7. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage
Just a few miles east of Nashville is Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, the plantation home of the seventh US President from 1804-1845. The current home was built in 1819, not long after Jackson was elected president, and is well worth the couple of hours needed to explore it.
Highlights include the park-like gardens and woods, as well as the tomb where both Jackson and his wife were laid to rest. The mansion opened as a museum in 1889, and after a great deal of restoration, looks exactly as it would have in Jackson’s time, complete with numerous artifacts and documents relating to his presidency.
8. The Parthenon, Nashville
No visit to Nashville would be complete without visiting the huge Parthenon. One of Tennessee’s most remarkable attractions, it can be found in Centennial Park, just a short walk from the city’s downtown core. This impressive life-size replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece was built to commemorate the state’s centenary in 1897.
Made entirely of cement, the Parthenon doesn’t fail to impress with its vast dimensions, both inside and out. The building houses the city’s permanent art gallery, a collection of works by 19th- and 20th-century American painters, as well as a spectacular 42-foot-high gold-covered statue of the goddess Athena Parthenos.
