GreekEnglishFlemishDutch
  Tourist information guide on Athens Greece

The Olympic Flag

 

 


2004 Olympic Summer Games venues in Athens


 


The new and renewed Olympic venues, along with the other infrastructure projects, is Greece's legacy from the 2004 Olympic Summer Games. The gave an important boost to sports in Athens. Click on the venue or complex of your choice on the map to see detailed information.


Map of the Olympic venues in Athens

Interactive Olympic venues in Athens map

Photo gallery Olympic Athens photos



Agios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Center AthensAgios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Center Athens

The Olympic Sailing Center is located in the coastal area of southern Attica. The new construction has a capacity of 1.600 seats and it was constructed by the Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.

Total capacity
1.600 spectators
Total land surface
336.289 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
34.7 km
Completion date
31 January 2004
Official opening
2 August 2004
Top


Ano Liossia Olympic Hall AthensAno Liossia Olympic Hall Athens

This wrestling and judo hall is situated in Ano Liossia, in the northwest region of Athens. The construction area covers a surface of 35.000 m² surrounded by supplementary support areas such as warm up areas, athletes’ rest rooms, training areas, change rooms, medical-hygiene areas, administration, National Federation offices, security services areas, pressroom, spectators services areas, recreation areas etc.

Total capacity
9.000 spectators
Total land surface
65.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
17 km
Completion date
31 January 2004
Official opening
11 August 2004
Top


Faliro coastal zone Olympic complex Athens

The Faliro Coastal Zone is a completely new venue with 8.100 seats, which hosted the taekwondo events and the handball preliminary games. The Sports Pavilion together with the Olympic Beach Volleyball Center, the Marina and the Esplanade are included in a wider urban area redevelopment project of the coastal zone.

Olympic Sports Pavilion Athens
Olympic Sports Pavilion Athens

The Sports Pavilion together with the Olympic Beach Volleyball Center, the Marina and the Esplanade are included in a wider urban area redevelopment project of the coastal zone.

Total capacity
8.100 spectators
Total land surface
81.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
25 km
Completion date
20 December 2003
Official opening
12 August 2004

Olympic Beach Volleyball Center AthensOlympic Beach Volleyball Center Athens

The Olympic Beach Volleyball Center in Faliro is a new court with a 9.600 seating capacity. The fascinating sport of beach volleyball became a dominant spectacle in the warm and sandy environment of the Faliro Coastal Zone.

Total capacity
9.600 spectators
Total land surface
123.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
25 km
Completion date
31 January 2004
Official opening
2 August 2004

Peace and Friendship Stadium AthensPeace and Friendship Stadium Athens

The famous Peace and Friendship Stadium, situated close to the port of Piraeus on the coast of Faliro in the south of Athens, is a jewel of modern architectural style. The stadium enjoyed international prestige and an enviable reputation thanks to its use as a venue for important European and international sport championships as well as professional and commercial fairs.

Its renovation was undertaken by the General Secretariat of Sports (GSS) and resulted in a 13.200 seated capacity stadium which hosted volleyball during the Olympic Games.

Total capacity
13.200 spectators
Total land surface
81.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
25 km
Completion date
30 June 2004
Official opening
11 August 2004
Top


Galatsi Olympic Hall Athens Galatsi Olympic Hall Athens

The Olympic Hall in Galatsi, a suburb northwest of the center of Athens, hosted the table tennis and the rhythmic gymnastics events during the 2004 Athens Olympic Summer Games. It includes a main building with 6.500 seats for the spectators along with other surrounding areas, access roads, parking areas etc.

Total capacity
6.500 spectators
Total land surface
95.000 m² (approx.)
Distance to Olympic Village
16 km
Completion date
May 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004
Top


Goudi Olympic Complex AthensGoudi Olympic Complex Athens

The Goudi Olympic Complex was an important section in the whole Olympic works program as it hosted modern pentathlon and the badminton events. The Goudi Complex consists of two venues: the Goudi Olympic Hall and the Olympic Modern Pentathlon Center. The shooting and fencing disciplines of the pentathlon were held at the Goudi Olympic Hall. It also hosted the badminton events.

The other three pentathlon disciplines (swimming, riding and running) were held at the Olympic Modern Pentathlon Center. The complex includes 2.500 seats for swimming, two 5.000 seats areas for riding and running and 3.000 seats for fencing and shooting. A temporary construction with 4.100 seats and built by the Ministry of Environment, Public Welfare and Public Works hosted the badminton.

Total capacity
badminton: 4.100, equestrian: 5.000
swimming: 2.500, shooting/fencing: 3.000
Total land surface
231.700 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
28,5 km
Completion date
31 March 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004
Top


Helliniko Olympic Complex Athens

The Helliniko Olympic Complex, the former Athens Airport, is situated south of Athens and includes five Olympic venues: indoor Arena and fencing hall, Olympic baseball center, Olympic softball stadium, Olympic canoe/kayak slalom center and the Olympic hockey center.

Indoor Arena and Fencing Hall AthensIndoor Arena and Fencing Hall Athens

Three sporting events were hosted at the Indoor Arena and Fencing Hall of the Helliniko Olympic Complex Athens: the preliminaries of basketball and the finals of handball at the Indoor Arena and the preliminaries and final of fencing at the Fencing Hall. The Indoor Arena has a 14.100 seats area whereas the Fencing Hall has two halls: one of 3.800 seats for the preliminaries and 5.000 seats for the fencing finals. Both venues were the result of additions and overlays to existing facilities.

Total capacity
basketball: 14.100, handball: 13.000
Total land surface
58.600 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
36.2 km
Completion date
31 May 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004

Olympic Baseball Center AthensOlympic Baseball Center Athens

The Olympic Baseball Center, part of the Helliniko Olympic Complex, in the south of Athens, is a new construction which hosted baseball, a sport not very popular in Greece but well known to the rest of the world. It consists of two main courts, one of 8.700 and another of 4.000 seats.

Total capacity
8.700 (field 1) and 4.000 (field 2)
Total land surface
120.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
32.6 km
Completion date
27 February 2004
Official opening
12 August 2004

Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Center AthensOlympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Center Athens

The Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Center is part of the Helliniko Olympic Complex and it can accommodate 8.000 spectators. The venue is designed to operate as a sports Center consisting of a competition course, a secondary training course and a warm-up natural lake with a total area of 270.000 square meters. It is located within the former Helliniko Airport of Athens, northeast of the Helliniko Olympic Complex and it haf a total area of 288.000 square meters. Between 22 and 25 April 2004, the Athens Slalom Racing World Cup was held here.

Total capacity
7.600 spectators
Total land surface
288.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
32.3 km
Completion date
31 March 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004


Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Center Athens

The Olympic Hockey Center is a new construction, in the south of Athens, with one large pitch of 7.300 seats and a smaller one of 2.100. It includes a warm-up pitch which is used for training.

Total capacity
7.300 (pitch 1), 2.100 (pitch 2)
Total land surface
115.173 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
33 km
Completion date
29 February 2004
Official opening
11 August 2004

Olympic Softball stadium AthensOlympic Softball stadium Athens

The Olympic Softball Stadium is a new construction situated in the heart of the Helliniko Olympic Complex in the south of Athens. The venue consists of a main softball field with 4.800 seats, two warm-up fields and rooms for athletes, competition management, media, and staff.

Total capacity
4.800 spectators
Total land surface
57.492 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
33 km
Completion date
29 February 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004
Top


Karaiskaki Stadium AthensKaraiskaki Stadium Athens

The Karaiskaki Stadium is the second largest stadium in Athens. It was used as the velodrome for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. In the 1960s it was renovated into the stadium that still stands today. The stadium has been fully renovated and transformed into a modern football stadium. It is located in Faliro and has a capacity of 33.000 seats. During the Olympic Games it hosted 11 games (preliminaries, quarter-finals and semi-finals) of the Olympic football tournament as well as the women’s final.

Total capacity
33.000 spectators
Total land surface
75.730 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
24 km
Completion date
30 June 2004
Official opening
2 August 2004
Top


Olympic equestrian center AthensOlympic equestrian center Athens

The Olympic Equestrian Center of Markopoulo, completed in 2003, hosted the Olympic and Paralympic equestrian Games in August and September 2004. It is a state-of-the-art Olympic Center in one of the best developed areas of Attica, in close proximity to the International Eleftherios Venizelos Airport and the Attica highway (Attiki Odos).

Covering an area of 940.000 square meters, the Center comprises meeting rooms and offices, viewing stands, competition and warm-up areas, stabling facilities for 280 horses and parking lots.

The competition grounds include: the main show jumping arena, a grass area of 90x120 meters, the main sand dressage arena measuring 80x40 meters, a final warm-up area of 60x20 meters for dressage, an indoor riding school of 70x30 meters, a general training/warm-up area of 90x90, two more general training/warm-up maneges of 90x45 meters each with sand and three further training/warm-up dressage areas of 60x20 meters each.

In addition, there is a cross country course 5.710 meters in length, with about 35 obstacles. The course has its own additional grass warm-up paddock. The Olympic equestrian Center also hosted the Olympic Test Event in August 2003. Since then, the Hellenic Equestrian Federation has used the grounds to hold all its international competitions, including world cups.

The Olympic Equestrian Center is situated at about 8 kilometers from the International Eleftherios Venizelos Airport and just a short distance from Porto Rafti, a popular seaside resort.

Total capacity
dressage: 8.100, jumping: 10.000, cross country: 15.000
Total land surface
940.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
43 km
Completion date
December 2003
Official opening
12 August 2004
Top


Olympic equestrian center AthensOlympic Shooting Center Athens

The Olympic Shooting Center in Markopoulo covers an area of 312.000 m². It consists of four main buildings with a total capacity of 4.000 spectators which hosted the shooting events with mobile and clay targets. Other facilities include restaurants, hostels, indoor halls for finals, reception areas, press areas, greenery and parking areas. The venue hosted the ISSF World Cup between 22-30 April 2004.

Total capacity
4.000 spectators
Total land surface
312.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
42 km
Completion date
March 200
Official opening
2 August 2004
Top


Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall AthensNikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall Athens

The Olympic Weightlifting Hall in Nikaia, an area in the southwest of the Attica region, consists of an indoor gym building. Weightlifting is very popular in Greece and the hall was one of the first projects to be planned and supported for the 2004 Olympic Games by the General Secretariat of Sports. The venue has supplementary areas for warming up, resting, changing, training, medical care and hostels for the athletes as well as additional rooms for security, press, spectators’ services and recreation.

Total capacity
5.100 spectators
Total land surface
8.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
29.5 km
Official opening
14 August 2004
Top


Olympic Sports Complex Athens

Aerial Olympic Sports Complex AthensOlympic Sports Complex Athens

The Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA) is situated at Maroussi. It was the center of the Olympic Summer Games 2004. The whole area has been remodeled by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava with monuments, gardens, futuristic passages and a characteristic new blue glass roof which was added to the Olympic Stadium.

The structure features two huge arches which support a massive steel and glass roof above enormous stands. The arches caused some concern for the games organizers as it was an engineering feat in itself sliding them into position. With the construction of the stadium running behind schedule, the organizers had little room for error in maneuvering them into place. Despite one or two minor hiccups, all went smoothly.

Also located at the Olympic Sports Complex are the indoor hall (basketball), the aquatic center (swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming), the Olympic tennis center and the velodrome.

Olympic Aquatic Center AthensOlympic Aquatic Center Athens

The Olympic Aquatic Center, which is located at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex in Maroussi, hosted the swimming, water-polo, synchronized swimming and diving events during the 2004 Olympic Games. The aquatic Center consists of two outdoor and one indoor pool.

Total capacity
main pool: 11.500, indoor pool: 6.200
synchronized swimming pool: 5.300
Total land surface
78.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
14.5 km
Completion date
End of 2003
Official opening
13 August 2004

Olympic Indoor Hall AthensOlympic Indoor Hall Athens

Gymnastics (artistic & trampoline) and the basketball (finals) took place in the Olympic Indoor Hall, at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, located in Maroussi, a northern Athens suburb. The Olympic Indoor Hall is a new building designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It is part of the beautiful Athens Olympic Sport Complex.

Total capacity
artistic gymnastics, trampoline: 17.500, basketball: 19.250
Total land surface
61.750 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
14.5 km
Completion date
30 June 2004
Official opening
10 August 2004

Olympic Stadium AthensOlympic Stadium Athens

The Olympic Stadium, the center of the Olympic Games 2004, is situated at Maroussi and it is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA). The Olympic Stadium can host 72.000 spectators. During the 2004 Athens Olympic Summer Games, the athletic evens, the football final and the opening and closing Ceremonies took place in the Olympic Stadium.

Total capacity
72.000 spectators
Total land surface
127.625 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
14.5 km
Completion date
June 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004

Olympic Tennis Center AthensOlympic Tennis Center Athens

The center is situated at Maroussi and is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA). It hosted some of the best-known tennis athletes in the world. The Tennis Center consists of the main court (8.600 seats), two semi-final courts (4.300 seats) and 13 other courts (200 seats each).

Total capacity
main court: 8.600 seats, two semi-final courts: 4.300 seats
Total land surface
69.000 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
14.5 km
Completion date
February 2004
Official opening
2 August 2004

Olympic Velodrome AthensOlympic Velodrome Athens

The Olympic Velodrome, at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA), is the venue where the track cycling discipline took place. It hosted 5.250 spectators. The Velodrome has a wooden track with a length of 250 meters and 7,5 meters wide, made of afzelia hard wood. The banking at the two bends is 42° and 15 ° at the two straights. The renovation of the velodrome was included in the “Aesthetic Unification of OAKA” project under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. Part of it included its roof, designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Total capacity
5.250 spectators
Total land surface
53.400 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
14.5 km
Completion date
30 May 2004
Official opening
30 July 2004
Top


Panathinaiko Stadium AthensPanathinaic Stadium Athens

The Panathinaic stadium, widely known as “Kallimarmaro”, is the stadium where the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 were held. Even in ancient years, the area where the Panathinaic (or Panathenian) Stadium stands today was largely used to host the Panathenean Games, festival events that were held to honor the Greek goddess Athena (the Goddess of wisdom, skills and warfare and protector of the city of Athens in ancient Greece). It is situated in the center of Athens and if first was reconstructed in 1895 to become the main stadium to host the 1896 Olympic Games.

The renovations that took place under the responsibility of the General Secretariat of Sports and the Ministry of Culture, included upgrades and modifications on its infrastructure, mainly in the restoration of the monument, configuration of the track and surrounding areas, incorporation of lighting and establishment of anti-fire systems. During the Olympic Games the stadium hosted the finish of the marathon and archery.

Total capacity
archery: 7.500, marathon finish: 34.500
Total land surface
128.331 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
24 km
Completion date
31 January 2004
Official opening
12 August 2004
Top


Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall AthensPeristeri Olympic Boxing Hall Athens

The 2004 Olympic boxing competition was held at a new Olympic Boxing Hall in the Municipality of Peristeri in the West Attica region. This new Indoor Hall has a total capacity of 8.000 seats. The hall is near National Road and a close to the Olympic Village, the Dekeleia Training Complex and the center of Athens where the accommodation of the National Boxing Federation is be located.

Total capacity
8.000 spectators
Total land surface
127.800 m²
Top


Vouliagmeni Olympic Center AthensVouliagmeni Olympic Center Athens

Triathlon (1.500 m swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km running) was conducted at the south coast of Attica in Vouliagmeni. Athletes started the race with the 1.500 m swimming at the famous Oceanida beach. Next they cycled for 40 km from the beach to the center of Athens and back. The running track went along Vouliagmenis Avenue to the Lake of Vouligameni.

Total capacity
3.600 spectators
Total land surface
60.900 m²
Distance to Olympic Village
45 km
Completion date
30 June 2004 (temporary constructions)
Official opening
2 August 2004
Top


Olympic Village Athens

Olympic Village Athens

The Olympic Village included a variety of entertainment options where athletes could enjoy their leisure time. It included:

• a 5.000 m² sports complex with an Olympic size swimming pool, a jogging track,
  four tennis courts and a state of the art gym.
• an open-air cinema.
• dance clubs with live entertainment.
• games rooms.
• internet cafes.
• daily online village newspaper.

The Olympic village had two secure zones: the residential zone and the international zone. The residential zone had newly constructed apartments, dining facilities, recreational centers, meeting rooms, religious centers, a polyclinic and a transportation mall. All residences and offices of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were housed in permanent buildings. The international zone included the main Olympic Village entrance, shopping centers, the Olympic museum and an amphitheatre.

Total land surface
1.240.000 m²
Total lenght/with
2.090 m/766 m
Indoor hall
3.000 m²
Outdoor sporting facilities
30.000 m²
Official opening
30 July 2004
Top

Plans for the future

The Greek government has announced its plans for the Olympic venues. The venues will be leased, rather than sold and the government hopes to recoup at least some of the 13,5 billion Euro ($11 billlion) spent on them and 122 million Euro ($100 million) in annual maintenance costs.

The main Olympic complex will become a park. The equestrian centre in Markopoulo would house the capital's second golf course, a hotel and a heliport apart from the race course that will also remain. The canoe-kayak race track will be turned into a water fun park. The Hellenikon sports complex, the Games'' second biggest site, will be turned into a park and the existing sports facilities, including the indoor arenas, will be used for cultural purposes, restaurants and cafes.

The outdoor softball, hockey and baseball courts, which were to serve only as temporary facilities because of the sports'' fringe appeal in Greece, will not be torn down but turned into open-air concert arenas, restaurants and additional sports fields. The Agios Kosmas Olympic sailing centre will become a 1.170-berth marina which will include a 30-room five-star hotel.

Almost none of the stadiums, which cost more than three billion Euro ($3.96 billion), have been used since the Games. Most have remained shut since September 2004 while ministries and local authorities squabbled over ownership and the government pondered their post-Olympic use.

  

 
  OLYMPIC GAMES
  OLYMPIC VENUES IN ATHENS
  THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT
  INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC
  COMMITTEE (IOC)
  HELLENIC OLYMPIC COMMIT-
  TEE (HOC)
  OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
  TORINO 2006
  OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES New
  BEIJING 2008
  OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
  VANCOUVER 2010
  OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES
  LONDON 2012
  OLYMPIC EMBLEMS
  OLYMPIC MEDALS
  OLYMPIC MASCOTS New
  OLYMPIC TORCHES
  OLYMPIC POSTERS
  OLYMPIC GAMES FACTS
  OLYMPIC FACTS PER CITY

Add to Favit Add to Digg Add to Del.icio.us Add to Simpy Add to StumbleUpon Add to Netscape Add to Furl Add to Yahoo Add to Google Add to Blogmarks Add to Ma.Gnolia Add to Netvouz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  www.athensinfoguide.com   © 2004-2009 - Athens Info Guide - All rights reserved - Disclaimer