Replica of the Athens Panathinaikon stadium, home of the Athens 1896 Olympics.

CLEARANCE 40% OFF - ORIGINALLY 29.95


Approx. 120mm (12cm) x 80mm (8cm) x 35mm (3.5cm)


History
The Panathinaiko or Panathenaic Stadium (also known as the Kallimarmaron, i.e. the "beautifully marbled") in Athens is the only major stadium in the world built fully of white marble (from Mount Penteli).

In ancient times it was used to host the athletic portion of the Panathenaic Games in honour of the Goddess Athena. During classical times the stadium had wooden seating. It was remade in marble by the archon Lycurgus in 329 BC and was enlarged and renovated by Herodes Atticus in 140 AD, to a seated capacity of 50,000. The remnants of the ancient structure were excavated and refurbished, with funds provided by Evangelos Zappas for the revival of the Olympic Games. Evangelos Zappas sponsored Olympic Games that were held there in 1870 and 1875. The stadium was refurbished a second time in 1895 for the 1896 Summer Olympics, with completion funding provided by the Greek benefactor George Averoff (whose marble statue now stands at the entrance), based on designs by architects Anastasios Metaxas and Ernst Ziller. The stadium was built long before dimensions for athletics venues were standardized and its track and layout follow the ancient hairpin-like model. It can seat about 80,000 spectators on 50 rows of marble steps.