Atlanta’s Olympic heritage worth exploring

ATLANTA — As the Vancouver Olympics wind down, it may be time to retrace some of the landmarks of the 1996 summer games that took place here in Atlanta 14 years ago.

The former Olympic Stadium lives on — albeit it in an altered state — as Turner Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves.

The stadium was home to the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events during the 1996 games. Following the closing ceremony, the stadium was transformed into the ballpark that it is today.

Perhaps the most apparent Olympic symbol that remains in town is the Olympic torch.

The torch was originally located in Olympic Stadium, but was moved to its current location at the intersection of Fulton Street and Capitol Avenue nearby Turner Field.

One last location worth noting is Centennial Olympic Park. The park was built as a central green space and remains a popular place for outdoor events. Sadly, the park is associated with the July 27, 1996, Olympic bombing that claimed two lives and injured more than 110 people.

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About Todd DeFeo 1625 Articles
Todd DeFeo loves to travel anywhere, anytime, taking pictures and notes. An award-winning reporter, Todd revels in the experience and the fact that every place has a story to tell. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and also edits Express Telegraph and Railfanning.org.