This summer, we visited the Parthenon!

No, we didn’t go to Greece. But right in the heart of Nashville, TN, is a full-size replica of that famous Athenian building! Of course, the Nashville version is in a bit better shape, as it was “only” first built in 1897 in plaster, wood, and brick, for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, and then rebuilt in concrete in the 1920s.

I guess I had never really thought about how large the Parthenon is, but one look at the columns is all it takes to realize the scale of the building:

The decorations on the building are also impressive.

The Nashville Parthenon serves as an art gallery, and although we didn’t pay to go inside, I understand that it also contains as a copy of the Athena Parthenos statue. There were quite a few people waiting to get in, and many more people enjoying the day (and the food trucks!) outside. It seems like a fun gathering spot.

It’s kind of a weird thing to find in the mid-south, but anytime I can give my children an idea of what ancient architecture looked like, without having to get on a plane, I jump at the chance!