Nashville City Guide – Country Music Meets Classical…Architecture

Known as Music City USA, Nashville has been the capital of the music industry since the 1920’s. The city is filled with concert venues, record studios and companies, nightclubs and musicians. With over half a million residents, this city is rapidly growing in popularity due to its unique flavor and culture

Grand Ole Opry

Nashville’s number one attraction is the Grand Ole Opry, a historic concert hall that has hosted music legends from all genres, primarily country music stars. The Opry has a very long and detailed history. It all began in 1939 as a live radio show on NBC Radio. Today, the concert hall, located in Opry Plaza, pays tribute to the longest running live radio broadcast by hosting dozens of shows each year, attended by hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Nashville is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame, originally located on Music Row. The Country Music Association announced its creation in 1961 and the museum was built several years later. The original County Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened in 1967 and closed in 2000. The new Country Music Hall of Fame is in downtown Nashville on the west bank of the Cumberland River. The $37 million dollar museum opened in May 2001 and delights thousands of visitors each year with innovative and interactive exhibits, live performances, radio broadcasts and the spectacular Hall of Fame Rotunda.

The Parthenon

I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t that in Greece? Well, yes, but it is in Tennessee too. A replica of the Parthenon, located in Athens, was built in the middle of Nashville’s Centennial Park in 1897 when Tennessee celebrated 100 years of statehood. Besides beautiful surroundings, Centennial Park is also popular because of what’s inside the Parthenon. The Parthenon was built to perfect scale, including the 42-foot statue of Athena, to pay tribute to classical architecture and art. Inside the structure is Nashville’s Museum of Art. The Parthenon displays 63 original paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as temporary and traveling exhibitions.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts

Another building designed with classical architecture and Art Deco styles is the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. The marble and granite structure was built during the Great Depression and once served as the downtown post office building. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the center opened in 2001 and hosts a number of world-class traveling art exhibitions each year. Upstairs, the ArtQuest Gallery is a popular multimedia creative center for children and adults. The building is located next to the Union Station Hotel and is open most days except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission prices are $8.50 for adults with a discounted rate for senior citizens. Children under 18 are free. For specific hours and directions visit their website at www.fristcenter.org.

By Stacy Hinojosa
www.inside-real-estate.com