Imagine wild cheers echoing through the ages. This is the Panathenaic Stadium. It is the world’s only stadium built entirely of marble.
The Panathenaic Stadium has a long history. Originally, a simple racecourse stood here in the 6th century BC. It hosted the Panathenaic Games honouring Athena. Spectators sat on the ravine’s natural slopes.
Around 330 BC the statesman Lykourgos built a stadium of poros stone. It had stone benches around the track. The stadium’s track measured 669 feet long and 110 feet wide. Lykourgos persuaded Deinas to donate the land. Eudemus of Plataea donated 1000 yoke of oxen for construction.
Later in 144 AD Herodes Atticus rebuilt it in marble. It could then seat 50000 people. The stadium was Roman in scale but Greek in design. Criminals may have been executed here though there is no real evidence. The seats were decorated with owls that symbolize Athena.
After Christianity’s rise, the stadium was abandoned and fell to ruin. Wheat covered the site. During Latin rule, knights held feats of arms here. Young Athenian maidens performed magical rites in the ruins.
Excavations began after Greece’s independence in 1836. Ernst Ziller conducted further excavation in 1869 to 1870. The Zappas Olympics were held here in 1870 and 1875.
George Averoff sponsored the stadium’s refurbishment for the 1896 Olympics. Architect Anastasios Metaxas prepared the reconstruction plan. He duplicated the second-century design. The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. It also hosted athletics gymnastics weightlifting and wrestling. 60000 spectators attended. A statue of Averoff stands outside as a tribute.
The Panathenaic Stadium hosted the 1906 Intercalated Games.
AEK Basketball Club used the stadium in the mid to late 1960s. In 1968 AEK defeated Slavia VŠ Praha in front of 70000 fans.
During the Regime of the Colonels, large annual events were held here. These events were used to showcase national pride.
The stadium needed no major changes for the 2004 Olympics. It hosted the archery competition and the marathon finish.
The 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games opening ceremony was held here. Stevie Wonder and Vanessa Williams performed.
The stadium has hosted concerts. Depeche Mode The Cure and R.E.M. have all played here. In 2009 Sakis Rouvas performed for 50000 people. The Scorpions played here in 2018. In 2025 Robbie Williams will perform.
The Panathenaic Stadium influenced stadium architecture. Harvard Stadium and Deutsches Stadion were modeled after it.
The stadium is depicted on a Greek commemorative coin. It is also shown on Olympic medals.
Hidden beneath is an ancient passage used by gladiators and athletes. It leads to a museum with Olympic torches and posters.
Today you can walk the stands and run on the track. You can experience the history of the Panathenaic Stadium. Feel the echoes of champions past and present in this beautiful marble arena. It is a testament to athletic achievement and enduring spirit.