Metro
A metro station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines they are multi-level.
At street level the logo of the metro company marks the entrance of the station, along with the schematics of the services at the station. Often there are several entrances for one station, saving one from having to cross the street. In such a case, tunnels or overhead stations can often also be used just to cross the street.
In some cases metro stations are connected to important buildings by a direct enclosed hallway (see underground city).
Some metro systems, such as those of Montreal, Stockholm, Prague and Moscow, are famous for the beautiful architecture and public art. The Paris Me'tro is famous for its art nouveau station entrances.
Metro stations, more so than railway and bus stations, often have a characteristic artistic design that can identify each stop.
Some have sculptures or frescoes. For example, London's Baker Street station is adorned with tiles depicting Sherlock Holmes. The tunnel for Paris' Concorde station is decorated with tiles spelling the De'claration des Droits de l'Homme et du Citoyen.
Every metro station in Valencia, Spain has a different sculpture on the ticket-hall level. Alameda station is decorated with fragments of while tile, like the dominant style of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Cie`ncies.
Each station of the Red Line subway in Los Angeles was built with different artwork and decorating schemes, such as murals, tile artwork and sculptural benches. This is not always the case, however, Sir Norman Foster's new system in Bilbao, Spain uses the same modern architecture at every station to make navigation easier for the passenger, though some may argue that this is at the expense of character.
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Atlanta
Atlanta is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia, and the core city of the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the United States.
It is the county seat of Fulton County, although portions of the city extend into DeKalb County. As of July 2006, the city of Atlanta had a population of 486,411 and a metropolitan population of 5,138,223, making it the nation's ninth-largest metro area. Residents of the city are known as Atlantans.
Atlanta has in recent years undergone a transition from a city of regional commerce to a city of international influence.
Between 2000 and 2006, the Atlanta metropolitan area grew 20.5%, making it the fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation.
Atlanta is often considered a poster child for cities worldwide experiencing rapid growth and urban sprawl.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Atlanta stood apart from southern cities that supported segregation, touting itself as "The City Too Busy to Hate."
The city's progressive civil rights record and existing population of blacks made it increasingly popular as a relocation destination for black Americans.
Blacks soon became the dominant social and political force in the city, though today some measure of demographic diversification has taken place.
Along with St. Louis and Los Angeles, Atlanta is one of three cities in the United States to have hosted the Summer Olympic Games.
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