Panathenaic Stadium

Athens' Panathenaic Stadium or Panathinaiko, is also known as the Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο), which means "beautifully marbled" and is the world's only stadium made entirely of marble, which comes from nearby Mount Pendeli. It was built in 1896 for the first modern Olympics in the ruins of the ancient marble stadium that was built in 329 BC for the Panathenaic Games, by Lycurgus, replacing an even older stadium made of wood. In 140 AD it was enlarged and renovated by Herodes Atticus and it seated 50,000 people as it does today. (During the 1896 Olympics it held 80,000 people!)

The stadium is located at the intersection of Vassileos Konstandinou, Irodou Attikou and Vassilissis Olgas streets just southeast of the Zappion Building and the National Gardens and east of the Temple of Zeus. It used to be free but now they charge a 3 euro admission and you get a taped history of the stadium and headphones to carry around with you. The views alone are worth the price of admission. The stadium was used during the 2004 Olympics and still hosts Atheletic events and majorconcerts such as Bob Dylan, Depeche Mode, Tina Turner, Black Sabbath, REM and Sakis Rouvas, and even the Harlem Globetrotters have played here. The area behind the stadium is wooded and is a popular place for joggers and power-walkers.

The top of the Panathinaiko Stadium gives you the best shot of the Acropolis