Nashville, Tennessee - Replica Parthenon and Statue of Athena

The Parthenon is an exact replica of the original one in Athens, Greece. It was originally built as a temporary building for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition (hence its location in Centennial Park) in 1896.

Since Nashville was called "The Athens of the South" at that time, the citizens decided to keep the Parthenon as a remembrance of the exposition.

By the 1930's the temporary building had deteriorated so much that it was replaced by a permanent one that now functions as an art museum. [Kenton Dickerson, 12/03/2007]

Here is the big ass Athena statue inside of the Parthenon in Nashville. She could eat muffler men for breakfast. [Justin Bird, 04/28/2004]

[RA: Athena is 42 feet tall, the "Largest Indoor Sculpture in the Western World." Unveiled inside Nashville's replica Parthenon in 1990, she is so big she holds another statue in her right hand. She was gilded in 2002 entirely in 23.75 carat Italian gold leaf.]