The first modern Olympic Games was held in the summer of 1896 in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, that saw the participation of 241 athletes from 14 nations. It was the largest international sporting event till date, and the Panathinaiko Stadium, which had a capacity of 80,000 at that time, overflowed with the largest crowd ever. The main events of the competition were athletics, gymnastics, weightlifting and wrestling, with the highlight being the marathon, held for the first time in international competition, and won by a Greek and the only sporting event to be won by the host. But the stadium’s history goes far beyond the 19th century. Indeed, it is one of the oldest stadiums in the world.

Photo credit