The Parthenon in Centennial Park is a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens. William Crawford Smith designed it, and it was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Nashville's nickname, the "Athens of the South," influenced the choice.
Wikipedia says it was the only building at the Exposition that was an exact reproduction. It was built of plaster, wood and brick and was not meant to last, but it was so popular that it was left standing. After weather damaged it, it was rebuilt in concrete, with the exterior finished in 1925 and the interior in 1931.
Inside, Alan LeQuire's 1990 re-creation of the Athena Parthenos statue is the focus of the building. It is now an art museum.

