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Visiting Georgia’s State Capitol
The most striking portion of the Capitol building is the dome. The female statue atop the dome is a representation of Freedom, holding a lantern aloft. Both the dome and the lantern are covered in gold leaf, which was mined in the north Georgia town of Dahlonega. The main entrance is on Washington Street, with a plaza facing downtown. Inside the building is a large open rotunda. The Hall of Fame under the rotunda contains the marble busts of distinguished Georgian citizens, including Georgia signers of the Declaration of Independence. The Hall of Valor is also on the main floor. Georgia’s collection of 82 historic flags is displayed here. There are flags from early Georgia militias, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The flags are rotated periodically, so the display changes. The Georgia House Chamber is above the entrance on the west side of the rotunda, and the Senate is on the east side. The chambers may be viewed when the legislature is not in session. The Georgia State Museum of Science and Industry may be visited on the fourth floor of the building. The museum contains exhibits about Georgia’s geographical regions, its agriculture, wildlife, gems and minerals, the history of the Capitol building, and Georgia’s governors and General Assembly. The galleries of the legislative chambers are also accessed from the fourth floor. The Capitol is located at 206 Washington Street in downtown Atlanta. The Capitol and Museum are open to the public Monday through Friday from 8am-5:30pm. The facility is closed on weekends and holidays. All visitors must pass through a metal detector and bags must go through an X-ray machine. Adults must show a photo ID. Self-guided tours of the building are free, and brochures may be obtained at the Capitol Tour Desk located at the Washington Street entrance. Free walk-in guided tours are available Monday through Friday at 11:30am in June, July, and August for groups of 1-9 people. No reservations are required. Photography is permitted in the public areas of the building, but is not permitted in the House and Senate galleries when the legislature is in session. Visitors to downtown Atlanta may enjoy touring the Capitol building and Museum and learning something about Georgia’s history. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com S. Gandhi is the General Manager at the Hampton Inn and Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel. The Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel is just north of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and just southwest of downtown Atlanta. The hotel is two and a half miles from the Georgia International Convention Center and four miles from Atlanta Expo Center. For more information visit: www.AIRPORTHAMPTONINN.com |
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