Nashville has been dubbed the Athens of the South, so it’s only proper that the city would have its own Parthenon. An exact replica of the iconic building (the only one of its kind) is located in Centennial Park, one of the many reasons to one of the most unique green spaces around.
The Parthenon was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and now it is an art museum housing a 42 foot tall statue of Athena, the tallest indoor sculpture in the Western Hemisphere. Beside the impressive structure is a lovely Lake Watagua, a favorite place for resident ducks and a great place to pick up the one mile walking trail.
There are plenty of places to sit down an relax along the way.
Or stop and smell the flowers.
Be sure to seek out other historical monuments in the park, including fighter jets, the piece of the USS Tennessee, and steam locomotives.
Other great amenities include sand volleyball courts and a dog park. This is a wonderful place for everyone to enjoy, but it was not always so. Until as recently as the 1960s, Jim Crow laws prohibited blacks from accessing the park. A piece of history we should never forget, and learning from it, strive to become better people.