Athens' marble Panathenaic Stadium gets first deep clean in over 100 years

ATHENS — The Panathenaic Stadium, a U-shaped marvel of white marble that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896, is undergoing its first comprehensive cleaning in more than a century. The delicate operation aims to strip away decades of grime, organic growth, and even chewing gum from the monument's 47 steep tiers.

Workers in white and blue overalls are using low-pressure water sprays and steam machines to gently lift dirt without damaging the marble, which is the same glittering stone used on the Acropolis. The runoff is vacuumed immediately to prevent staining. Conservators are also carefully removing weeds that have taken root in the ancient structure.

"The goal is not to make everything white," said Dimitris Selemis, a senior conservator. "It's to remove the dirt and the first layers of organic material deposited on the surface, so we have a better understanding of the monument."

The project is focused on the stadium's curved end, known as the "sling," in time for the next Olympic flame handover ceremony on September 10, which will mark the start of the torch relay for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Hellenic Olympic Committee President Isidoros Kouvelos said the stadium "needed to be cleaned of everything that has accumulated over all these years," so it can "show all its brilliance and once again be the foremost monument of humanity for the Olympic Movement."

Beyond cleaning, the venue is receiving a new track, upgraded lighting, and improved support facilities. The privately funded project, overseen by the Hellenic Olympic Committee with guidance from the Culture Ministry, is expected to continue through 2026. The stadium, built into a natural ravine, has served as a site for ancient contests, Roman spectacles, and modern events ranging from rock concerts to national celebrations. Its gleaming marble facade has long earned it the nickname "Kallimarmaro," meaning "beautiful marble."