PHOTO: Crack open a Coke and step into Atlanta’s gilded past — tracing the opulence of the Candler family, the masterminds behind the Coca‑Cola empire. YOUTUBE
🏛️ From Pharmacist to Empire Builder: Asa Griggs Candler
Asa Griggs Candler started as a humble pharmacist before purchasing the Coca‑Cola recipe in 1892. Through marketing brilliance, he turned a carbonated “brain tonic” into a global icon — and amassed vast wealth. He parlayed that fortune into lavish Atlanta estates.
🎥 Watch the Video: “The Many Coca‑Cola Mansions of the Candler Family”
🏰 Callan Castle: The Beaux‑Arts Showpiece
Callan Castle, built between 1902–1904 in Atlanta’s Inman Park, was Candler’s first mansion. Designed by architect George Murphy in Beaux‑Arts style, the home’s Greek Revival porticoes and Palladian motifs made it an architectural standout. It later became a private residence and now rents for film shoots — valued around USD 3 million
⛪ From Mansion to Church: Candler’s 1916 Estate
Seeking more space, Candler moved in 1916 to a grander home on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Druid Hills. Today, that mansion serves as St John Chrysostom Melkite Greek Catholic Church, a testament to its enduring architectural prestige
🌳 Callanwolde: A Legacy of Art and Culture
Callanwolde, built in 1920 for Asa Candler’s son Charles, blends Gothic and Tudor revival styles. After remaining in the family, it became an arts center under DeKalb County and now hosts community events — showcasing the Candlers’ contributions to civic life .
🦁 Briarcliff: Eccentric Opulence Meets Zoological Oddities
Asa “Buddie” Candler Jr.’s 42‑acre Briarcliff estate, built in the early 1920s, included a private zoo with lions, elephants, baboons — even a gorilla . The sprawling Georgian-Revival mansion, complete with solarium, ballroom, and greenhouse, later became a mental health institute and now sits abandoned on Emory University grounds
⚜️ A Legacy Written in Brick and Stone
From Callan Castle, the “castle” of Coca‑Cola, to the haunted corridors of Briarcliff, the Candler mansions tell a captivating story:
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Asa Sr. left his mark with grand architecture and civic philanthropy — aiding institutions like Emory University and Candler Hospital
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His sons built homes that reflected grand ambition and personal eccentricity.
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Many properties have been repurposed — some beautifully preserved, others eerily derelict.
📌 Takeaway for Property Lovers & Historians
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Architecture aficionados will relish the eclectic styles — Beaux‑Arts, Gothic-Tudor, Georgian Revival.
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Heritage advocates can appreciate how these estates evolved: from private opulence to public use.
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Urban explorers might find Briarcliff a haunting treasure trove — though renovation plans promise new life as senior housing