Description of the attraction
In the center of Athens, not far from the congress hall Zappeyon and the National Garden, there is a unique stadium Panathinaikos, or, as the Greeks call it, Kali Marmara (translated as "beautiful marble"). It is the oldest and only stadium in the world built of white Pentelikon marble. In 1896, after reconstruction, the first Olympic Games in modern history were held at the stadium.
In ancient times, the stadium was the site of the Panathenaic Games; these were the largest religious and political festivals in ancient Athens. Panathineas were held in honor of the patroness of the city, the goddess Athena.
The stadium was built around 566 BC. and equipped with wooden benches. In 329 BC. at the initiative of Archon Lycurgus (Athenian statesman and orator), the stadium was rebuilt from marble. In 140 A. D. the stadium was renovated and significantly expanded, now it had 50 thousand seats.
The remains of an ancient building were excavated in the middle of the 19th century. At the same time, it was decided to carry out a major overhaul of the stadium. Funds for construction work were allocated by the patron Evangelis Zappas. With his support, the Greek Olympic competitions of 1870 and 1875 were also held.
Before the Games of 1896, the second large-scale stage of work was carried out at the expense of the Greek merchant and philanthropist Georgios Averoff (today his marble statue stands at the entrance to the stadium). The new stadium was designed by renowned architects Anastasios Metaxas and Ernst Ziller. Since the stadium was built according to the old model, its treadmills do not meet today's modern standards. Today the stadium can accommodate up to 80,000 spectators.
In 2003, an image of the Panathinaikos Stadium was minted on collectible coins in honor of the 2004 Olympic Games.
During the 2004 Olympic Games, the stadium hosted archery competitions.
The stadium is used not only for sports competitions, but also as a concert venue. Such famous performers as Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, "Depeche Mod", Sakis Rouvas and others performed here. The stadium also hosts exhibitions dedicated to the culture of Greece.
