Why did Tennessee keep the Parthenon?

Built as a temporary structure for the Centennial Expedition in 1897, Nashville’s Parthenon was intended to embody the city’s nickname of the “Athens of the South.” The other buildings in Centennial Park were taken down after the expedition, but in 1921, the city decided to keep the Parthenon a permanent monument.

How accurate is the Nashville Parthenon?

Nashville Tennessee is home to the most accurate replica of the Parthenon. Despite the accuracy of parts of it however, anyone who has seen the real Parthenon in Athens will understand that without its surrounding context, it can never even come close to recreating the experience.

Where is the real Parthenon located?

Parthenon, temple that dominates the hill of the Acropolis at Athens. It was built in the mid-5th century bce and dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos (“Athena the Virgin”).

Why is Athena in Nashville?

When Nashville hosted Tennessee’s Centennial Exposition in 1897, the city wanted to remind everyone of its “Athens” claim, so it built a temporary full-size replica Parthenon (The original is in Athens). …

Is there a statue of Athena in Nashville?

The Parthenon stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville’s premier urban park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals.

Why is Tennessee the Athens of the South?

While Nashville acquired its nickname as the “Athens of the South” PRIMARILY because of its dedication to higher education, it was perpetuated in a few other ways—from the building of the Greek-Revival-styled State Capitol to the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, which brought about Nashville’s iconic Parthenon building …

Did slaves build the Parthenon in Nashville?

Even though Athens and Nashville both had a history of slavery, the Nashville Parthenon was not built by slaves. Rather, it was built by paid labor to represent Nashville’s cultural leadership before and after the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Why did they build a Parthenon in Nashville?

Originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition, this replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece serves as a monument to what is considered the pinnacle of classical architecture. The Parthenon also serves as Nashville’s art museum.

Has the Athena Parthenos been found?

The most accurate surviving copy of the Athena Parthenos is believed to be the Varvakeion Athena, a marble sculpture of the goddess Athena that was discovered in 1880 near the site of Varvakeion in Athens and is now on display in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.

Why was Nashville known as the Athens of the south?

The Nashville Parthenon was constructed in 1897 as part of the Centennial Exposition, a six-month event held to celebrate Tennessee’s 100 years of statehood. Nashville had been colloquially known as the ‘Athens of the South’ – due primarily to the city’s focus on higher education…

Where is the Athens of the south located?

Athens of the South is a historic nickname of: Nashville, Tennessee in the Southern United States, home to numerous universities (including Vanderbilt) as well as a full-size replica of the Parthenon.

When was the Parthenon built in Nashville TN?

The Nashville Parthenon was constructed in 1897 as part of the Centennial Exposition, a six-month event held to celebrate Tennessee’s 100 years of statehood.

Where is the capital of the state of Tennessee?

Nashville is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Tennessee. The city is the county seat of Davidson County and is located on the Cumberland River. It is the 23rd most-populous city in the United States . Named for Francis Nash, a general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, the city was founded in 1779.

Why did Tennessee keep the Parthenon? Built as a temporary structure for the Centennial Expedition in 1897, Nashville’s Parthenon was intended to embody the city’s nickname of the “Athens of the South.” The other buildings in Centennial Park were taken down after the expedition, but in 1921, the city decided to keep the Parthenon a…