Athens Olympic Sports Complex


The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens Spiros Louis or OACA ), is a sports complex located in Marousi, Athens. The complex consists of five major venues as well as other supplementary sport facilities.
The complex has hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991, the World Championship in Athletics in 1997 as well as other important athletic and cultural events. Most notably, the complex was the main venue for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The complex was revamped for the games under a design produced by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Venues

Spyros Louis Athens Olympic Stadium

The stadium, built in 1982 and extensively refurbished for the games in 2004, including the addition of a roof, hosted the athletics events and the soccer final, as well as the Opening Ceremony on August 13, 2004 and the Closing Ceremony on August 29, 2004.The venue also hosted the same events during the 2004 Summer Paralympics.

Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall

The Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall 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 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. On May 18 and 20, 2006, the Olympic Indoor Hall hosted the 51st Eurovision Song Contest, that was held in Athens after Greece's victory at the Song Contest in 2005.

Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre

Athens Olympic Velodrome

Athens Olympic Tennis Centre

Transportation to and from the venue

The Athens Olympic Sports Complex can be reached by Metro , by suburban train, or by direct bus lines A7, 602, 550.

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:
FacilityOlympics useCurrent use
Athens Olympic Stadium Opening and closing ceremonies, [track and field, footballHome pitch for Panathinaikos F.C., Greece national football team, international football competitions ; track and field events, concerts
Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor HallBasketball, gymnasticsHome court for Panathinaikos B.C. ; Greece men's national basketball team, International basketball competitions Concerts
Athens Olympic Aquatic CentreSwimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water poloDomestic and international swimming meets, public pool
Athens Olympic Tennis Centre TennisDomestic and international tennis matches, Status Athens Open
Athens Olympic VelodromeCyclingDomestic and international cycling meets