The Panathenaic Stadium

The Panathenaic stadium is located in the center of Athens and is most famous for hosting the first Olympics of the modern era in 1896. However, the story of this historic, all-marble stadium began long before the 19th century...

Above:The Panathenaic stadium during the 1896 olympic games

The Panathenaic stadium (in Greek "Panathinaiko stadio," meaning "stadium of all the Athenians") is also known as Kallimarmaro (which means "made of fine marble"). The site of the Panathenaic stadium was originally a small, natural valley between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, over the Ilissos river. It was transformed into a stadium by the Athenian statesman and rhetorician, Lycurgus, in 330-329 BC for the athletic competitions of "Panathinea" (the Pan-Athenian games).

Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodes Atticus restored the stadium. In the Roman times, the Panathenaic stadium was used as an arena, with the addition of a semicircular wall to the north that was corresponding to the sphendone of the southern side.

It was found by the archaeologist Ernst Ziller during the excavations of the 1869-70. The horseshoe construction contained a track 204.07 meters long and 33.35 meters wide. The National Olympic Committee of the first Olympiad in Athens 1896, under the presidency of the crown prince Constantine, thought of reconstructing the ancient stadium for the needs of the track events.

A Tribute to George Averof
In May 1895, the crowned Prince Constantine send a personal letter to Mr. George Averof, requesting finacial assistance. Mr. Averof ,a wealthy Greek businessman living in Alexandria, Egypt, enjoyed a long history of community service and philanthropy. His response was immediate (two payments totaling 1.920.000 drachmas), assuming financial resposibility for the reconstruction of the Panathenaic stadium.

The architect Anastase Metaxas elaborated the study of the restoration of the Stadium, of 69.000 seats. The Stadium was rebuilt with marble from Mt Penteli, the same kind that was used 2,400 years before, for the construction of the Parthenon on the Acropolis. On the eve of the first Olympiad in Athens 1896, the unveiling ceremony of the George Averof's statue took place in front of the entrance of the newly restored Olympic stadium. The money for the statue was raized from a public fund-raizing campaign among the citizens of Athens.

The stadium was rebuilt by architect Anastasis Metaxas with marble from Mt. Penteli, the same kind that was used 2,400 years before for the construction of the Parthenon on the Acropolis. On the eve of the first Olympiad in Athens 1896, the unveiling ceremony of the George Averof's statue took place in front of the entrance of the newly restored Kallimarmaro stadium. Baron Pierre de Coubertin spoke these words at the ceremony:

"The silhouette of the Grecian temple has never been lost, its porticos and colonnades have known twenty renaissances. But the stadia disappeared with the athletes. People knew their architectural peculiarities but never restored them. A living stadium has not been seen for centuries.

"A few days now and this stadium will be alive with the animation given such structures by the crowds that fill them. We will see them again climbing the stairs, spreading out across the aisles, swarming in the passageways—a different crowd, doubtless, from that which last filled such a stadium, but animated nevertheless by similar sentiment, by the same interest in youth, by the same dreams of national greatness.

"There is room for about 50,000 spectators. Portions of the seats are in wood, time having been lacking to cut and place all the marble. After the Games this work will be completed, thanks to the generous gift of M. Averof."

                                                                                       —Baron Pierre de Coubertin

The Panathenaic Stadium (in Greek: Panathinaiko Stadio, meaning "stadium of all the Athenians") is also known as Kallimarmaro (which means "made of fine marble"). In the Roman times, the Stadium was used as an arena, with the addition of a semicircular wall to the north. The Panathenaic Stadium (owned by the Greek Olympic Committee) is now mainly a tourist attraction and is used only in special events. It will, however, be used in the 2004 Olympics; the marathon race will finish there (following the tradition of the 1st Olympics). Also, the finals of archery will take place in the Stadium.

The modern stadium is located in the centre of the city, on Vassileos Konstantinou (King Constantine) avenue, on the east side of the National Gardens. The stadium is now mainly a tourist attraction and is used only in special events. Every four years, before the Olympics, the Olympic flame is relayed here from Olympia and passed on to the host country by the Greek Olympic Committee in a special ceremony.

The Panathenaic stadium will be used for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The finals of archery will take place in the stadium and, following the tradition of the first modern Olympics, the marathon race will finish there.

About OL | Ancient Games | Athens 1896 | Olympic Trivia | Links

Sponsored by AvantiLogic.com, Produced by Photoenhancements.com
Copyright © 2003 by Photoenhancements.com