Panathenaic Stadium

All marble

It is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble

The Panathenaic Stadium, also known as Kallimarmaro, is a stadium in Athens. It is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. Since the 6th century BC a racecourse had stood on the site, for the Panathenaic Games, a festival celebrated every four years in honour of the goddess Athena.

Lykourgos

Lykourgos built a stadium of poros stone around 330 BC

The racecourse had no formal seating, and spectators sat on the natural slopes of the ravine. In the 4th century BC the Athenian statesman Lykourgos built a stadium of poros stone, with tiers of stone benches around the track. It is believed to have been completed for the Panathenaic Games of 330/329 BC.

Herodes Atticus

Herodes Atticus rebuilt it in marble by 144 AD, with 50,000 seats

It was rebuilt in marble by Herodes Atticus, an Athenian Roman senator, by 144 AD. The new stadium was built completely of ashlar masonry in Pentelic marble. Its seats were decorated with owls in relief, which symbolize Athena.

50,000seats in the rebuilt stadium

Abandoned

It was abandoned, and a field of wheat covered the site

After Hellenistic festivals and bloody spectacles were banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius I in the late 4th century, the stadium was abandoned and fell into ruin. Gradually its significance was forgotten and a field of wheat covered the site. Its marbles were incorporated into other buildings.

1896

The first modern Olympics opened here on 6 April 1896

The stadium was excavated in 1869 and hosted the Zappas Olympics in 1870 and 1875. It was rebuilt in marble for the 1896 Olympics with money from the businessman George Averoff, whose statue stands outside to this day. The games of the First Olympiad opened on 6 April before an estimated 60,000 spectators.

60,000spectators estimated at the opening in 1896