Did you know that Nashville is called the ‘Athens of the South’? Because of Nashville being a central point in the cross roads of trade throughout the country and their focus on education they were compared to the great city of Athens. And from there the Parthenon was created. They even have their own Parthenon as a tribute to that name. The Nashville Parthenon was first built in 1897 for Tennessee’s centennial exposition. This replica of the Greek Parthenon was constructed to exactly match the scale and design of the original.
With the incredible detail to classical architecture you could easily spend hours just looking up at the scenes depicted above and wandering through the pillars. Built in the middle of Centennial Park this is a Nashville favorite for locals and tourists alike.
It is even home to its own Athena Parthenos. Inside the Parthenon stands the beautiful Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare. Athena stands at 42 feet tall and is made of ivory and gold. With the goddess of victory Nike in one hand, and her shield depicting the war between the gods and the giants in the other hand, Athena stands watching over the Parthenon and the people of Nashville.
The Parthenon is also home to one of Nashville’s art museums hosting original artwork from artists from the area. They even have created a program designed for children that happens every Saturday. We happened upon this where they were showcasing children’s books about dragons because it was national dragon month. We got to watch a reading of the book Dragons Love Tacos and then did a short savanger hunt through the museum portion of the building looking for icons. {Know if you go:: If you come on a Saturday with young children for their Kidsville program, then the entrance fee for your entire group is waived}
Standing at the feet of the goddess Athena, surrounded by the beautiful building of the Parthenon is a great way to spend some time in Nashville.
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