# 16 Famous Buildings in the American South: An Architectural Tour > An architectural journey across the American South, from Montgomery to White Sulphur Springs. We rounded up 16 historic buildings worth seeing in person. - URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/16-znamenytkh-zdanyi-na-iuhe-ssha-arkhytekturni-tur/ - Language: en - Published: 2025-03-08 - Categories: Culture, Historic Sites, Museums, Hotels, Tours, USA --- One of the best ways to get to know the true character of the American South is to travel its highways and back roads and take in its architecture. You will discover a region of the United States that is far more varied than you might have imagined. But first, we need to define what the "South" actually is. There are plenty of heated debates about what counts as the South. For this roundup, we are using the regional divisions set by the U.S. Census Bureau. That may include a few states that could surprise you. From historic sites and iconic landmarks to new wonders of commerce and entertainment, a road trip through the South to admire its buildings is a great way to spend your time during the pandemic. Most of these buildings are still open to the public for interior tours, with safety measures and restrictions in place because of Covid-19. But you can always view them from the outside if they are closed for indoor visits. Check the details about each location before you set off. With that in mind, here is a tour of famous buildings in the South, listed alphabetically by state: ## National Memorial for Peace and Justice ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-1-2024.jpg) Opened: 2018 | Use: Educational | Location: Montgomery, Alabama The first building on our list is also the newest, yet it has already left a significant mark on the South and beyond. In Alabama's capital, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice offers a modest, contemporary space for reflection, where Americans can confront the country's often hidden history of lynchings. Working with the MASS Design Group and others, the Equal Justice Initiative created and designed a structure that carries real emotional weight. Its 800 steel monuments hang from the ceiling, each representing a county where lynchings took place. Engraved with the names of the victims, each slab is made from Corten steel, which quickly develops a deliberate coating of rust. National Memorial for Peace and Justice: 417 Caroline St, Montgomery, AL 36104; +1 334-386-9100. It is open with Covid-19 safety protocols. ## William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-2-2024.jpg) Opened: 2004 | Use: Museum and research | Location: Little Rock, Arkansas Inspired by the six bridges that cross the Arkansas River, architects James Polshek and Richard Olcott built a modern masterpiece with this presidential library. The main building of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum is suspended over a park on the south bank of the river. The design carried symbolic weight for the former president, who wanted a physical representation of a bridge into the 21st century. The open, glass-filled design lets in plenty of natural light and serves as a nod to the ideals of democracy. It was the first federal building to earn a platinum LEED rating, the highest ranking on a scale that grades buildings on sustainability. William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum: 1200 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201; +1 501-374-4242. The interior is closed because of the pandemic, but you can still view the exterior and grounds, dine outdoors at the on-site restaurant, and step into the gift shop on request. ## Nemours Estate ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-3-2024.jpg) Opened: 1909-10 | Use: Former private mansion, open to the public | Location: Wilmington, Delaware At the far northern edge of the southern region as classified by the U.S. Census Bureau sits a grand mansion that will make you think you have arrived in aristocratic France. Industrialist Alfred I. du Pont built the estate for his second wife, Alicia. The 77-room mansion, spanning 47,000 square feet, was designed in the 18th-century French style she loved so much. One of the mansion's highlights is the effortlessly elegant Conservatory, which is bathed in sunlight and looks out over the estate's famous gardens. They feature 157 jets at the center of a one-acre reflecting pool that shoot water 12 feet into the air. Nemours Estate: 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE 19803; +1 302-651-6912. The mansion's interior is closed, but you can admire its exterior from the stunning formal gardens, which are open. ## Cinderella Castle ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-4-2024.jpg) Opened: 1971 | Use: Theme park centerpiece | Location: Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida Standing 189 feet tall (almost 60 meters), Cinderella Castle is the tallest structure in Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom, and the most iconic. The castle is a tribute to French chateaux of the Romanesque period (11th to 13th centuries). Disney says no bricks were used in its construction; it is made of concrete, steel, plaster, and fiberglass. Building it took about 18 months. It has 18 turrets and 13 gargoyles, and it was built to withstand winds of 110 miles per hour, according to Disneyfanatic.com. (Orlando sits inland, but it can still be reached by hurricane-force winds.) Magic Kingdom Theme Park: 1180 Seven Seas Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32836. Open with Covid-19 protocols. Click here for details about dining in the castle during Covid-19. ## Mercer Williams House Museum ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-5-2024.jpg) Opened: 1868 | Use: Former private home, open to the public | Location: Savannah, Georgia Thanks to the 1994 bestseller "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," the Mercer Williams House went from local to global fame rather quickly. The house was designed for the great-grandfather of songwriter and singer Johnny Mercer, and it was last used as a private residence by master restorer Jim Williams, a central figure in "Midnight." Even without its captivating story, the Italianate villa stands out in Savannah, a city overflowing with wonderful examples of 1800s architecture. Its distinctive red-brick exterior, double doors framed by four columns, and tall French windows with iron railings make for an unforgettable sight. Mercer Williams House Museum: 429 Bull St, Savannah, GA 31401; +1 912-236-6352 or 912-238-0208. Open for booked tours with Covid-19 protocols. ## Humana Building ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-6-2024.jpg) Opened: 1985 | Use: Offices | Location: Louisville, Kentucky It is hard to overstate the influence Michael Graves had on architecture, as well as on product design, in the late 20th century. One of his masterpieces in the first category is the Humana Building in Kentucky's largest city. The 26-story building has a pink granite facade, and each side of the building includes different architectural features that culminate in a sloping pyramid at the top. The building's postmodern features, bright colors, a blend of modern and classical elements, and variations in materials and forms, influenced a generation of office buildings and hotels across the United States and Europe. Look closely and you will spot many of these features in other tall buildings from that period. Humana Building: 500 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202. ## Mercedes-Benz Superdome ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-7-2024.jpg) Opened: 1975 | Use: Sports and entertainment complex | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Yes, NOLA and Louisiana are packed with amazing historic buildings, but the home of the Saints simply cannot be left out. Besides, in the South it is all about football. While the Saints' impressive stats come and go depending on the season, the Superdome's specs are always jaw-dropping: - The floor-to-ceiling height is 237 feet (72 meters). That is tall enough to fit another beloved New Orleans building, St. Louis Cathedral. - The Superdome's website claims it is "the largest fixed domed structure in the world unobstructed by posts or columns." - It has a diameter of 680 feet (207 meters), making it the largest fixed domed structure in the world. Mercedes-Benz Superdome: 1500 Sugar Bowl Dr, New Orleans, LA 70112. It is open for football games and some special events with Covid-19 safety protocols. Tours are not being offered, but visitors can walk around the exterior to take photos. ## National Aquarium ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-8-2024.jpg) Opened: 1981 | Use: Recreation and education | Location: Baltimore, Maryland The National Aquarium helped kick off the revitalization of Baltimore's Inner Harbor district and a national trend of building huge aquatic attractions in city centers. Prolific aquarium architect Peter Chermayeff handled the design of the original structure. Two additions have been made since then, one of which Chermayeff also designed. The aquarium's striking geometric design, with its sharp triangles, glass, and multicolored facades, is a vivid feature along a once-industrial waterfront. Chermayeff told Harvard Magazine in 1999 that his goal was to present "a theater where the actors are living creatures. ... It is an emotional thing, not a science lesson." National Aquarium: 501 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202; +1 410-576-3800. The aquarium is open with Covid-19 safety protocols. ## Elvis Presley Birthplace ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-9-2024.jpg) Opened: 1934 | Use: Private home, museum | Location: Tupelo, Mississippi He was the King of Rock and Roll, but Elvis Presley did not inherit a castle. No, his childhood home was something straight out of Great Depression poverty: a tiny, white wooden house propped up on brick pillars. Elvis's father, Vernon, borrowed $180 for materials to build the two-room house for his family. The Presleys lived there for a few years, but the home was repossessed when Vernon could not repay the loan. Despite its small size, it had a southern essential of the era: a front porch with a swing. In many ways, this humble little structure is the most southern building on this list. Elvis Presley Birthplace: 306 Elvis Presley Dr, Tupelo, MS 38801; +1 662-841-1245. The house is still open for tours with reduced hours. ## Biltmore ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-10-2024.jpg) Opened: 1895 | Use: Private chateau, public tours | Location: Asheville, North Carolina What a contrast: we go from the humble simplicity of Elvis's birthplace to one of the grandest residences in the South, if not the world. Renaissance man and magnate George Vanderbilt began building his lavish home, Biltmore, in 1889, with the mountains surrounding Asheville as a magnificent backdrop. The French Renaissance chateau (the South definitely has a French air about it) has 250 rooms. That includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. Although it was a throwback to romantic times, it was also remarkably modern. It had North Carolina's first passenger elevator and five electric-powered refrigerators. In 1930, his daughter, Cornelia, opened the house for public tours. Vanderbilt's descendants still live there. Biltmore: 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803; +1 00-411-3812. The Biltmore House is open with Covid-19 safety protocols. ## Price Tower ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-11-2024.jpg) Opened: 1956 | Use: Offices | Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma Frank Lloyd Wright's works are not found only in Chicago and New York. One of his influential projects sits in the small town of Bartlesville, population 36,000. Price Tower, standing 221 feet tall (67 meters), was built as the headquarters for a pipeline construction company. Wright actually dusted off an old design for a New York apartment building that was never built. The inspiration for the design is a tree. The "trunk" is four elevator shafts and their structural walls. They support "branches" of concrete slabs that jut outward. And the "leaves" are made up of copper panels and sun louvers. Price Tower: 510 S. Dewey Ave., Bartlesville, OK 74005; +1 918-336-1000. It is open for small tours and booked guided tours with Covid-19 protocols. ## St. Philip's Episcopal Church ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-12-2024.jpg) Opened: 1838 | Use: House of worship | Location: Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is often called the "Holy City" because of its many churches, whose steeples are among the tallest structures in this carefully preserved port. Standing watch through war, earthquake, hurricanes, and sweeping social and economic change is St. Philip's Episcopal Church. So it is no surprise that it is a National Historic Landmark. The current building is the third to house the congregation, which dates back to 1681. Although it was completed in 1838, its soaring steeple was not added until 1850. It is an imposing presence, with a peak rising to 200 feet (61 meters). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the steeple contained a lighthouse to help guide ships. At ground level, the church has three impressive Tuscan porticoes that face Church Street and curve gracefully around the front of the building. St. Philip's Episcopal Church: 142 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401; +1 843-722-7734. The church is open for services with Covid-19 safety measures, and the exterior is a popular stop on walking tours of Charleston. ## Ryman Auditorium ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-13-2024.jpg) Opened: 1892 | Use: Religious hall, entertainment venue | Location: Nashville, Tennessee For country music fans, a pilgrimage to the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville is something like an act of worship. And that is quite fitting, since the building started its life as a church. Inspired by a revival service, riverboat captain Thomas Ryman helped lead the construction of the Union Gospel Tabernacle, as it was then called. In addition to choirs and religious conventions, personalities such as Booker T. Washington, Susan B. Anthony, and former president Theodore Roosevelt gave lectures there. It was not until 1943 that the producers of the Grand Ole Opry radio show moved in. The show hosted country music legends, including Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Charley Pride. The last broadcast from the Ryman took place in 1974, when the Opry show moved to a new facility at Opryland USA, a Tennessee theme park. Although the park has since closed, the show still goes on at the Grand Ole Opry House, even during the pandemic. The Ryman Auditorium stands two and a half stories tall. It is made of load-bearing brick trimmed with limestone, and it features distinctive, pointed arched windows. It still hosts performances and memorials, with seating for up to 2,362 people. Ryman Auditorium: 116 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219; +1 615-889-3060. Tours are open with Covid-19 safety protocols, and limited-capacity shows have resumed at the auditorium. ## The Alamo ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-14-2024.jpg) Opened: 1755 | Use: Catholic mission, military complex, tourist landmark | Location: San Antonio, Texas Known as the site of a battle, you may not realize that the Alamo was the first of five Spanish religious missions built in what is now the San Antonio metro area. It even had a different name: Mission San Antonio de Valero. By the 1790s, it had been converted to secular and military use, first by Spain and then by Mexico. The Battle of the Alamo in 1836, which the Texans actually lost, became a rallying cry in their revolution to create their own country. If you study it, you will see how the main building of the Alamo complex in downtown San Antonio looks more like a church than a traditional military fort. It is made of Texas limestone taken from local quarries, and it was designed to have a domed roof and two bell towers. Everything except the outer walls collapsed during construction, and those features were never added. The Alamo: 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205; +1 210-225-1391. It is open with Covid-19 safety measures. ## Monticello ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-15-2024.jpg) Opened: 1770 | Use: Private home, historic museum | Location: Charlottesville, Virginia Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was brilliant at more than just revolutions, land purchases, and politics. He was also a gifted architect, even though he had no formal training. Exhibit A is his home, Monticello ("Little Mountain"). With its emphasis on symmetry, proportion, and temple-like qualities, Monticello is a masterful interpretation of Palladianism, a style popular in the British colonies during his time. The oculus of the home's memorable dome sits at a height of 44 feet 7 inches (about 13.5 meters). Monticello contains 33 rooms across four floors, including the basement. The house is full of Jefferson's clever touches, including 13 skylights. The bricks were made on-site, and the building timber came from Jefferson's own lands. Monticello: 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, VA 22902; +1 434-984-9800. The house and grounds are open with Covid-19 protocols. ## The Greenbrier ![](/storage/image/prev/september-article-image-81-16-2024.jpg) Opened: 1913 | Use: Luxury resort hotel | Location: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia As far back as the 1770s, people came to White Sulphur Springs to restore their health. Eventually, a resort grew up around it. It was not until 1913 that the central section of today's Greenbrier hotel, the resort's grand landmark building, was constructed. The diamond-white facade, with its neoclassical influence and memorable colonnaded porticoes, earned it the nickname "Old White." It has hundreds of rooms, and during World War II the building was taken over by the federal government for use as a hospital. After the war, the famous designer Dorothy Draper gave it a much-needed and dramatic interior makeover, adding her signature bright colors and black-and-white marble floors laid on the diagonal. But perhaps the most fascinating thing about this building lies beneath it. For 30 years, it concealed a secret that was not revealed until 1992. Beneath the West Virginia Wing sits a massive bunker, carved 720 feet (220 meters) into the mountain, that was meant to serve as an emergency fallout shelter during the Cold War. It was maintained until the government ended the lease agreement in 1995. The Greenbrier: 101 W Main St, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986; +1 844-837-2466. The Greenbrier is open with enhanced safety measures.