Memphis is a large port city in the state of Tennessee. It is located on the Mississippi River. Memphis is considered to be the city where the cradle of blues is born. Don't miss the famous Beale Street, which brings together many of the city's clubs. Every year a major street music festival is held there. Memphis is also known for Elvis Presley who grew up there and bought a sumptuous house, Graceland! We can also visit it. It is the largest industrial centre in Tennessee. Memphis owes its reputation to its thriving businesses. It can even boast to be second in the airport world. Its companies are open to all forms of excursion. Discover their secret to prosperity. One thing's for sure, you're getting well educated. As a result of this position, Memphis has been able to host some of today's most prestigious companies. Make absolutely the trip. Memphis is the promised land of the blues. But confining her to the blues would be unfair. It is also home to many American music genres such as Gospel, Rock n' Roll and country music. Johny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and B. B. King were among those who made their debut in the 1950s.
Que voir à Memphis ?
Graceland
You can't go to Memphis without going. Graceland is the name of the house Elvis Presley bought in the 1960s and where he and much of his family lived. After his death in 1977, his ex-wife turned it into a museum. Soon the house became a real place of pilgrimage for all the fans of the singer. And for others as well! I'm not a big fan of Elvis, but it's something special to get into this place. From the very first moment you feel almost crushed under the decoration. In addition to being dated, it is extremely loaded! All parts are processed down to the smallest detail. All the colours of the rainbow are present. But Graceland is not only where he lived, it was also his studio, his own hall of fame and even his ranch (ok not a real ranch, but he had several horses). Beyond the house and the spirit that emanates from it, it is the commercial aspect that impresses. As good Americans, they know how to take advantage of everything. Graceland is no exception. Of course, the house has its own souvenir shop, but the shops abound even around the site! Like next to the Eiffel Tower! You can buy everything in Elvis's effigy, from the cup to the purse. As usual, nothing is missing and everyone will find happiness.
Beale Street
The city's second attraction is Beale Street. It is a street about 2 km long. The part where the animation really concentrates has become a petionne zone. Every step of the way you will find a bar, a club, a concert hall, a record store, a souvenir shop and more. All stores have the name of their neon sign, music comes out of all places. The atmosphere is great! Everything is obviously on the theme of blues and rock. In the 1960s it was officially recognized as the "Cradle of the Blues" by an act passed in Congress. It hosts Memphis in May, a month-long music festival.
Memphis Brooks Museum
Memphis is the cradle of many large organizations. Rejoice because it has a large number of museums, which testifies to a very rich history that is rooted in the city. You won't be able to finish the list in one trip. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is the largest and oldest museum of fine arts in Tennessee. The National Civil Rights Museum is very rich thanks to its exhibitions. The Downtown Memphis also houses the Peabody Place Museum with the largest art collection. As for the Art Museum at Memphis University, it holds the most remarkable selection of antiquities on Egypt's past. You won't be bored in Memphis for a moment.
Memphis Zoo
It has countless zoological properties. The Memphis Zoo has a huge population of mammals, birds, amphibians and fish throughout the world. It includes more than 2,800 animals representing 400 species on 70 acres. This is huge! You will undoubtedly discover some new species. Many other parks, no less prestigious, are worth visiting. These are Peabody Park, Motorsports Park, Autozone Park, Stata Park to name a few. She has so much to offer you, so take advantage of it!
Un peu d'histoire sur Memphis
The first European presence in Memphis dates back to 1739 with the construction of the fort assumption by the French. The town took the name Memphis in 1818 from an ancient Egyptian capital on the Nile, with some astute pioneers noticing that the fertility of the Mississippi delta was comparable to that of the Nile. This is why a certain number of monuments of the city recall this kind of filiation with ancient Egypt: pyramid, statue of Ramses II, zoo. Memphis enjoys a privileged geographical location that has made it a crossroads for rivers, roads and railways. Its power was symbolized for a long time by cotton. It attracts a lot of people, especially blacks from the Mississippi Delta.
Music has always held a predominant place in Memphis. In the 1920s, the music scene was already important, occupied by street musicians (Memphis Jug Band) and artists whose repertoire was far beyond the scope of the blues. The Handy Park was more like a circus than a square, while Beale Street was home to countless unseemly moves where violence was part of the scene. After the Second World War, Memphis became the cradle of both blues and Rock & Roll thanks to labels like Sun and Stax, but also a place of soul and rhythm & blues. If Memphis is the city of the king of Rock & Roll Elvis Presley, it is also one of the fiefdoms of the blues king B. B.. King. It is also the birthplace of Chicago blues legends such as Koko Taylor and Junior Wells.
