Midtown | 1929 | National Historic Landmark

1. The Fox Theatre

The Fox Theatre opened on December 25, 1929 - just two months after the stock market crash - and has never stopped performing. Designed by architect Olivier Vinour in a Moorish Revival style inspired by Egypt's Temple of Karnak, its 4,678-seat auditorium features a canopy ceiling painted to simulate a starlit sky, complete with moving clouds. The Mighty Mo pipe organ, the second-largest theatre organ in the United States, remains in place and still plays before select performances. It was saved from demolition in 1974 by a citizen campaign, and named a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Midtown | 1983 / 2005 | Two Pritzker Prize Winners

2. The High Museum of Art

The High Museum is the largest art museum in the Southeast - 312,000 square feet across four buildings designed by two Pritzker Prize-winning architects. The original 1983 wing by Richard Meier established his reputation and was cited by the American Institute of Architects as one of the ten best works of American architecture of the 1980s. The 2005 expansion by Renzo Piano - three new buildings arranged around a European-style piazza - more than doubled the campus and introduced a 1,000-skylight roof system that filters northern light into the galleries without glare.

Downtown | 1889 | National Historic Landmark

3. Georgia State Capitol

Built between 1884 and 1889 by Chicago architects Edbrooke and Burnham for just under $1 million, the Georgia State Capitol is a Classical Revival landmark whose 237-foot gold dome dominates the downtown skyline. The dome was re-gilded in gold leaf in 1958 to 1959 using gold donated by citizens of Dahlonega - the site of America's first gold rush in the 1830s. The statue atop the dome, known as "Miss Freedom," stands 26 feet tall. The Capitol is a National Historic Landmark and open to the public for free guided tours.

Downtown | 2017 | LEED Platinum

4. Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Opened on August 26, 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the $1.5 billion home of the Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Atlanta United FC (MLS). Designed by HOK, its most distinctive feature is a retractable roof consisting of eight triangular "petal" panels inspired by the oculus of Rome's Pantheon - they open along 16 parallel tracks to reveal a circular aperture 200 feet across. It was the first stadium in North America to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Old Fourth Ward | 1926 / 2014 | National Register of Historic Places

5. Ponce City Market

Ponce City Market is Atlanta's largest adaptive reuse project - a 2.1 million-square-foot former Sears, Roebuck and Co. distribution center built in 1926, transformed by developer Jamestown into a mixed-use complex that reopened in 2014. The nine-story building retained its original 20-foot concrete columns, 400,000 square feet of hardwood flooring, and industrial brick shell. Today it houses a food hall, office space, 259 residential units, and a rooftop park - and sits directly on the Atlanta BeltLine's Eastside Trail.

Buckhead | 1928 | Atlanta History Center

6. Swan House

Built in 1928 for cotton merchant Edward Inman, the Swan House is the finest example of Italo-Palladian architecture in Atlanta - designed by Philip Trammell Shutze, the city's most celebrated classical architect. Set on the grounds of the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead, its symmetrical facade, cascading fountain, and formal gardens have made it a popular filming location. The interior is preserved as it was in the 1920s to 1930s, with original furnishings and decorative swan motifs.

Sandy Springs | 1989 / 1991 | Perimeter Market

7. King and Queen Towers

Standing at the Perimeter Center in Sandy Springs, the King and Queen Towers - officially Concourse Corporate Center - are Atlanta's most recognizable postmodern skyline markers outside of downtown. Designed by architect Kevin Roche, their stepped, crown-like summits give them the nicknames they are known by locally. The "King" tower (Concourse IV) and "Queen" tower (Concourse V) anchor one of Atlanta's largest suburban office districts.

Atlantic Station | 2008 | Museum and Monument

8. Millennium Gate Museum

Completed in 2008, the Millennium Gate Museum in Atlantic Station is both a triumphal arch and a working museum dedicated to Georgia's history. At 100 feet tall, it is one of the few triumphal arches constructed in the United States in the modern era - inspired by classical precedents from the Arc de Triomphe to ancient Rome, featuring Doric columns and sculptural reliefs. The museum inside features permanent and rotating exhibitions on Georgia history.

Downtown | 2005 | World-Class Aquarium

9. Georgia Aquarium

When the Georgia Aquarium opened on November 23, 2005, it was the largest aquarium in the world. Located adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, it was a $290 million gift to Atlanta from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus. Designed by Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback and Associates, its wave-shaped glass facade mirrors the movement of water within. The aquarium houses more than 10 million gallons of water and hundreds of marine species.

What are the most iconic architectural landmarks in Atlanta?

Atlanta's nine most iconic architectural landmarks are the Fox Theatre (660 Peachtree St NE, 1929), the High Museum of Art (1280 Peachtree St NE, Richard Meier & Renzo Piano), the Georgia State Capitol (206 Washington St SW, 1889 gold dome), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (1 AMB Dr NW, HOK, 2017), Ponce City Market (675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, 1926 Sears building reopened 2014), Swan House (130 W Paces Ferry Rd NW, 1928, Buckhead), the King and Queen Towers (400 Perimeter Center Terrace NE, Sandy Springs), the Millennium Gate Museum (395 17th St NW, 2008), and the Georgia Aquarium (225 Baker St NW, 2005).

What Atlanta neighborhood has the most architectural landmarks?

Midtown Atlanta has the highest concentration of architectural landmarks - including the Fox Theatre, the High Museum of Art, the Millennium Gate Museum at Atlantic Station, and proximity to Ponce City Market. Downtown follows with the Georgia State Capitol, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the Georgia Aquarium. Midtown's density of cultural infrastructure is one reason it consistently commands among the highest real estate premiums in the city. Browse Midtown homes for sale.

Is the Fox Theatre in Atlanta worth visiting?

Yes - the Fox Theatre at 660 Peachtree St NE is one of the most architecturally intact 1920s movie palaces in the United States. Its Moorish Revival interior, starlit ceiling, and Mighty Mo pipe organ make it worth visiting even outside of a performance. Guided architectural tours run Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The Fox hosts over 300 performances per year and draws approximately 750,000 visitors annually.

What is Ponce City Market in Atlanta?

Ponce City Market (675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta 30308) is Atlanta's largest adaptive reuse project - a 2.1 million-square-foot former Sears, Roebuck and Co. distribution center built in 1926, converted by developer Jamestown into a mixed-use complex that reopened in 2014. It houses a food hall, retail, 259 residential units, office space, and a rooftop park - connecting directly to the Atlanta BeltLine's Eastside Trail.

Where is the High Museum of Art in Atlanta?

The High Museum of Art is located at 1280 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, in Midtown Atlanta on the Woodruff Arts Center campus. It is the largest art museum in the Southeast at 312,000 square feet across four buildings. The original 1983 building was designed by Richard Meier; the 2005 expansion was designed by Renzo Piano.

What neighborhoods in Atlanta are near the major landmarks?

The neighborhoods most proximate to Atlanta's major architectural landmarks are Midtown (Fox Theatre, High Museum, Millennium Gate), Old Fourth Ward and Poncey-Highland (Ponce City Market), Downtown and Castleberry Hill (Georgia State Capitol, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Georgia Aquarium), and Buckhead (Swan House). Sandy Springs at the Perimeter Center drives strong rental demand in North Atlanta. Compare Atlanta neighborhoods.