Peter and Vicki's Travel Blog: Music City!

Saturday 14/05/2011

Our lovely relaxing week in the Smokies was at its end and we were back on the road again today heading for Nashville - Music City! Country Music rocks here!

Nearing Nashville we hit rain, so we had an overcast and quite cool visit!

Nashville bears a number of unusual nicknames. Know as "the Athens of the South" the city is home to an array of Greek architecture - including a full scale replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park. There are some beautiful historical buildings in the downtown area. History is around every corner in the city, not only with the architecture, but with the statues and memorials that stand proud.

The State Capital
Greek Revival style architecture

The State Capital stands impressively on the hill overlooking the city
Good exercise walking up to it

Click to enlarge

Memorial to past president James Knox Polk

Jackson, a Confederate General who drove out the British

Liberty Bell

17th President Andrew Johnson

Tennessee State Office Building

Statue of Carmack a staunch supporter of the South
See his pledge below

Click to enlarge

State Museum

Presbyterian Church
Egyptian style architecture

More beautiful churches and architecture

Frist Museum of Art and to the right Union Station - a very grand railway station!

The full scale replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge to read the history of this amazing building

Centennial Park is a huge beautiful park used by many Nashvillians.
They were doing a presentation for an Annual Woman's Duathlon,
that had just ben held in the park, on th steps in front of the Parthenon.
Other people were walking, running and riding there.

The geese like the park too

And of course they love the beautiful lake

Two amazing pieces of history!

This area has also been called the "buckle of the bible belt", a reference to the Southern Baptists who make their home here - evidenced by the grand and beautiful churches that abound.

But Nashville's most popular moniker by far is "Music City USA"and for good reason - it is a town of banjo picking', foot-stompin' capital of country music. As we strolled around The District, with its Printer's Alley, 3rd and 4th St and Broadway country music poured out of every doorway and the cowboy boots were the go!

The Music hall of Fame and Museum

Click to enlarge

Famous historic Ryman Auditorium
Description: " You can almost hear the infectious laugh of Minnie Pearl ringing from the rafters and the
lingering notes of Johnny Cash's guitar. Make no mistake, however, the Ryman isn't simply monument to the past
-it's one of the world's most venerated performance halls and a magnet for today's top artists from all music genres."

Bluegrass began at Ryman Auditorium

Thomas Green Ryman

Printer's Alley

Famous Blue's Club

Along Broadway

New and old transport along Broadway

Boot city
What a deal! We thought about it!

Music Bars all along Broadway

Human Statues

New and old buildings along Broadway
The thing they have in common - MUSIC is performed in them

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
He has them everywhere!

Beautiful historical building now a music hall and restaurant

Pickin'

More music bars

Inside one of the bars - leg tapping country music

Bridgestone Arena

Look who is on top of the building!
and they thought he was dead!

They are an institution on Broadway,have ben there a long time.
Nothing fancy, but very "Nashville" and interesting food. They make their own signature sauces (6 of them) which you can order online