A stadium existed on this site from as early as the 4th century BC, when it was used for the mystical Ceremonies held for the Panathenaic Festival in honour of Athena, patron-goddess of the City of Athens. Roman governor Hadrian had also constructed a stadium at this site, where gladiatorial contests and shows were put on for the Athenian public. The ancient stadium was completely restored - as an exact replica of the ancient original - in the late 19th-century, in order to host the first modern Olympiad in 1896. During the Athens Olympic Games of 2004, this gleaming white Pentelic-marble stadium provided the venue for the archery event as well as for the culmination of the marathon run: since then, the Athens Marathon has also finished inside the stadium (and this year's event, to be held on November 12, is no exception). Visitors can walk up to the stadium but are not allowed to enter its grounds. Unless you are completing a marathon...