Panathenaic Stadium

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 is a unique archaeological monument, a living symbol of the ancient and modern heritage of sport and the Olympic Games.  It is one of the main historic attractions of Athens and it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.

Held every four years between August 6 and September 19, the Olympic Games were a central part of Greek life, and major affairs, including wars, were often scheduled so as not to interfere with the event. In the early centuries of the ancient Olympics, the contests took place on one day, but the Games were later spread over four days, followed by a fifth devoted to the closing-ceremony presentation of prizes and a banquet for the champions.