The Athens of the South!
Is another name given to the country music capital of the world- Nashville Tennessee.
Who would have thought??
Not us, so let’s check it out!
Even through the depression, the city came together to create a detailed replication of the Parthenon.
More than that, inside is the tallest indoor statue in the U.S!
Centennial Park
Centennial Park greets us with with the chirping of this feathered creature.
The park offers us some great photo ops for our Easter morning.
Trees are in full bloom and pedals are soaring in the breeze! 🌸
Frollicking in beautiful parks is our speacialty!
Remnants From the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition
After a nice stroll around a small lake in the park, we have arrived at the Parthenon!
Entering this replica of the Parthenon in Greece, we are excited what awaits us.
The first floor is an assortment of artwork from older artists. No photos are allowed there, so you will have to venture there to see them.
As we head upstairs, we are surrounded by monsterous pillars…
… and the largest matching set of bronze doors in the world! They are 7 feet wide, 24 feet high, and 1 foot thick!
Athena
Turning our eyes from the large doors leads us into the direct gaze of Athena!
We are pretty impressed with the size and beauty of this gleaming monstrosity.
She stands 42 ft tall and is covered in gold leaves.
Interesting tidbit: Her spear was made out of an old McDonald’s flag pole. Huh!
We travel around her body, reading all the facts about how she was made and the symbolism of each of her adornments.
Looking at the exterior of the shield, we see battle scenes with this weird looking baby face.
It is said the shield protects the snake, which represents the people of Athens.
We learn the base of Athena is a Frieze. It depicts the birth of Pandora from the Greek gods.
You may be asking, “who is that little person in her hand?”
Look down at your shoes!
You might be wearing the swoosh that is known as NIKE!
Nike was a goddess who personified victory.
Here she is presenting Athena a wreath for her victories.
Here’s a displayed example of how they create the finish on the statue.
Before leaving Athena’s area, we pass by this little statue.
The figures here are called the Elgin Marble Molds.
Where are all their heads?
The back doors are the same as the ones we saw in the front.
We test the ease at which they open and close.
For such large doors, we can close and open them effortlessly with the tracks they are riding on.
Exterior Exploring
We are done inside and head to the outer walls to explore.
During the exposition, this building was only supposed to be temporary, but due to its popularity was remodelled to be a permanent fixture for the park.
Time to play
Tommy lines the wall….
… for a running start to….
Jump!!!!!
We take one last look at the exterior before making our way back around the lake.
Looking at it from a distance, it looks so real.
The shrubbery and flowers add a perfect frame!
Back toward the van, we come across these unique swings.
We can’t resist pedaling our selves into full laughter!
Using the foot pedal provided, we are able to pump the swing while seating comfortable.
We will have to make one of these for our yard when we return home.