Nashville is best known as the world’s capital of country music, but there’s more to this city than meets the eye. The capital of Tennessee is home to many attractions you wouldn’t expect to find here, including a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens.
This building may seem like a strange choice for Nashville, but it’s not a coincidence it was built right here. This city is actually known by the nickname “Athens of the South”, and that’s why the replica of the Parthenon was chosen as the centerpiece of the Centennial Exposition in 1897 when it was built.
The original Nashville Parthenon wasn’t meant to be permanent, but it was eventually rebuilt with concrete after significant deterioration. Designed by the architect William Crawford Smith, this replica of the popular Greek landmark can now be found in the middle of Centennial Park.
Over a century after it was first built, this is one of the city’s most significant non-country-related landmarks and it serves as an art museum. It hosts a collection of 63 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists donated by James M. Cowan and serves as a popular venue for temporary shows and exhibits.
