• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Douglas Elliman, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Subscribe
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School news
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Public Schools, sponsored by Sexton
  • Camp
  • Kids—swim tryouts Oct. 1
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Business news
  • Embracing diversity
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Fire & police scanner
  • Worship
  • Live gov’t meetings
  • Events
  • About us
  • Wellesley snow plowing services
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Wellesley’s sweet Parthenon on display at library

December 17, 2019 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

wellesley parthenon
The Wellesley gingerbread-and-candy Parthenon

 

I felt fortunate to see the centuries-old Parthenon in Athens back in 2008 when the Swellesleys went abroad as a family for the first and only time to date. The Swellesley juniors were deep into the Percy Jackson books at the time, and their enthusiasm for all things Greek enveloped the family.

parthenon athens 2008
Having a swell time at the Parthenon in Athens

More recently, I plotted a run while visiting Nashville to view the full-scale Parthenon replica near Vanderbilt College. The structure was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Athena would have been proud.

nashville parthenon
The other Parthenon, in Nashville

But little did I realize that my Parthenon studies were incomplete until Wellesley Free Library made us aware that it was displaying a deliciously spectacular gingerbread-and-candy replica of the temple this season thanks to the efforts of Wellesley resident Grant Brown, family and friends, who have a history of gingerly building such elaborate structures. I rushed right over to see it, being careful not to touch or snack on it, for fear of leaving it in ruins. It’ll be there until the end of this year.

History.com describes the Parthenon as being “a symbol of the power, wealth and elevated culture of Athens,” and so this version of the architectural masterpiece could be said to be doing the same for our fair town, on a more modest scale.

The artist speaks

Brown says this year’s creation was inspired by a family trip to Greece this summer where they toured the Acropolis and the Parthenon. “We thought that amazing structure would be a fun inspiration. I had contemplated building the mountain and collection of temples at the top, but that seemed too aggressive given my day job and work-related travel,” he says.

Brown said he and his wife had many friends and family over on Sunday to help decorate the gingerbread house.

“My parents asked me last week to calculate the dollars and time spent on the preparation. I have steadfastly refused to do so. (Mainly because I’d introduce a bit of depression into the mix!),” says Brown, whose family has been hosting gingerbread parties for 18 years to help kick off the holidays.

“As for anyone tempted to disobey the Library’s signs, I speak from a position of authority when I say: Obey the Do Not Touch request! Some of the candy on every house is leftover and saved from prior years. It’s possible that the gummy bear that looks so enticing on the lawn of the Parthenon is circa 2016!”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Swellesley Report (Wellesley) (@theswellesleyreport) on Dec 16, 2019 at 7:38pm PST

 

donate box love local

 

Filed Under: Art, Food, History

Comments

  1. Amy H says

    December 17, 2019 at 8:36 pm

    Extra points if it has the frieze, an egregious oversight in Nashville!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisements:

Linden Square, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep, Wellesley
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Wellesley Scouts
Volvo
Prepped and Polished Boston Tutoring and Test Prep
Tutoring, Ann-Marie MacDonnell
Cheesy Street Grill
Admit Fit, Wellesley
Mature Caregivers
charles river chamber
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Subscribe to our email newsletter

Fill out simple subscription form.

Our newsletter is free, though we appreciate any financial support for our independent journalism venture.

Follow Swellesley on Google News Showcase

The Swellesley Report has been selected to be highlighted on Google News Showcase. Please follow us there.

Most Read Posts

  • Where is Swellesley? We asked 3 AI tools
  • But wait, what about pickleball?
  • Don't miss the Wellesley fun—Sidewalk Sale; Crafts for Kids; Car Wash fundraiser; and more
  • Wellesley residents ready for Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk
  • Wellesley making moves to comply with MBTA Communities multifamily zoning rules

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Upcoming Events

Sep 11
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Author visit: Caren Simpson McVicker discuses her novel, “Henderson House”

Sep 12
8:15 am - 11:00 am

Fall real estate forum

Sep 13
8:30 am - 12:15 pm

Opening day—Schofield School Shoppers Corner

Sep 13
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Newton-Wellesley Hospital hosting Purple Flag Event

Sep 17
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Building a Better Wellesley meeting with guest Tom Taylor, Planning Board chair

View Calendar

Recent Comments

  • Kim Mahoney on At chaotic meeting, Wellesley Planning Board votes to put Sisters of Charity article on Special Town Meeting warrant
  • Jim Roberti on At chaotic meeting, Wellesley Planning Board votes to put Sisters of Charity article on Special Town Meeting warrant
  • Bruce on A rare peek inside Hunnewell Estate in Wellesley
  • Julia on Where is Swellesley? We asked 3 AI tools
  • Steven Sims on But wait, what about pickleball?

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group
Call and Haul, Wellesley
Refined Renovations, Wellesley
Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login