It rained very hard all night and until noon this morning, so we spent a lazy morning in the motorhome. After lunch we drove to the Parthenon, located in the beautiful Centennial Park. The re-creation of the 42 foot statue of Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals..

Originally built for Tennessee’s Centennial Exposition in 1897 of plaster, wood, and brick, the Parthenon was not intended to be permanent. However, the cost of demolishing the structure combined with its popularity with residents and visitors alike resulted in it being left standing after the Exposition. Within the next 20 years weather caused it to deteriorate.  It was rebuild on the same foundation in concrete from 1920-1925.  The interior was completed in 1931.

The inside is used as an art gallery and also holds the 42 feet tall and is covered with 8 pounds of gold leaf.

 

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After seeing and touring the Parthenon we boarded a Gray Line Trolley for a tour of the city. This was supposed to be a narrated tour, but our first bus driver was less than spectacular.  We got off his bus to tour the state capital and walked down to Broadway and squeezed through the crowd of people.

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The bronze statue named Musica

IMG 8006The Hermitage Hotel, the only 5 star hotel in Nashville, was build in 1910.

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IMG 7991women’s restroomIMG 7994Gene Autry’s horse, Champion, had his own room in the Hermitage Hotel.  All the furniture was removed, the floor was cover and then covered with hay.  Hotel staff would take him out two times a day and walk him around the Tennessee Capital.IMG 7998

Pictured above is the Tennessee state capital.  It was just about empty today.

It stays dry for us all afternoon while we were on and off the bus tour, but started to rain again when we were driving back to Jellystone Park, where we are staying.