★★★★★ 5.0
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Panathenaic Stadium
This stadium looks brand new, but it's actually 2,300 years old! You're standing at the ONLY stadium in the entire world built completely out of marble - that's like building a giant marble birthday cake that seats 50,000 people! That's more than your whole school times a hundred! A super-rich Roman guy named Herodes Atticus spent four whole years covering this place in sparkly white marble from a mountain called Pendelikón. And here's the coolest secret - every single Olympic flame that travels around the world starts its journey right here where you're standing! Can you imagine being one of those 50,000 people cheering in 1896 when the very first modern Olympics happened right in these marble seats?
Did You Know?
- The Panathenaic Stadium is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble, thanks to a lavish 2nd-century AD renovation by the wealthy Roman senator Herodes Atticus, who transformed the original earth-and-stone structure into a dazzling white marble arena—a symbol of Athenian pride and Roman grandeur.
- At the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the marathon and archery events, making it the birthplace of the modern Olympic movement and a living link between ancient and contemporary sports history.
- Hidden beneath the stadium’s marble seats are ancient tunnels and passages used by athletes and officials in antiquity, and today, visitors can still see remnants of these tunnels, offering a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes life of ancient Greek athletes—a fun, explorative detail for families and curious kids.