The Panathenaic Stadium or Kalimarmaro, was dedicated to the goddess Athena, protector of the city of Athens and there celebrated part of the Great Panathenaia which was the most important combination of religious festival, athletic comptetion and cultural event of Athens, was held in her honor. The stadium is situated between the hills of Agra and Ardittou since the 4th century BC, when the site was a natural hollow ground between the hills around the river Ilissos.
The famous marble Panathenaic Stadium, paved with marble in 329 BC when governor of the city was Lycurgus. The Panathenaic Stadium originally was a wooden structure. The final version, with a horseshoe shape and stands, took the middle of the 2nd AD century about in 140, by Herodes Atticus, when a renovation and further increase its capacity to 50,000 seats.
Over the years and especially during the Middle Ages, the stadium was abandoned and stripped as much of the marble removed most likely to be used in secondary use.
In the modern era, when King Othonas declare Athens as the capital of the Greek Kingdom, there was nothing left from its previous glory. It was a ruin.
1856: For the first time Evangelos Zappas makes the proposal for renovation of the Panathenaic Stadium. However, the realization of the project is aborted.
1894: The revival of the modern era Olympic Games is decided to be held in Athens.
As a result the Olympic Committee decided to renovate the Ancient Stadium. The renovation has been undertaken by the architect Anastasios Metaxas and funded by George Averof. Metaxas based on existing although partially ruined foundations of the Stadium. Acceding to a simple decor, he paved it with white Pentelic marble - hence the name Kalimarmaro - and upped the number of seats on the 60000. However the project was completed in 1900, due to limited time . However in 1896 for the purpose of the ceremony of the first modern Olympic Games, the first series paved with marble Stadium and essentially launched then. Then also erected a statue of Georgios Averof which thereafter stands on the front side of the Stadium.
Over a century later, Kallimarmaro has been associated with many important moments in Greece, and has hosted numerous sports and cultural events.
1968: The final of the Basketball Cup Winner's Cup is hosted, where AEK Athens wins over Slavia Prague, 89-82, in the packed Panathenaic Stadium.
1996: The reception of the Olympians of Atlanta Games takes place.
1997: The opening ceremony of the 6th World Championships in Athletics is hosted here.
2004: The reception of the Greek National football team, that won the European Championship, takes place and later in the same year during the Olympic Games of Athens, the finishing line of the marathon, as well as the sport of archery are held here.