Saturday, November 2, 2019

Paddle Boat Lunch Cruise and the Nashville Parthenon



Paddle Boat Lunch Cruise and the Nashville Parthenon

While we were enjoying having family with us we all delighted in a Riverboat Lunch Cruise down the Cumberland River.  A great old fashion paddle boat, a delicious lunch buffet and awesome views of downtown Nashville including the ‘Batman Building’!













 

 

Our next stop was the Nashville Parthenon.  I know I know, your thinking isn’t the Parthenon in Greece????  Why yes it is!  The ruins of the original Parthenon remains in Greece.  Nashville first built a full scale replica of the Parthenon in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The city’s construction was of brick, wood lath and plaster, and represented the city’s reputation as the “Athens of the South”.  It housed an art exhibition consisting of 1,172 pieces from all over the world.  While other structures from the Exposition were removed when the celebration ended, the Parthenon was so popular the city left the temporary construction standing. 

By 1920 the building had crumbling pediments and decaying plaster so the city authorized reconstruction of the landmark with permanent materials.  It was also to create a complete replica of the original Greek Temple both inside and out.  On May 21, 1931, the Parthenon reopened to the public and attracted 10,000 visitors from 46 states 12 foreign countries during its first month!







 
Athena, the goddess of wisdom, prudent warfare and the useful arts; patron deity of the city of Athens stands 41 feet 10 inches tall in the main hall of the Parthenon.  She was unveiled in 1990 but gilded with 8 pounds of 23.75 carat gold in 2002!  Nike, goddess of victory stands on Athena’s right hand and stands 6 feet 4 inches.











 

The Parthenon is still a Museum of Art and includes various Art exhibits throughout the year.  Also included for viewing as part of the Parthenon’s permanent collection are casts of the pediment fragments and sculptures.












 

More to come soon 😊
Jan 🌷🌷🐾🐾

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