When asked about the “Athens of the South,” many Americans will mention Athens, Georgia, especially if they’re a fan of REM, the B-52s, or Montreal. In fact, that title was claimed as early as the 1850s, when Nashville, Tennessee, began implementing ambitious plans for a public education system. By the end of that century, Nashville was home to more than 20 colleges and universities (Vanderbilt is the best known today) as well as a full-size replica of the Parthenon, the ancient temple to the goddess Athena. The building was built in 1897 for the State Centennial Exposition, at a time when there wasn’t much need for displaying local grandeur.
Nearly 130 years later, the Nashville Parthenon remains a major local tourist attraction, along with the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, Honky Tonk Highway, and more. This structure is now located in Centennial Park (also a modern pilgrimage site, taylor swift bench) is not the same one that amazed visitors in 1897.
After decades of deterioration, I will write According to Isaac Kaplan of Artsy, “An extensive renovation took place in 1920, overseen by an architect named Russell Hart, who worked to make the building durable and as historically faithful to the original Parthenon as possible.” The extensive reconstruction also required casting of the original marble.
Unlike the bombed-out ruins in Athens, Greece, Nashville’s Parthenon stands proudly intact. But will it work for serious lovers of classical civilization? in Video at the top of the postGarrett Ryan of Ancient History YouTube Channel told in stone I travel. He notes that although the building includes a gilded (or gilt-plated) statue of Athena, similar to the one originally sculpted by Phidias, the building is “not an exact replica; it is made of concrete, not marble, and has no decoration of any kind.” Freezethe colors are all wrong and the interior is very different from the original. However, it gives a sense of the Parthenon’s scale and “captures the experience of visiting a temple of this scale.” Of course, the parking lot right next to it does some harm to the illusion, but it also invites visitors to ponder the nature of civilization: American civilization.
Related content:
The city of Nashville built a full-size replica of the Parthenon in 1897, and it still stands today.
Tour of the Acropolis of Athens explained through 3D reconstruction
3D model reveals what the Parthenon and its interior looked like 2,500 years ago
How the ancient Greeks built their magnificent temples: the art of ancient engineering
Virtual Tour of Ancient Athens: Fly over the Glory of Classical Greek Civilization
How did the Parthenon marble end up in the British Museum?
Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages ​​and cultures. he is the author of the newsletter books about cities books as well Home page (I won’t summarize Korea) and korean newtro. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter. @Colinbemust.
Source: Open Culture – www.openculture.com
