Panathenaic Stadium

Athens, Greece

The Panathenaic Stadium or Kallimarmaro is a multi-purpose stadium in Athens. One of the main historic attractions of Athens, it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.

A stadium was built on the site of a simple racecourse by the Athenian statesman Lykourgos c. 330 BC, primarily for the Panathenaic Games. It was rebuilt in marble by Herodes Atticus, an Athenian Roman senator, by 144 AD and had a capacity of 50,000 seats. After the rise of Christianity in the 4th century it was largely abandoned.

The stadium was excavated in 1869 and hosted the Zappas Olympics in 1870 and 1875. After being refurbished, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and was the venue for 4 of the 9 contested sports. It was used for various purposes in the 20th century and was once again used as an Olympic venue in 2004. It is the finishing point for the annual Athens Classic Marathon. It is also the last venue in Greece from where the Olympic flame handover ceremony to the host nation takes place.

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Address

Agras 22, Athens, Greece
See all sites in Athens

Details

Founded: 144 AD
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Greece

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Callum Kerr (22 days ago)
Incredible stadium that’s older than dirt. That’s gotta be why it’s entirely made of marble, right? All jokes aside, we first saw this stadium on top of the mountain nearby and our tour guide explained to us that this is where the Olympic marathon ends and how cool it is to see that. I think he said this is on the way for the Olympic torch path as well as it departs Olympia. Regardless, it’s an iconic stadium that hosts large events including a fundraiser for victims of the recent wildfires. In the back you can see the Olympic rings and I believe this is where the opening and closing ceremonies were held. We weren’t there long but it was awesome to visit!
lap-hung (27 days ago)
I can't believe that I could stand on The Stadium of The first modern Olympic Games! The Stadium was built in 1896 but It's still a very strong and hard place! Very clean and keeps it so well. Visitors can climb to the top of the floor and real-see the Olympic logo within one foot! The little Stadium museum inside the playground where you can find many Olympic torches together!
Ebubechukwu Okafor (53 days ago)
Loved the experience! General Admission ticket is €10. Reduced Admission ticket for students €5. Show your student ID. The telephone tour guide is pretty cool too, you listen as you walk around. Definitely a place to visit. There's a lot of history. Taking drinks in there aren't allowed (and food i believe), just water is allowed.
Liselotte (56 days ago)
Interesting place with rich history! Though it wasn’t the highlight of my day i still enjoyed my visit! I would recommend climbing up on the right side when you enter to peek over the edge to get this nice view of the Acropolis! (last photo in this review) There is also a small museum that you should visit! There is probably some shade and you can buy drinks and ice cream at the entrance.
Stefan Borisov (2 months ago)
Awesome place, with so much history about the Olympic games. It is incredible how this stadium could sit more than 60 thousand people. Right now it is restored and it looks pretty similar to the original one with a few exceptions. There is also a museum which is included in the ticket, which you need to be careful not to miss because it's a bit hidden. In there you will find even more history and most of the Olympic torches from over the years. Overall, definitely a must visit.
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