A full-scale replica of the Parthenon was built in Nashville.

U.S History

T he Parthenon — an ancient Greek temple built in Athens, Greece, between 447 and 432 BCE — is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. But many people don't realize that a full-scale replica was built far across the world in Nashville, Tennessee, to celebrate the state's Centennial Exposition in 1897. Nashville had earned the nickname "the Athens of the South" due to its commitment to culture and higher education, and opted to honor the moniker by recreating one of ancient Greece's most famous landmarks.

At the time, the Parthenon in Greece had fallen into disrepair, and organizers in Tennessee aimed to replicate the building as it looked in its heyday. Crews laid the first stone in 1895, and worked for two years to construct the many pillars and other features of the 65-foot-tall temple. While the exterior of the final product was an exact replica, the building's interior featured a different layout than its Greek counterpart, and was used to display the many paintings and sculptures that were acquired for the exposition.

Initially, Nashville's Parthenon was built using temporary materials and the plan was for it to be destroyed after the event. However, it was beloved by locals, so the city decided to rebuild the landmark with permanent materials. The structure reopened in 1931, though it still lacked an important original feature: the 42-foot-tall statue of the goddess Athena, for whom the original Parthenon was dedicated. Nashville commissioned work on the statue in 1982 and it was unveiled in 1990. In 2002, the statue was gilded and painted, adding the final touches to the replica.

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By the Numbers

Outer columns on the Parthenon

Songs recorded by Elvis at Nashville's RCA Studio B

200+

Did you know?

There's a quarter-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty in France.

On July 4, 1884, the Statue of Liberty was gifted to the United States by France. Five years later, France was given a Lady Liberty of its own, albeit a much smaller one. The quarter-scale replica was a gift from American communities living in Paris to honor the centennial of the French Revolution. Oddly, Americans chose to unveil the gift on July 4, a day that lacks any notable meaning in France. The statue was initially placed on Pont de Grenelle (a bridge on the River Seine) and inaugurated during a ceremony attended by Statue of Liberty sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. Bartholdi insisted the replica be oriented toward New York City, though it wasn't until the 1960s that his wish was granted, when the bridge was rebuilt and the replica was relocated to Île aux Cygnes, an artificial island on the Seine.

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