Atlanta saved its Fox Theatre from demolition with a $3 million campaign

The Fox opened its doors on December 25, 1929, with Disney's Steamboat Willie among its early cinematic attractions. Its lavish surroundings quickly became part of the experience, drawing audiences not only for films but also for live entertainment, opera, dances and stage performances. On a busy stretch of Peachtree Street, the Fox Theatre looks less like a cinema and more like a palace that somehow landed in the middle of the city. Gold details, towering domes, minarets and elaborate patterns transform its interiors into an extravagant fantasy, an effect that has made the building one of Atlanta's most recognisable landmarks.According to the Fox Theatre website, the theatre opened on Christmas Day in 1929, at the height of the grand movie-palace era. Its story, however, began slightly differently. The building was originally conceived as a headquarters for Atlanta's Shriners, who envisioned an elaborate structure inspired by architectural landmarks including Spain's Alhambra and Egypt's Temple of Karnak, explains the website.The resulting design proved far more expensive than anticipated. Rather than completing the project as originally intended, the Shriners leased the building ...