Fox Theatre, Detroit

The preservation of this theater is one of Detroit's proudest achievements. The 5,000 seat palace of the arts, arguably the most opulent in the nation when it opened in 1928, was designated a national landmark in 1989 after a $11 million refurbishment by new owner Mike Ilitch. This, the oldest continually operating theater in the United States, features a 10-storied marquee, a six-storied lobby with a two-ton chandelier and 300,000 glass jewels in its interior. The exotic presentation of lions, gold fixtures and jaw-dropping grandeur harkens back to the flamboyant era of movie houses. The Fox is now busy with concerts, family-oriented shows and a wide variety of other offerings. It's the anchor of the Theatre District and perhaps Detroit's greatest civic treasure.