slothis · English

Hadrian's Arch & Panathenaic Stadium in Athens

2017-05-21 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →


On the way from the Acropolis to the National Garden, you'll find the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium, famous for the marathon. I don't know much about Greek and Roman mythology, but I'd heard of these places, so I decided to check them out.

Right in front of the Temple of Zeus, sitting alone in the middle of the road, is an old-looking gate: the Arch of Hadrian. (I call it a triumphal arch here, though Hadrian's Gate is technically in Turkey.) Hadrian was the historical figure I was most curious about when I came to Athens. Even though he wasn't Athenian, there are two monuments dedicated to him here alone: Hadrian's Library and the Arch of Hadrian. He was an emperor who created the most prosperous period of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, the golden age of the Roman Empire. While other emperors valued peace over conquest, Hadrian is credited with building the largest Roman Empire by focusing on expansion. And while other emperors liked to stay in Rome, Hadrian focused on constantly visiting his vassal states to check on them.

These visits to the provinces resulted in structures like Hadrian's Arch and Library in Athens. The northern side of Hadrian's Arch is inscribed with, "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus," while the southern side reads, "This is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus." Imagine how proud he must have felt building an arch with a phrase like that.

A rocky mountain is seen behind a giant marble archway built along the roadside.
The Arch of Hadrian, sitting right in the middle of the road.
A pigeon is sitting on the pediment and the top of a column of an ancient building.
Ancient text carved into the upper part of a marble arch and a pigeon sitting in a crevice.
If you look closely, you can see the inscription: "ΑΙΔ' ΕΙΣ' ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥ ΚΟΥΧΙ ΘΗΣΕΩΣ ΠΟΛΙΣ," which translates to "This is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus."

You need to pay an entrance fee to get into the Temple of Olympian Zeus right next door. But maybe because of Greece's generous spirit, you can see everything clearly from the outside, so I didn't feel the need to go in. (It was actually included in my Acropolis package ticket, but I was too lazy to go inside even with the ticket in hand.) The color of the buildings in Athens (mostly white) blends so well with these ruins that I sometimes think Greece would just leave them all completely open if it weren't for their economic crisis.

Although construction on the Temple of Olympian Zeus began during the Athenian era, it was Hadrian who finally completed the 700-year project. He really was an incredible emperor. It's said to be the largest temple in the entire Roman era, but because Greece was constantly tossed around by various countries, there's barely anything left today. It wasn't just occupied for a century or two, but for thousands of years by different nations, so I suppose it couldn't be helped.

A shaggy dog walking on a dirt path next to an iron fence.
Humans have to pay, but dogs get in for free~
Ancient temple ruins with a group of several giant Corinthian columns standing together.
When you look up photos of the Temple of Zeus, you'll mostly see this shot.
A group of ancient temple columns standing in a large open area, with a single column in the distance and fallen column debris.
The reason is that there's really nothing else to photograph :(
Giant ancient temple columns standing under a blue sky and people walking around them.
Ancient temple columns seen through the shade of trees and people viewing the ruins.
It's easy to imagine that it must have been massive in scale. The Greek government is extensively restoring their ruins, but restoring the Temple of Zeus will probably be quite difficult.

Next to the Temple of Zeus is the Panathenaic Stadium, which I saw a lot in my textbooks. Of course, I have no idea if it's still in textbooks today.

It's the site of the first modern Olympic Games, and during the 2004 Athens Olympics, it was chosen as the finish line for the marathon to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Olympics. (And that Athens Olympic marathon is the very race where an unprecedented incident occurred: a spectator tackled the lead runner.)

At around the 6-minute mark, you can see the runners entering the Panathenaic Stadium. Just a heads-up, it's an Italian broadcast, so it's incredibly loud.

Several flags fluttering at the entrance of the Panathenaic Stadium.
Panoramic view of the large plaza and seating area of the Panathenaic Stadium.
You can see the whole stadium from the outside, too. You have to pay an entrance fee to actually walk around the track, but since I had no money and no one to take my picture anyway, I just enjoyed the view from outside. Still, this is the place I regret not entering the most. I feel like it would have been quite moving to look down at the track from above.
An information board with numerical data about the Panathenaic Stadium.
A welcome board with a map and ticket information for the Panathenaic Stadium.

If you come to Athens, I highly recommend paying the entrance fee to go inside the Panathenaic Stadium. While other places might just look like empty fields, this is a spot where anyone who loves sports can feel a bit of inspiration. If you pay the fee, you can even run on the track, so try doing a lap like a marathoner. (Though, with the intense sunlight, you might get dehydrated after just one lap.)

Expenses

Total Expenses €10.0

Total Trip Expenses 525,936원 + 47,999RUB + $639.96 + €547.07