Athens Olympic Sports Complex
Encyclopedia
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens "Spiros Louis" or OACA , is a sport facilities complex located at Marousi
, northeast Athens
, Greece
. The complex consists of five major venues as well as other supplementary sport facilities.
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens has hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991
, the World Championship in Athletics in 1997
as well as other important athletic and cultural events. The most significant event the Athens Olympic Sports Complex has hosted, was the Olympic Games. OACA was the main venue for the Athens Olympic Games in 2004
. The complex has been revamped for the games under a design produced by the Spanish
architect
Santiago Calatrava
.
events and the soccer
final, as well as the Opening Ceremony
on August 13, 2004 and the Closing Ceremony on August 29, 2004.
It is currently used as the home ground of AEK Athens FC
and Panathinaikos FC
, two of the biggest football clubs in Greece.
The stadium was originally built in 1982 and was extensively refurbished for the games, including the addition of a roof.
in Athens, Greece. It is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, in the suburb of Maroussi. The arena was used for artistic gymnastics and trampolining and also hosted the finals of the basketball
matches at the games.
[stations "Neratziotissa
" and "Irini" of Metro
Line 1 (Green Line)], by suburban train (Proastiakos
station "Neratziotissa"), or by direct bus lines [A7 (Kaniggos – Kifissia), 602 (N. Ionia – Kalogreza – Panormou Metro Station), 550 (P. Faliro – Kifissia).
The table below illustrates how the Athens Olympic Sports Complex facilities are used today:
Marousi
Marousi , alternative forms: Maroussi, Amarousion, and Amaroussion, is a suburban city NE of Athens, Greece. The Athens Olympic Sports Complex, the largest sports complex in Greece, is also located here; its main street is Kifisias Avenue, and also contains four ISAP train stations and two of the...
, northeast Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The complex consists of five major venues as well as other supplementary sport facilities.
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens has hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991
1991 Mediterranean Games
The 11th edition of the Mediterranean Games were held in Athens, Greece fromthe 28th of June to the 12th of July 1991. Eighteen nations competed in 24 different sportingevents.- Pre-Mediterranean Cup :...
, the World Championship in Athletics in 1997
1997 World Championships in Athletics
The 6th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between August 1 and August 10, 1997. In this event participated 1882 athletes from 198 participant nations...
as well as other important athletic and cultural events. The most significant event the Athens Olympic Sports Complex has hosted, was the Olympic Games. OACA was the main venue for the Athens Olympic Games in 2004
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. The complex has been revamped for the games under a design produced by the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls is a Spanish architect, sculptor and structural engineer whose principal office is in Zürich, Switzerland. Classed now among the elite designers of the world, he has offices in Zürich, Paris, Valencia, and New York City....
.
Olympic Stadium
The stadium, built in 1982 and refurbished in 2004, hosted the athleticsAthletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...
events and the soccer
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
final, as well as the Opening Ceremony
2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games was held on August 13, 2004 at the Olympic Stadium in Maroussi, Greece, a suburb of Athens. 72,000 spectators attended the event, with approximately 15,000 athletes from 202 countries participating in the ceremony as well...
on August 13, 2004 and the Closing Ceremony on August 29, 2004.
It is currently used as the home ground of AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens F.C. , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece. Outside Greece, the club is also known as AEK Athens, however, the word Athens is not part of the club's official title.Established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees...
and Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
, two of the biggest football clubs in Greece.
The stadium was originally built in 1982 and was extensively refurbished for the games, including the addition of a roof.
Olympic Indoor Hall
The Olympic Indoor Hall (also known simply as the Indoor Hall) was completed in 1995 and was the largest indoor venue in use for sporting events at the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens, Greece. It is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, in the suburb of Maroussi. The arena was used for artistic gymnastics and trampolining and also hosted the finals of the basketball
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
matches at the games.
Transportation to/from the Venue
The Athens Olympic Sports Complex can be reached by MetroAthens Metro
The Athens Metro is an underground rapid transit system serving Athens, the capital city of Greece. It was constructed and owned by Attiko Metro S.A. and operated until 2011 by Attiko Metro Etaireia Leitourgias S.A....
[stations "Neratziotissa
Nerantziotissa station
Nerantziotissa station is a complex of two train stations located in Maroussi, Greece, a northern suburb of Athens. The first is a station of the Athens Metro and the second is a suburban railway station...
" and "Irini" of Metro
Athens Metro
The Athens Metro is an underground rapid transit system serving Athens, the capital city of Greece. It was constructed and owned by Attiko Metro S.A. and operated until 2011 by Attiko Metro Etaireia Leitourgias S.A....
Line 1 (Green Line)], by suburban train (Proastiakos
Proastiakos
Proastiakós , is the name used for the suburban services of TrainOSE, servicing Greece's three largest cities: Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras; providing them with modern commuter rail links, towards their suburbs and also towards other cities and towns located around them.The service, operated by...
station "Neratziotissa"), or by direct bus lines [A7 (Kaniggos – Kifissia), 602 (N. Ionia – Kalogreza – Panormou Metro Station), 550 (P. Faliro – Kifissia).
Legacy
While it was reported in 2008 that almost all of the Olympic venues utilized for the 2004 games, including certain facilities in the Sports Complex such as the velodrome and tennis center, have fallen into varying states of dereliction or disrepair, all of the facilities in the Athens Olympic Sports Complex are still in use today.The table below illustrates how the Athens Olympic Sports Complex facilities are used today:
| Facility | Olympics Use | Current Use |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Stadium Olympic Stadium (Athens) The Olympic Stadium "Spiros Louis" , is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is named after the first modern Olympic marathon race winner in 1896, Spiros Louis.-History:... (OAKA) |
Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Track & Field, Football | Home pitch for Panathinaikos FC Panathinaikos FC Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most... , AEK FC (football; Greek Super League, UEFA Champions League UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It... ), Greek national football team Greece national football team The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos... (some matches), International football competitions (e.g. the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final); Track & Field events (e.g. IAAF Athens Grand Prix), Concerts |
| Athens Olympic Indoor Hall Olympic Indoor Hall The O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall which is part of the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens "Spiros Louis" , was completed in 1995 and was the largest indoor venue in use for sporting events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. It is located in the suburb of Maroussi... |
Basketball, Gymnastics | Home court for Panathinaikos BC (Greek basketball league A1 Ethniki The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA... , Euroleague Euroleague Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is... ); Greek National Basketball Team Greece national basketball team The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World... (Acropolis Tournament Acropolis Tournament The Acropolis International Basketball Tournament is an international basketball competition between national teams, which has been held annually since the year 1986 and takes place in Athens, Greece each summer... ), International basketball competitions (e.g. the Euroleague Euroleague Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is... final in 2007, Eurovision 2006, and the 2008 FIBA Olympic Basketball Qualifying Tournament,) Concerts |
| Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre The Olympic Aquatic Centre is a complex at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, consisting of two outdoor pools and one indoor pool, that was built for the 1991 Mediterranean Games. It was refurbished and expanded for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The larger of the outdoor pools, which seats 11,500... |
Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Water Polo | Domestic and international swimming meets, Public pool |
| Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Athens Olympic Tennis Centre The Olympic Tennis Centre is a grouping of 16 tennis courts at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It hosted the tennis matches at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece... |
Tennis | Domestic and international tennis matches, Status Athens Open Status Athens Open The Status Athens Open is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It is currently part of the Association of Tennis Professionals Challenger Tour. It is held annually in Athens, Greece, since 2008.-Singles:-Doubles:... |
| Athens Olympic Velodrome Athens Olympic Velodrome The Olympic Velodrome is a stadium at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, built in 1991 for the Mediterranean Games. It was extensively refurbished in order to host the track cycling events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece... |
Cycling | Domestic and international cycling meets |