The Parthenon

The only full-size replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece is a monument to art that is housed in Nashville, Tennessee. Laid out in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, the Parthenon stands proudly as a living monument to its creator and is also a museum of Art and a historically significant monument.

Historical Background

The original Parthenon (Perido) at Athens was built in the 5th century under the direct supervision of Athenian statesman Pericles. Famous sculptor Phidias was in charge of the artistic direction, while the Parthenon was commissioned by architects Ictinus and Callicrates, who all saw Phidias as patron of all sculptures and buildings in Athens. The Temple was built in honor of the Gladiator Goddess Athena, and is still a symbol of ancient Greece and their architectural genius.

In 1897, Nashville built the Parthenon, which was supposed to be the centerpiece for the exposition for the state’s centennial celebration. As with many exposition buildings, it was initially planned to be a temporary structure made of plaster, wood, and brick, but then the interest in the building by the residents took off and it was preserved.

Restoration and Reconstruction

By the year 1920, the city was at a crossroads over the condition of the building; they could either demolish it whole or go ahead and reconstruct it of more durable material — hopefully, it would last longer. They decided that a permanent reconstruction would be undertaken, with local architect Russell Hart and architectural historian William Bell Dinsmoor. The reinforced concrete introduction — a new development at the time — was added to the scheme and parts of the 1897 building were retained.

The new exterior, plus ceiling tiles and sculptures, was designed by John Earley of Washington, D.C., using a new cast concrete aggregate formula that had been developed by several artists, one of whom was George Julian Zolnay, who reproduced the Doric frieze, metopes, as well as the pedimental sculptures. Belle Kinney and Leopold Scholz erected the sculptures of the peripatetic. To ensure their accuracy with respect to historical events, the Park Board obtained plaster casts of the original Greek sculptures held at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artistic and Interior Elements

The original Centennial building was nothing more than a gallery space but the restored version sought to rebuild parts of the interiors of the original temple, including all horizontal lines, sloped columns, and entasis on every column. Due to lack of funds for renovations several times, construction was halted and the last date of completion was in 1934.

However, the Athena statue and the Ionic frieze were missing at that time. After much fundraising, the 42-foot statue of Athena was ordered to be replicated by Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire in 1982. It was placed on the Vanderbilt University campus in 1990 and permanently on view in 2002, after he finished gilding and painting it (which caused renewed interest in the Nashville Parthenon).

Museum

With one exception, it’s also a museum and “cultural destination” for the people that resides inside Nashville’s Parthenon. In addition to the 63 works of art by American artists from the 19th & 20th century currently in the Nashville Parthenon’s permanent collection, the Museum also hosts a wide variety of educational programs and cultural entertainment that expands on what Nashville residents can learn about face-to-face. And the site is managed by Metro Nashville Parks & Recreation, making it a popular location to learn more about history, art, and education.