There are so many interesting facts about Atlanta- this is one of the most fascinating place in the USA to learn about. But why? Read on to find out…

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25 Fascinating Facts About Atlanta

25 Fascinating Facts About Atlanta

Located in the Southern region of the US, Atlanta is the most populous city, and also the capital of the state of Georgia. To most of us, Atlanta isn’t as well-known as other big cities in the US, like New York or San Francisco.

But, trust me, after visiting Atlanta, I realised that it deserves way more recognition! Now, these facts about Atlanta will also leave you in awe of the city. So, read on to know more.

1. Atlanta’s Symbol is a Phoenix

If you’ve watched Harry Potter, you might already know what a Phoenix is! It is a mythological bird that sets itself on fire and dies. However, it takes a rebirth from its own ashes and symbolises strength and transformation.

Due to the beautiful symbolisation, Atlanta’s symbol is also a Phoenix. Now, there’s a reason behind it. The city of Atlanta was burnt entirely in 1864, during the American Civil War. Despite this, Atlanta rebuilt itself in the subsequent years and rose from the ashes (yes, just like a Phoenix).

2. Atlanta Has the Busiest Airport in the World

These facts about Atlanta are a must-know.

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the entire world. In 2019, the airport had almost 76 million passengers!

There are various reasons why Atlanta’s airport is the busiest. The primary reason is that it is the hub for one of the most popular airlines, Delta Airlines. Also, Atlanta is located strategically, making it pretty close to almost 80% of the US population.

3. Coca-Cola Was Invented in Atlanta

Here’s one of the facts about Atlanta for all those who love Coca-Cola! The history behind the invention of Coca-Cola is quite interesting.

A pharmacist from Atlanta, named John Pemberton, developed a formula using the coca leaf extract and kola nut, to create a medicinal beverage. This beverage was supposed to cure headaches and fatigue.

However, little did he know that this medicinal beverage would instead become Coca-Cola, one of the most popular cold drinks today!

4. Atlanta Has a Team for Almost Every Sport

These facts about Atlanta will make every sports lover fall in love with it.

Atlanta has many teams for almost every professional sport out there. It has the Atlanta Braves team for baseball, Atlanta Hawks for basketball, Atlanta Falcons for football, Atlanta United FC for soccer, and Atlanta Dream for women’s basketball.

There are teams for slightly less popular sports as well, such as Atlanta Gladiators for ice hockey, and Atlanta Blaze for lacrosse!

5. Stranger Things Was Filmed in Atlanta

All Stranger Things fans unite because these facts about Atlanta are about to get stranger.

Atlanta isn’t just a commercial hub, but it is also a popular filming location for critically-acclaimed series like Stranger Things.

Some of the spots where the shooting of Stranger Things took place in Atlanta or nearby places include Gwinnett Place Mall, Stone Mountain Cemetery, communal South Bend Pool, and Hawkins National Laboratory.

So, if you’re a Stranger Things fan, create a list of these places, and visit them in Atlanta!

6. Atlanta Has the Headquarters of Many Huge Companies

Atlanta is one of the major commercial hubs in the US. Therefore, you’ll get to see the headquarters of some of the largest companies here. Again, the reason behind this is the strategic location of Atlanta.

The headquarters of Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Delta, AT&T, NCR, Chick-Fil-A, and MailChimp are in Atlanta. The city also has the headquarters of some other big-scale companies too.

7. Atlanta Has the World’s Largest and Busiest Drive-In Restaurant – The Varsity

Most of us love a drive-in restaurant! If you do too, then these facts about Atlanta are for you.

The Varsity is a 90-year-old restaurant and drive-in, spread across five acres, in downtown Atlanta! This place remains extremely busy, as it serves more than 25,000 people. Additionally, this drive-in almost never closes.

Also, here is a quick fun fact about The Varsity – it is the single-largest restaurant consumer of Coca-Cola worldwide!

8. Atlanta Is the Most Forested Urban City in the US

When it comes to urban cities, you’re probably not going to find much greenery. Hence, this is one of my favourite facts about Atlanta.

According to the National Forest Service, Atlanta is considered the most heavily forested urban area in the entire US.

Many people also call Atlanta a “city in a forest” due to the numerous number of trees. The tree canopy here covers around 36.7%, whereas the same for any other large city is only around 27%.

9. Atlanta Has the Tallest Building in Georgia

The city of Atlanta in Georgia has over 39 skyscrapers, each with a height of more than 400 feet (122 metres).

Atlanta also has the tallest building in Georgia, and the 21st tallest building in the US. It is The Bank of America Plaza, located in Downtown Atlanta. This building is 1,023 feet (312 metres) tall, and has around 55 floors!

Apart from the state, The Bank of America Plaza is also considered one of the tallest buildings in the southeastern part of the United States.

10. Atlanta Has Amazing Food From Every Culture

These facts about Atlanta will make you want to try the food in the city.

Atlanta just doesn’t have the usual American-style diners or fast-food joints. Instead, you’ll find restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world.

Many restaurants serve authentic cuisines like Thai, Mediterranean, Indian, Mexican, Italian, and many more.

11. Atlanta Hosted the Summer Olympics

Atlanta was the first city in the entire Southern US to host the Summer Olympics. This international multi-sport event took place in 1996, and had over 271 events!

Moreover, around 197 nations participated in this Olympics and a special Centennial Olympic Park was constructed for the event. This 22-acre park still remains a favourite spot to chill, for the people in Atlanta!

12. Film Production Is HUGE in Atlanta

If you’re interested in film-making or production, then Atlanta might just be the city for you!

Most of us think that only Los Angeles is the place for film production. But, Atlanta comes pretty close, as it has become the second best. Most people also call this city the “Hollywood of the South”.

Moreover, in 2016, more feature films were made in Georgia, compared to California! The main reason is that the entire state has almost everything that you’d need for a good movie – spectacular beaches, pretty forests, and vibrant city life.

Some of the hit movies that were shot in Atlanta include Baby Driver, Black Panther, and The Hunger Games.

13. Atlanta Was First Named After Governor Wilson Lumpkin’s Daughter

Now, let’s discuss some naming facts about Atlanta, as there’s some history behind it too!

In 1843, Atlanta had a different name, as it was called “Marthasville”. The name was given to honour the former governor, Governor Wilson Lumpkin, as his daughter was named “Martha”.

However, just after two years, the city was renamed “Atlanta” based on the Atlantic Railroad.

14. Atlanta as a Melting Pot of Cultures

The city of Atlanta is a melting pot of culture! You’ll find people from all over the world there, as it’s a commercial hub. But, the majority of the locals in Atlanta are African Americans.

If you look at the demographics of Atlanta (2010), you’ll see that over 50% of the population was African American. Around 40% of them were white, 36% of them were non-Hispanic, and 5% were Latinos. However, over the years, the population of African Americans in Atlanta is decreasing.

In 2020 itself, the number of African Americans in Atlanta was around 47%.

15. Atlanta Is Home to the World’s Third-Largest Aquarium

Atlanta is just the right place for aquarium lovers because it has the world’s third-largest aquarium.

Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is the largest aquarium in the entire Western Hemisphere. There are many fish species and animals exhibited in eight different exhibits. Also, the total water volume of the aquarium is around 42,000 cubic metres!

When the aquarium first opened in 2005, it was the largest one in the whole world. However, it was replaced by the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore and the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China.

16. Over 71 Streets Contain the Word “Peachtree” in Atlanta

This is one of the quirkiest facts about Atlanta, according to me.

The locals of Atlanta are extremely familiar with the word “Peachtree” because the term is used with more than 71 streets in the city. Therefore, you’ll find a “Peachtree Street”, “Peachtree Plaza”, and even a “Peachtree Avenue”.

Now, the reason behind it is that the word “Peachtree” originally meant “pitch tree”, a local name for the region’s pine tree. However, it was soon referred to as “Peachtree” and got popularised!

17. The 38th Largest City in the US is Atlanta

Atlanta is the largest city in Georgia, but it’s the 38th largest in the US.

The city is spread across an area of 350.4 square kilometres, and as of 2022, it has a population of over 6,000,000.

18. Atlanta Has 12 Billionaires!

After reading these facts about Atlanta, you already know that the city has many huge corporations. Hence, it’s not a surprise that the city is also home to 12 billionaires that have a combined net worth of $55.1 billion.

According to a report by 24/7 Wall St., Atlanta is the fourth city in the US having the most number of billionaires, after New York (86), San Francisco (41), and Dallas (18).

Out of these billionaires, the richest person in Atlanta is Jim Kennedy. He is Cox Enterprise Inc. ‘s chairman emeritus and has a net worth of 8.3 billion USD.

19. Atlanta Has Two Nobel Peace Prize Winners

Atlanta is the birthplace of not just innovators and artists, but Nobel Peace Prize Winners too!

Two legends from Atlanta, Martin Luther King Jr. and President Jimmy Carter were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1964 and 2002, respectively.

20. Many Celebrities Were Born in Atlanta

Your favourite celebrity might be from Atlanta, as there are many who were born there!

Some of the famous people who hail from Atlanta include Halle Bailey, Kanye West, Normani, Chris Tucker, and many more.

Presently, there are also many celebrities, like Justin Bieber and Cardi B, who reside in Atlanta.

21. Atlanta Is Home to Dragon Con

If you’re a gamer or a nerd, you should definitely read these facts about Atlanta!

Atlanta organises the largest popular culture convention, the Dragon Con. It has thousands of attendees every year, as it focuses on everything such as art, science, gaming, and music. In 2022 itself, over 65,000 people went to the Dragon Con!

22. Atlanta Has a Beautiful Musical Heritage

Just like movies and business, Atlanta has also served as an inspiration to music artists. Hence, it has a rich musical heritage.

Mainly, the city of Atlanta is known for its hip-hop, rap, soul and R&B music. Some of the popular music artists from Atlanta include Ludacris, 21 Savage, John Mayer, and Gucci Mane.

Atlanta also has many grand music festivals like the ONE Musicfest, Imagine Festival, and Music Midtown.

23. The Fastest Baseball Game Ever Happened in Atlanta

Here are some other sports-related fun facts about Atlanta! Did you know that the fastest baseball game also happened in Atlanta?

In 1910, two teams, Atlanta Crackers and Mobile Seagulls, played a baseball game that simply lasted for 32 minutes, as opposed to a baseball game that lasts over three hours currently!

24. Atlanta Has the Largest Hindu Temple Outside India

Hinduism is a well-known religion, especially in India. However, many Hindus also reside in the United States, and these facts about Atlanta prove that!

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, located in Lilburn, Atlanta, is the largest Hindu temple outside of India. The temple is spread across 30 acres of land and has brilliant architecture.

You’ll get to see the traditional Indian stone-carving techniques in the temple’s architecture, decorative ceilings, and beautiful sculptures here.

25. Putting an Ice Cream Cone in Your Pocket Was Illegal in Atlanta

Certain American states have slightly strange laws, including Georgia.

For instance, one of the strangest laws I’ve read while reading the facts about Atlanta is that you cannot put an ice cream cone in your back pocket, on Sundays! But wait, don’t judge the officials yet, as there’s a reason behind it.

Back in the 1900s, horse thieves would put an ice cream cone in their back pockets. This way, the horse would try to eat the sweet treat. Then, the thief would grab the reins and take the horse away from the owner!