Apr 9th, 2026 Thursday Sunny
On the recent trip to Charleston, South Carolina, we decided to swing by Savannah in Georgia, its sister city.
Having navigated the one-way roads in the downtown area for thirty minutes, we eventually parked by the famous Forsyth Park, then got out for a walk.
The centerpiece of the park, an elegant fountain emitting the ambience of classical art, was actually ordered from a catalog. However, shaded in the surrounding oak trees covered by Spanish moss, it uniquely identifies this area with its southern charm.
Against such a backdrop, even regular houses would look lovely, let alone the immense antebellum mansions around the historic district. Each one has a different design, and many likely date back two centuries ago, yet all of them were fitting perfectly next to each other. Not an architecture buff myself, I still found it so enchanting to look at them, that the few miles of strolling on foot did not seem to bring any fatigue.
What was more pleasing was the leisurely atmosphere. While there were certainly tourists coming to experience the beautiful spring (temperature was nearly breaking the record on the day we arrived, with colorful rhododendron blossoms blooming around every corner; fortunately, the breeze from the nearby coast helped to keep us comfortable), most of the people hanging around were locals. Older folks relaxing on the bench, reminiscing the glorious past connected to this neighborhood (numerous plaques have been erected for the statues, buildings, and squares to share the stories with the less educated visitors). Younger couples dressed up in fashion, taking photos, chatting, and laughing. I noticed quite a few students with an artist vibe enjoying a lunch break, maybe also getting inspiration for their next assignments.
It turned out that Savannah is home to one of the best design universities in the world – Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). We saw its signs so frequently that we had to look it up. I was surprised to learn that its students took up more than ten percent of this city’s population, and international enrollment was more than a quarter. This explained the diverse styles I caught a glimpse of in the streets, and perhaps also the liberal, lively air.
The association between the beauty of the city and the reputation of this college is not coincidental. The latter has worked with the former to restore countless buildings throughout the grid-and-park system, spanning several acres. It felt like almost every little detail in the landscape has been carefully polished and aesthetically executed.
No wonder Savannah has often been named as one of the most beautiful cities in this country.
One might ask, why spend so much energy on making art? Is it attracting money? Is it increasing the productivity?
I would say that a fast-paced economy that maximizes efficiency at the price of intangible, yet valuable benefits, is not the only route towards prosperity, and definitely not a sure way to enhance quality of life for its residents.
Savannah, a city of art, with its old-fashioned grace, has made a distinct choice. That makes it memorable and timeless.