Nashville for my Birthday! — Part Two
This is part two of my 2019 birthday trip to Nashville, TN! After eating at the Aquarium Restaurant, we drove to see the Parthenon! You’re probably thinking, “Wait a minute! I thought you said you were in Nashville, Tennessee, not Athens, Greece!” Well get this! Nashville has a full scale replica of the Greek Parthenon! It is painted as close as possible to what the original most likely looked like when it was brand new! I have seen the original Parthenon in Greece, so it was fascinating to see a replica of it in color! Also, it was neat to actually go inside the one in Nashville since I wasn’t able to walk inside the original Parthenon.
The columns rose high above us, and it was incredible to see the statues adorning it. The statues were not old and broken, but instead full and complete as what the original must have looked like when it was initially completed. Apparently, the nickname of Nashville is the “Athens of the South.” I found the Parthenon replica to be the only Greek thing about the city, but perhaps there is more to the story.
Inside the replica of the Parthenon, you walk into a room, turn around your right shoulder and see a humongous statue of Athena! The original was made of gold and ivory and was lost. The replica is made of gypsum and fiberglass and was gilded with gold leaf. It’s over 41 feet tall! It was so tall and surprising! I was not expecting it at all! I did not realize that there would be a statue inside! I guess I actually wasn’t sure what to expect when going inside since I couldn’t go inside the Parthenon in Greece. The Nashville Parthenon was kept up really well, and there was a museum inside with exhibits about the creation of the replica, history about the city, and art exhibits. The grounds around the monument were also well-kept and had flowers and a pond nearby. The monument itself was breathtaking and a cool replacement for the real thing. I definitely recommend you visit this spectacle when visiting Nashville!
