The Panathenaic Stadium or Kallimarmaro (which means beautiful marble) is one of the classical cultural and touristic attractions of Athens and the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. This amazing stadium was originally constructed in ancient times to host the famous Panathenaic Games, which were held to honor the goddess Athena, the protector of the city. At first, the stadium had wooden seats, but in 329 BC the governor Lycourgos remade it with marble. In 140 BC, the Roman general Herodes Atticus renovated it and obtained a capacity of 50,000 seated people.

Centuries passed and the stadium was neglected. In Medieval times, it was used as a quarry and it suffered much damage. However, in 1986 it was renovated to host the first Modern Olympic Games that were held in Athens. The funding was provided by the Greek benefactor George Averoff, whose marble statue stands at the entrance of the stadium. It is also the place where the Olympic flame sets out on its journey to the cities of the Olympic Games, both Winter, Summer, and Youth.