Birmingham's only antebellum home pre-dated the city's founding in 1871. Arlington Antebellum Home is a fully restored Greek revival mansion built between 1845 and 1850 and set on beautifully-landscaped grounds. The mansion houses wonderful antiques and a collection of decorative arts from around the world. Truly a visit to a more genteel time. Two annual festivals, the Arlington Country Fair and Christmas at Arlington, are held here.

This area features the Civil Rights Institute and Museum, Kelly Ingram Park and Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Also nearby in the district is the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and historic Carver Theater for the Performing Arts. Honoring Birmingham native and Temptations lead singer Eddie Kendrick, is the Eddie Kendrick Memorial Park, just down the block. The area is east of the downtown business district.

The site of one of the most horrific occurrences of the American Civil Rights Movement (a bomb shattered the quiet of a Sunday morning and took the lives of four young girls), the 16th Street Baptist Church is a landmark to both people's inhumanity and their capacity for love and forgiveness. The congregation is vibrant, and the sanctuary quite beautiful with its Wales stained glass window. Please make sure to call ahead to schedule a tour of the church.

A national monument that pays tribute to the steel industry for which Birmingham is famous. The Sloss furnaces were in operation from 1882 to 1971. The monument gives visitors a chance to see both an important piece of Birmingham's industrial history and innovative artwork by resident metal sculptors. Many concerts and special events are held here in the old steel shed that's since been converted to an amphitheatre. Guided tours are available and last two hours; be sure to call at least two weeks in advance to schedule one.

This is the historic site where the Confederate Army replenished its iron supply during the Civil War. Quiet and peaceful, it belies the tragic events that took place on March 31, 1865, when Union forces arrived and set fire to the ironworks and workers' cabins. The site is now a state park with horseback riding, hiking trails, picnic and camping areas, an iron museum and log cabins.