The Panathenaic Stadium (Greek: Παναθηναϊκό Στάδιο, romanized: Panathinaïkó Stádio, [panaθinai̯ˈko ˈstaðio])[a] or Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο [kaliˈmarmaro], lit.

[5] A stadium was built on the site of a simple racecourse by the Athenian statesman Lykourgos (Lycurgus) c. 400 BC, primarily for the Panathenaic Games.

[7][8] The stadium is built in what was originally a natural ravine between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos,[9] south of the Ilissos river.

Until the 1950s, the Ilissos River (which is now covered by (and flowing underneath) Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue) ran in front of the stadium's entrance, with the spring of Kallirrhoe, the sanctuary of Pankrates (a local hero), and the Cynosarges public gymnasium nearby.

It hosted the Panathenaic Games (also known as the Great Panathenaea), a religious and athletic festival celebrated every four years in honour of the goddess Athena.

[12] In the 4th century BC the Athenian statesman Lykourgos (Lycurgus) built an 850-foot (260 m) long stadium of poros stone.

[14][15] IG II² 351 (dated 329 BC), records that Eudemus of Plataea gave 1000 yoke of oxen for the construction of the stadium and theater.

According to Romano the "reference to the large number of oxen, indicating a vast undertaking, and the use of the word charadra have suggested the kind of building activity that would have been needed to prepare the natural valley between the two hills near the Ilissos.

[20] Donald Kyle suggests that it is possible that Lykourgos did not build but "renovated or embellished a pre-existing facility to give it monumental stature.

"[16] Herodes Atticus, an Athenian who rose to the highest echelons of power in Rome, was responsible for numerous structures in Greece.

One side of the throne includes a relief showing an olive tree and a table on which rests set of wreaths and a Panathenaic amphora.

European travelers wrote of "magical rites enacted by young Athenian maidens in the ruined vaulted passage, aimed at finding a good husband.

[4] Darling writes that "He duplicated the dimensions and design of the second-century structure, arranging the tiers of seats around the U-shaped track.

[37] The stadium was filled with an estimated 60,000 spectators,[2] including King George I of Greece, his wife Olga, and their sons.

In these festivals, the stadium, "with its aura of antiquity stood as a monument to Greek rebirth, national pride, and international interest."

Other concerts include those of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo (27 June 2007)[50] and a dance performance by Joaquín Cortés (14 September 2009).

[44] The stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the 1997 World Championships in Athletics on a concept by composer Vangelis and along with the performance of soprano Montserrat Caballé.

The show was attended by many A-listers, such as Anya Taylor-Joy, Cara Delevingne, Jisoo and many other global and Greek stars.

Katherine Welch described the stadium as a "great marble flight of steps terraced into the contours of a U-shaped ravine — splendid in materials but ostentatiously simple in construction technique.