Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro)
Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro) is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Athens audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Athens Athens guide
About Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro)
Reputed to be the only stadium on Earth made entirely of marble, this gleaming horseshoe hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896 and still sends off every Olympic flame.
The Panathenaic Stadium, nicknamed Kallimarmaro ('beautiful marble'), is a stadium in central Athens reputed to be the only one in the world built entirely of marble. A running track was first laid out on the site around 330 BC by the statesman Lykourgos for the athletic contests of the Panathenaic Games. The Roman senator and benefactor Herodes Atticus rebuilt it in Pentelic marble, completed around 144 AD, in a horseshoe shape seating roughly 50,000 spectators.
The site was excavated by Ernst Ziller in 1869-70 and restored in 1895-96 for the first modern Olympics, funded by the benefactor Georgios Averoff with the architect Anastasios Metaxas. It hosted the ceremonies and several events of the 1896 Athens Olympic Games and, in 2004, the archery competition and the marathon finish. It seats about 45,000 today and serves as the ceremonial venue where the Olympic flame is handed over to each host city.
Did you know? A single fabulously wealthy Roman senator, Herodes Atticus, paid to rebuild the entire stadium in marble around 144 AD. Ancient writers say it could hold about fifty thousand spectators, though that number is only an estimate.
How long should you spend at Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro)?
Plan about ~60 min at Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro). That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro) worth visiting?
Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro) is one of the 35 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Athens, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Athens
Day 2 of the Athens in 2 days itinerary →Day 3 of the Athens in 3 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro)
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