Roman Stadium

We had first seen the Roman Stadium from the Acropolis. We could tell that it was nestled in a small valley between a couple of hills. However, most of it was obscured by these hills. Still, what we could see of it didn’t look too inspiring. Our opinion drastically changed after we arrived at its gates. To put it bluntly, this stadium became one of our favorite places in Athens.

The stadium was first build by the Greeks in the 4th Century B.C. The Romans modified it in the first century A.D. to house their sporting events. The stadium deteriorated after the Roman Empire crumbled. However, it was restored in 1895 by a Greek millionaire who wanted to rebuild it in time for the first modern era Olympics, which were held in 1896. The restoration process meant that the entire stadium was retiled in marble.

The stadium is the only monument we found that had a historical presence in both antiquity and the modern era. That’s not to say that it’s more historically imposing than the Acropolis or the Agora. It’s just that its Olympic heritage and the wonderful restoration give it a little more accessibility than the other monuments. This accessibility is evident in the list of Olympiads that stands at the front of the stadium. It’s also evident in the fact that the track is open to visitors. Allowing visitors on the track makes it very easy to imagine that one is running in an Olympics (albeit much more poorly than the original contestants ran).

We did run around the track like all the other tourists. We also sat in the king and queen’s chair at the center of the grandstand. We even got to applaud at the other tourists running on the track while we were in the king and queen’s chair. These chairs are the only seats with backs on them in the entire stadium. The rest of the stadium is made of marble benches. While they are cool to the touch, they are very uncomfortable for long term sitting.

We also climbed to the top of the stadium to get a view of the sites around the town. The steps to the top are very uneven. In some places, it was almost easier to pull oneself up instead of stepping up. But, the exertion was worth it, especially in the stadium’s northwest corner. We were able to get some spectacular views of the Acropolis and the Zappion Gardens from this spot. It’s definitely worth the climbing to get these views.

The successful restoration of this antiquity just made me wonder (as I did in the Agora) why more monuments were not fully restored. It would make them much more relevant to the casual tourist. But, I could continue that debate throughout this web site, which would make it even more boring than it is. Instead, I’ll just strongly recommend that everyone who visits Athens should spend some time at the Roman Stadium. It’s open from sunrise to sunset every day except major holidays. There is no admission cost to this facility.

The Parthenon from the Roman Stadium

The King and Queen (of their own minds) signify their pleasure with the contestants. The Roman Stadium. A Dianne Lima photo

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