So it’s not the original, but there is no doubt that the reconstructed Panathenaic Stadium is one of the most impressive sites in Athens. It is built on the exact spot and in the same style as the original Panathenaic Stadium, and it is the only stadium in the world to be made completely from marble. This site actually has incredibly ancient roots, dating way back to ancient times when the Panathenaic Games, a sporting festival in honor of the goddess Athena, were held here. For the first Panathenaic Games in the year four hundred BC, it was a simple race track, but over centuries it evolved into a proper stadium. It was rebuilt in marble by Athenian Roman senator Herodes Atticus and capacity expanded to seat fifty thousand people. The stadium was abandoned after the rise of Christianity and covered by a field of wheat, and for centuries it was forgotten, buried under earth! But in the nineteenth century, with the revival of the Olympic Games, wouldn't you know it, this very spot was chosen to host the first modern Olympics! They rebuilt the stadium in all its marble glory, staying true to its ancient form. Today it is still used for concerts and cultural events, and the Panathenaic Stadium also welcomes joggers from 7:30 until 9:00 each morning. It also hosted the archery competitions for the two thousand and four Athens Olympics. In fact, for each and every Olympic Games, the Olympic Flame also begins its journey right here, before travelling around the world to wherever the games are being hosted. If you’d like to head inside the stadium to take a look, then the cost is a few Euros for adults, and audio tours are available.