By the 1850’s, Nashville had already earned the nickname of the “Athens of the South” by having established numerous higher education institutions as well as being the first Southern City to establish a public school system. By the end of the century, Nashville would see Fisk University, St. Cecilia Academy, Montgomery Bell Academy, Meharry Medical College, Belmont University, and Vanderbilt University all open their doors.

At the time, Nashville was known to be one of the most refined and educated cities of the south, filled with wealth and culture. Nashville had several theaters as well as plenty of elegant accommodations and was a vibrant expanding town, but that would all come to a complete halt with the civil war beginning in the 1861, it would devastate Nashville and it’s residents well into 1865.

Nashville would see the completion of the state capital building in 1859, and following the civil war Nashville would begin it’s rebuilding and growth once again with the completion of Jubilee Hall in 1876, General Hospital in 1890, The Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, a new state prison in 1898,and finally the Union Station opening in 1900.

In transportation, Nashville would see the arrival of trains in 1859, mule-drawn streetcars in 1865, only to have them replaced by Electric trolleys in 1889 and, in 1896, the first automobile is driven in Nashville.

Nashville would also see its first professional baseball game at Athletic Field in 1885 and its first football game following in 1890.

In utilities, Nashville would see the worlds 1st airmail arrive by balloon in 1877, telephones would appear that same year and five years later, in 1882, Nashville would see it’s first electric light.

In the later part of the 19th century Nashville would have two major celebrations Nashville’s Centennial in 1880, followed by the Centennial Exposition in 1897.

Aside from it’s country music-inspired nickname “Music City, USA,” Nashville is also known around the country as the Athens of the South. With Greek-inspired architecture, exact replicas of The Parthenon & the statue of Athena, and fantastic Greek dining, there are plenty of sites and landmarks to enjoy during your getaway to the world of the ancient Mediterranean.

The Parthenon in Nashville

Completed in the 1920s, this replica of the mighty Parthenon that once stood high over the streets of at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece is the only place in the world where you can see how this classical structure once looked. The mighty bronze doors that lead into the Parthenon at both ends weight in at 7.5 tons each! Anyone with an interest in Ancient Greece or mythology will find hordes of information regarding the original Parthenon, as well as finding interested tidbits about the construction of the replica. A permanent art gallery is also housed within the towering structure, and features more than 60 19th and 20 century works by American artists.

Statue of Athena in Nashville

Located at the Parthenon, the Statue of Athena – the Greek Warrior Goddess of Wisdom – stands at nearly 42 feet tall and weighs an estimated 12 tons. In her stands a statue of the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike, which stands 6 feet, 4 inches tall. The statues were completed in 1990, although it wasn’t until recently that the Athena statue underwent the gilding process which brought the 23.75 karat gold leaf details to the dress and helmet of the statue. Be sure to bring along a camera and snap several photos with your family in order to capture the truly massive size of this incredible replica of the original Athena Parthenos statue in Athens.

Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville

Belle Meade Plantation is a picturesque example of Greek Revival architecture in Nashville. The antebellum mansion was completed in 1853, though the structure itself was modeled after the architecture of Ancient Greece. Elements of the Greek Revival style at the Belle Meade Plantation include the entry porch with six columns, narrow windows around the front door, bold moldings, and a symmetrical shape. Greek Revival architecture was popularized in the mid-19th century, as Americans celebrated the democracy of An