. Coming to this part of Downtown of the city have some benefits for the tourist or visitor like me because I was able to see Pemberton Place a home of three major tourist buildings which just the other side of Baker St NW and the Centennial Olympic Park on the other side. Any visitors whom just wanted to chill out in a lovely day can just hang out in the park or if they like, they can easily decide to visit one of the museums which located just around the corner.
Skyline View of Atlanta from the park
I enjoyed my stroll in the park because it gave me a glimpse of the skyline view of Atlanta. Yes, it was not the complete skyline view and just part of it but I was still amazed on the urbanity that surrounds the park. There are things that can be learned and appreciated while walking within the park as it offers audio tour like additional learnings to everyone, though I haven’t tried it while I was in the park, I just saw this from information board when I entered the park.
I didn’t see all what the park offers but I found interesting information for the things that I had seen such as : the Gateway of Dreams, Hermes Towers / Centennial Plaza and the Fountain Rings. During the walk, I also got a chance to see the CNN headquarter in Atlanta.
Gateway of Dreams – Sculpture pays homage to the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and to the ideals of the Games.
Hermes Towers / Centennial Plaza
Hermes Towers – 65-foot high lighted towers encircle the Plaza. Named after the mythological messenger god Hermes, the “Hermes Towers” are stylized reproductions of markers that led the ancient Greeks to significant public spaces and events
Centennial Plaza – A 100 meters squared, which surrounded by official flags of Olympic Games and 23 national flags which represents the previous cities that hosted the summer games.
(Source : GWCCA website)
Fountain of Rings – World’s Largest Interactive Fountain
The Fountain of Rings is the centerpiece of Centennial Olympic Park and is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in Georgia. Millions of international and local guests visit the Park every year to enjoy the world’s largest interactive fountain featuring the Olympic Ring symbol. (Source : GWCCA website)
The famous Cable News Network (CNN), Atlanta Headquarters which used for weekend programming.
When I felt content with my walk in Centennial Olympic Park, I walked towards Skyview Atlanta, a 200 foot Ferriswheel to enjoy viewing the city in another way. Though during my visit, I never tried to ride on this one, I just a took a souvenir photo of it
Skyview Atlanta
The said Ferris wheel features 42 climate-controlled gondolas providing guests with breathtaking panoramic views of downtown Atlanta and the surrounding metropolitan area. (Source : Skyview Atlanta website)
Centennial Olympic Park Streetcar Station
And before I left the area I found a tram station of Centennial Olympic Park which they call it Atlanta Streetcar (Downtown Loop) before heading to Peachtree Street NW to continue my journey.
Notes:
1. Plan to visit Centennial Olympic Park ? – Please check latest information here
2. Entrance Fee – Walking in the city is totally free
3. Public Transportation Ticket – Use MARTA Breese Card, here’s the official website, here’s alternative site for the card
4. Directions to Centennial Olympic Park using train :
If you will ride within Red Line or Gold Line regardless which station you will come from, just remember to get-off at Peachtree Center Station.
If you will ride in any of Blue or Green Line, you are required to transfer at Five Points Station and take Red or Gold Line and get off at Peachtree Center Station.
Then exit at Peachtree Street, turn Right until you reach either Andrew Young International Blvd NW or Baker Street NW and turn left towards Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW to see the said park.
Discovery (Post#32) : Centennial Olympic Park – Fountain of Rings
While walking within Centennial Olympic Park, I found this interesting fountain that forms the Olympic rings. Below was the discovery that I learned about the said fountain. The photo is part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
The Fountain of Rings is the centerpiece of Centennial Olympic Park and is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in Georgia. Millions of international and local guests visit the Park every year to enjoy the world’s largest interactive fountain featuring the Olympic Ring symbol. (Source : GWCCA website)
Featuring Our World (Post#8) : Centennial Olympic Park
Coming from Pemberton Place, I only need to cross Baker St NW to be able to reach Centennial Olympic Park. And one thing that I enjoyed aside from the things that it offers within the park, was the chance to see a bit of skyline of Atlanta. Even though it was not the complete skyline but because of huge open space in the park, all the buildings that surrounds it made the park a beautiful spot for taking photos of the city. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Arts and Craft (Post#15) : Gateway of Dreams by Raymond Kaskey
Within Centennial Olympic Park, I found this monument with Olympic Rings symbol and there is the statue of Baron Pierre de Coubertin who is considered as Father of Modern Olympic Games. The monument is to honor de Courbetin and the ideals of the game and made by American sculptor Raymond Kaskey. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Pemberton Place is home of popular city tourist spots such as Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world until 2012, the World of Coca-Cola museum where the Coca-Cola secret formula is hidden in their vault and Center for Civil and Human Rights where you may have a chance to listen the unimaginable experience of people because of color discrimination and persecution.
First Visit
After enjoying my visit in World of Coca-Cola last November 14, 2015, I walked a bit around Pemberton Place. It is a complex where tourist can enjoy their time without going too far just to visit tourist spots. During the walk, I realized how fascinating the architectural designs of the buildings that surrounds the place. I can say that it was designed to be globally recognized as tourist district.
I had one time chance to eat inside Pemberton Cafe after my visit in World of Coca-Cola museum. Next, I had a chance to take photos outside of World of Coca-Cola. Then I saw the wonderful building of Center for Civil and Human Rights museum which I visited the next day.
Pemberton Cafe
Center for Civil and Human Rights
World of Coca-Cola
Second Visit
I returned to Pemberton Place the next day which was November 15, 2015 as I wanted to spend time inside the Center for Civil and Human Rights museum and before going inside the said museum I took additional photos of surroundings of Pemberton Place where I was able to take photos of statue of Dr. John S. Pemberton who invented Coca-Cola and additional photos of Center of Civil and Human Rights museum.
On the way to Pemberton Place
Pemberton Statue
With Georgia Aquarium
Pemberton Place Green Space
Center for Civil and Human Rights
Georgia Aquarium
Notes:
1. Plan to visit Pemberton Place ? – Please check latest information here
2. Entrance Fee – Walking in the city is totally free
3. Public Transportation Ticket – Use MARTA Breese Card, here’s the official website, here’s alternative site for the card
4. Directions to Pemberton Place using train :
If you will ride within Red Line or Gold Line regardless which station you will come from, just remember to get-off at Peachtree Center Station.
If you will ride in any of Blue or Green Line, you are required to transfer at Five Points Station and take Red or Gold Line and get off at Peachtree Center Station.
Then exit at Peachtree Street, turn Right until you reach Baker Street NW and turn left towards Pemberton Place.
Structure (Post#15) : World of Coca-Cola
Seeing these photos of World of Coca-Cola from a distance, which I visited almost two years ago reminded me how great the museum was. The museum has modern style concept which for me a fantastic architectural design. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Restaurant (Post#1) : Pemberton Cafe
What can I say with this Cafe? It is an open-air beverage and food lounge. Honestly, this is just a typical cafe. When I came here to fill me in since I was really hungry, not so much people around. But still there were people whom like me that just wanted to eat after visiting one of the museum or after wandering around the place. Because the cafe just have small space, just few seats and tables are available. I took my order at the cashier area then I waited for my food. Next, I looked for available seats that I can take. I ate my food silently, when I was finished, I went off. Nothing to fancy in this cafe. The photo is part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
