ATLANTA - A colossal panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta from the American Civil War will be lifted by cranes from the building where it has been housed for nearly a century and then trucked to its new location.

Moving the Cyclorama weighing 5.44 metric tons one of the nation's largest paintings from Grant Park to the Atlanta History Center across town marks a major milestone in its restoration, historians said.

The move is expected to begin Thursday and take two days. Those in charge say they're using extreme caution to ensure the 15,000-square-foot painting is not damaged.