You probably know Nashville as Music City, USA, and have probably seen images of all the honky tonks and bars scattered along lower Broadway and 2nd Avenue. There’s no doubt that Nashville is a music-driven, rowdy town that, if nothing else, knows how to keep you entertained.
But did you know there’s an entire other side of Nashville giving it another nickname… The Athens of the South?
That name—which came about long before Nashville was known for its music—would be because of The Parthenon, an imposing structure anchoring Centennial Park in west Nashville near Vanderbilt University.
Built in 1897 for Tennessee’s centennial celebration, The Parthenon is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Greece. When originally built, the structure was intended to be temporary, but the locals embraced it with such fervor that the materials were reinforced and it became a permanent part of the Nashville landscape.
The updated Parthenon is such an exact full-scale replica of the original that it even contains a 20-foot statue of Athena inside, just like the original. The Nashville Parthenon also houses an art gallery and history museum, making it more suitable for modern visitors to tour.
The area surrounding The Parthenon is an ideal place for locals and visitors alike to while away a beautiful Tennessee afternoon. Centennial Park is a vast 132-acre park chock full of amenities like a mile-long walking trail, sunken gardens, a band performance area, performing arts studios, volleyball courts and even a dog park. Lake Watauga, contained within the park, is a great place to have a picnic or just take in the scenery. The area is so beautiful and is such an integral part of Nashville’s history that it has an official entry on the National Register of Historic Places.
If you’re traveling to Nashville, be sure to allocate at least one day to get away from the hustle and bustle of lower Broadway and visit The Parthenon. Whether you just relax in the park, tour the historic structure or shop in the surrounding West End district, you’ll be glad you didn’t miss it.