In Pics: As I Stood Looking at the First Modern Olympic Stadium

The mythical Olympic stadium in Athens is in an unusual place: bang in the middle of a traffic intersection.

The Pananthenaic Stadium in Athens hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896. (Photo: Maanvi)

It was a cool February morning in Athens and I was lost.

My map said that the Panathenaic Stadium, an oasis of marble built in 144 AD, was nearby. But around me, there was nothing but buzzing traffic and  a few people walking around in the sun.

Surely the mythical Olympic stadium couldn’t be bang in the middle of a traffic intersection?

I was wrong.

The stadium can seat 50,000 people, though when I visited it, it was eerily empty, with just a few lone tourists roaming around. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

The Pananthenaic Stadium in Athens hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896. Originally built in 330 BC for the Panathenaic Games, it was rebuilt in 144 AD by Herodes Atticus, an Athenian Roman senator.

Like a sphinx which rose from its ashes, the stadium had been destroyed many times before it shone on the world’s stage one more time: as a venue for the opening ceremony in Athens Olympics in 2004.

The traffic in front of the stadium whizzes past oblivious of its ancient history, much like most of the monuments in Athens. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

The sphinx stood in front of me, with its ancient memory of many sportsmen winning and losing, right in the middle of a busy traffic intersection. The only stadium in the world to be built entirely of marble, it was abandoned with the rise of Christianity. In 1869, it was excavated and hosted the Zappas Olympics in 1870 and 1875

The tunnel entrance to the Panathenaic stadium. Aeons ago, ancient athletes (and gladiators) walked this hallowed path. Now, the tunnel leads to the Olympic museum which showcases the history of the Games. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

The national flag of Greece flutters at the entrance of the stadium. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

The stadium held the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1896 Olympics, where it was filled with 80,000 spectators, including King George I of Greece. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

A bust of Zeus, in whose honour Ancient Olympic Games (also known as Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece) were held. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

A plaque describing the years and the venues of the Modern Olympic Games starting from 1896. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

The tunnel entrance where the athletes come out from, and showcase their prowess and attempt sporting excellence. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

The statue of a discus thrower in motion is believed to symbolise the Olympian spirit of sportsmanship. (Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)

(Photo Courtesy: Maanvi)