Although Atlanta is the capital of Georgia it was a small place of very little importance until relatively recently. In 1837, it was decided that the Western & Atlantic Railroad would build its terminus in the area. On the opening of the railway the city quickly grew to become a major transportation centre, and continued to expand as a result. During the Civil War Atlanta proved to be the crucial logistics hub, and also became home to the Southern forces' munitions industry. Because of this, the city was burned down by the Union Army in 1864 - an act that was immortalised in the novel 'Gone with the Wind'.

Atlanta bounced back from the Civil War, and is now regarded as one of the USA's top business cities. Many firms, including Coca Cola, have their world headquarters here. Given the city's history, a number of its main attractions are related to the Civil War. These include the Atlanta Cyclorama, a huge panoramic painting of the Battle of Atlanta. The painting is cylindrical, and has to be viewed from the inside. If the painting was to be laid from end to end, it would be 358 feet (109 metres) long.