Olympic Stadium (Athens)

Olympic Athletic Center of Athens O.A.K.A (Spyros Louis)

Olympic Stadium
Full name	Olympic Stadium
Location	Maroussi, Athens, Greece
Coordinates	38°02′10″N 23°47′15″E
Owner	Greek Government
Operator	OAKA S.A.
Capacity	69,618
Record attendance	82,662 (concert)
Field size	105 x 68 m
Surface	Grass, Track
Construction
Built	1979
Opened	1982
Renovated	2002–2004 (Olympic Games)
Construction cost	€265 million (Renovation 2004)
Architect	Weidleplan (arch. H. Stalhout, Fr. Herre and D.Andrikopoulos) Santiago Calatrava (renovation)
Tenants
AEK Athens F.C. (1985–1987, 2003–present)
Website
www.oaka.com.gr

The Olympic Stadium of Athens "Spyros Louis" (Greek: Ολυμπιακό Στάδιο Αθηνών "Σπύρος Λούης", Olympiakó Stádio "Spyros Louis") is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is named after the first modern Olympic marathon race winner in 1896, Spyros Louis. The stadium hosts one of the biggest sport clubs in Greece, AEK Athens.

History

Located in the area of Marousi in Athens, the stadium was originally designed in 1979 and built in 1980–1982. It was completed in time to host the 1982 European Championships in Athletics. It was inaugurated by the President of Greece at the time, Konstantinos Karamanlis, on 8 September 1982. It also hosted several events of the 1991 Mediterranean Games and the 1997 World Championships in Athletics, sought in order to prove that it was capable of hosting major sporting events after the failure of Athens to win the 1996 Summer Olympics.

It was extensively renovated in time for the 2004 Summer Olympics, including a roof designed by Santiago Calatrava, and innovatively positioned with Enerpac hydraulics. The roof was added atop the sidelines and completed just in time for the opening of the Games. The two giant arcs have a total span of 304m and a maximum height of 72m. Also, it has a total weight of 19,000 tons with 5,000 polycarbonate panels, covering an area of 25,000 sq m. The west arc was assembled 72m from its final position and the east 65m - both later slid into place. The roof is designed to withstand winds up to 120 km/h. The stadium was then officially re-opened on 30 July 2004. It hosted the athletics events and the football final at the 2004 Summer Olympics. It also hosted the opening ceremony on 13 August 2004, and the closing ceremony on 29 August 2004. The stadium's attendance was reduced to 71,030 for the Olympics, the initial capacity was some 75,000, though only 56,700 seats were made publicly available for the track and field events and slightly more for the football final. The turf system consists of natural grass in modular containers which incorporate irrigation and drainage systems.

• The Olympic Stadium has been used as home ground in various times by the three big football clubs of Athens, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens.
• Michael Jackson was booked to perform at the stadium on a 75,000 sold-out concert as part of his Dangerous World Tour on October 11, 1992, but due to the singer's health problems, the show had to be canceled.
• It hosted the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final on 23 May between AC Milan and Liverpool, which was won 2–1 by Milan, the 1994 Final between Milan and Barcelona, which was also won by Milan, the 1983 Final, as well as the 1987 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final.
• The stadium played host to Amnesty International's Human Rights Now! Benefit Concert on 3 October 1988. The show was headlined by Sting and Peter Gabriel and also featured Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, and George Dalaras.
• Madonna performed before a sold-out crowd of 75,637 at the stadium on 27 September 2008, as part of her Sticky & Sweet Tour.
• U2 performed in front of a crowd of 82,662 during their 360° Tour on 3 September 2010, making it the highest attended concert ever held in Greece.
• Pyx Lax performed also in front of a crowd of about 80,000, during their reunion tour on 13 July 2011. It was the highest attended Greek-band-concert.
• Bon Jovi performed during their Bon Jovi Live Tour on 20 July 2011. The show was successful and almost sold out.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers performed in front of a crowd of about 60,000, as part of their worldwide concert tour on 4 September 2012.
• Lady Gaga performed a show for her world tour, ArtRave: The Artpop Ball, in front of 26,860 people.

Concerts

Concerts at Olympic Stadium "Spiros Louis"
Date	Artist	Tour	Attendance
3 October 1988	Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, George Dalaras	Human Rights Now!	-
31 May 1989	Pink Floyd	A Momentary Lapse of Reason	60,000
9 June 1992	Frank Sinatra	-	18,000
24 May 1993	Guns N' Roses	Use Your Illusion	55,000
16 September 1998	The Rolling Stones	Bridges to Babylon	79,446
3 July 2001	Eros Ramazzotti	Stilelibero	-
20 July 2006	Shakira	Oral Fixation Tour	40,000
26 July 2007	George Michael	25 Live	40,000
27 September 2008	Madonna	Sticky & Sweet	75,637
28 May 2009	AC/DC	Black Ice World Tour	50,000
8 July 2009	Carlos Santana	Live Your Light	25,000
3 September 2010	U2	360°	82,662
13 July 2011	Pyx Lax	Concert in memory of Manos Xydous	80,000
20 July 2011	Bon Jovi	Open Air	60,652
4 September 2012	Red Hot Chili Peppers	I'm With You	approx.60,000
31 July 2013	Roger Waters	The Wall	25,807
3 July 2014	Antonis Remos, Despoina Vandi, Melina Aslanidou, Michalis Kouinelis (Stavento)	One Country, One Voice	50,000+
19 September 2014	Lady Gaga	ArtRave: The Artpop Ball	26,860

Gallery

• 
  Olympic flame at the opening ceremony of 2004 Summer Olympics
• 
  2004 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony
• 
  Greece vs Malta (2007)
• 
  Players of A.C. Milan celebrate after the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final

See also

• Athens Olympic Sports Complex
• List of music venues

External links

• Official site
• Olympic Stadium (Athens)
• Athens Olympic Stadium "Spyros Louis" – Many photos and detailed history Stadia Greece

Events and tenants
Preceded by Sydney Olympic Stadium Sydney	Summer Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies (Athens Olympic Stadium Spyros Louis) 2004	Succeeded by Beijing Olympic Stadium Beijing
Preceded by Sydney Olympic Stadium Sydney	Summer Olympics Football Finals (Athens Olympic Stadium Spyros Louis) 2004	Succeeded by Beijing Olympic Stadium Beijing
Preceded by Sydney Olympic Stadium Sydney	Olympic Athletics competitions Main Venue 2004	Succeeded by Beijing Olympic Stadium Beijing
Preceded by Ullevi Gothenburg	World Championships in Athletics Main Venue 1997	Succeeded by Estadio de La Cartuja Seville
Preceded by Stadion Evžena Rošického Prague	European Athletics Championships Main Venue 1982	Succeeded by Neckarstadion Stuttgart
Preceded by De Kuip Rotterdam	European Cup Final Venue 1983	Succeeded by Stadio Olimpico Rome
Preceded by Stade de Gerland Lyon	European Cup Winners' Cup Final Venue 1987	Succeeded by Stade de la Meinau Strasbourg
Preceded by Olympic Stadium Munich	UEFA Champions League Final Venue 1994	Succeeded by Ernst-Happel-Stadion Vienna
Preceded by Stade de France Saint-Denis	UEFA Champions League Final Venue 2007	Succeeded by Luzhniki Stadium Moscow
Preceded by Karaiskakis Stadium Piraeus 1996	Greek Super Cup venue 2007	Succeeded by