The Atlanta Traveler

I have to admit that I thought that the Cyclorama had to do something with bicycles. Actually, a Cyclorama, is a huge cylindrical painting in which the viewer gets a 360-degree view of the painting. The Cyclorama, located in Grant Park has been entertaining folks in Atlanta since 1893. The Cyclorama also has Civil War museum located mainly on the top floor of the building. The main attraction of the Cyclorama, however, has to be the gigantic three-dimensional painting depicting the Atlanta Campaign in the Civil War in July 22, 1864. It is the largest oil painting in the world, weighing over 9,000 pounds. It’s 42 feet high and 358 feet long. The Cyclorama was painted by 11 German artists who were chosen for their various specialities. For example, artists who specialize in painting skies, painted the sky for the Cyclorama.

The tour of the Cyclorama begins after a short film narrated by James Earl Jones introducing the Battle in Atlanta. Next, you go into an auditorium, the actual Cyclorama (higher seats get the better view) and the auditorium revolves around the painting while a different narrator explains significant points in the paining. As he tells the story of this massive painting, the areas that he refers to light up. Here are some interesting parts in the painting that our guide mentioned.

• Old Abe, an eagle war mascot from Wisconsin, flew over more than three dozen battles, but not over the Atlanta Campaign as he is shown in the painting.
• There’s a tiny figure in red at the bottom of Stone Mountain; that’s a woman, the only woman depicted in the painting. She’s a nurse, taking care of a federal soldier.
• The only African America man in the painting is a slave observing the battle when from 1861 to 1865 over 200,000 African Americans fought in the Civil War. There were 23 African American soldiers who earned medals of honor.
• There is a gentleman, a dying soldier, who is a copy of Clark Gable as Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind. Apparently Gable felt that his character should play a part of the Cyclorama. Someone actually muttered, “Oh God!” when our tour guide pointed that out. It was too funny! Anyway, during the premiere of Gone With the Wind in 1939, the cast and crew came to the Cyclorama and Gable felt that no painting of the Civil War was complete without a depiction Rhett Butler. I don’t think that Rhett depicted as a dead and  bloody Union soldier was what he had in mind.

The Cyclorama was entertaining; the story of the battle in Atlanta of the Civil War is told in surround sound with sound effects from the battle. On the bottom of the painting are 128 replicas of soldiers in the battle, among realistic looking fallen trees and debris. The tallest soldier is three feet and the smallest is about 11 inches. Visitors, feel as though they are looking into a life-sized 3D replica of the battle. Children will love the Cyclorama, and it’s a great place for them to learn about Atlanta’s part in the Civil War.

How Much:

Adults $7

Seniors $6

Kids $5

Where:

The Atlanta Cyclorama is adjacent to Zoo Atlanta.

800C

Cherokee Ave. SW

Atlanta

404-624-1071

Hours:

8:50 to 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays

Photo Credit: Claudine Williams

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