Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Nashville's Parthenon
An amazing structure stands in Nashville, Tennessee. It's a full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon! That crumbling structure is located in Athens, Greece. It was built as a temple for the goddess Athena, and the structure was completed in 438 BCE. The replica in Nashville was built more than 2000 years later to house an art exhibit, but it was not meant to last!
The year 1896 marked Tennessee's 100th birthday. The state decided to celebrate in 1897. At that time, Nashville's nickname was "the Athens of the South." Nashville chose to honor the state's birthday with a replica of the Greek Parthenon. The structure was made of brick and thin, narrow strips of wood covered in plaster, and it was used to display works of art from around the world. It was meant to be taken down once the celebration ended, but it proved to be quite popular. The city left it alone -- until it began to fall apart.
In 1920, the city moved forward with plans to replace the temporary structure with a permanent one. The new Parthenon was made with sturdier materials. It was completed and opened to the public in 1931. It is still open to the public today and serves as an art museum.
