Informative Speech

(Opening Script: Hello everyone, my name is Nur Irdeena and I am pleased to be here with
all of you today. What I'd like to present to you today is the Home of The First Modern
Olympics Games in 1896. Without further ado, let us begin!)
Made of marble from the nearby Mount Pendeli the marble stadium – the only one of its
kind in the world – is another landmark in downtown Athens. Also known as the
Panathenaic Stadium or the Kallimarmaro (meaning ‘made of beautiful marble’. Traveling
sports fans rejoice, Athens is not all mythology and ancient ruins! If you’re looking to fill that athletic
void during your Greek vacation, head to central Athens and make a pit stop at the Panathenaic
Stadium.

(Panathenaic Stadium: Home of The First Modern Olympics Games in 1986)

Through the ages...
Ancient times
(Script: In the late 5th century BC, Lycurgus, a renowned orator, initiated the construction of
an appropriate venue in Athens for hosting sporting events as part of the Panathenaic
Games, which was (one of the city’s major celebrations.) a significant celebration in the city.
The stadium initially (originally) had a rectangular shape, which was common for ancient
Greek stadiums like those in Olympia and Epidaurus.

Figure 1: Epidaurus Satdium

 Figure 2: Olympia Stadium

Roman age
 During the 2nd century AD, when the Roman Empire was in power and ( during the
period of the Roman Empire and under the rule of Emperor Hadrian) Emperor
Hadrian ruled, Athens underwent significant developments in terms of architecture.
 These changes were a result of various public projects, and were funded by Herodes
Atticus, a wealthy nobleman from Athens.
 One of these projects was the construction of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the
Panathenaic Stadium.
 The stadium underwent a major transformation during this period, transitioning from
its original rectangular shape to a horseshoe design, which was commonly seen in
Roman stadiums.
 Additionally, the stadium's seating capacity was expanded to accommodate 50,000
spectators, and the seats were adorned with Pentelic marble sourced from Mt.
Penteli, the same material used to construct the Acropolis.
 At that time, there was nothing quite like this extravagant stadium, with its opulent
decorations and marble statues.

(Script: During the time when the Romans were in charge and Hadrian was their leader,
Athens got some really fancy new buildings. This rich guy wealthy nobleman named Herodes
Atticus paid for two of them: the Odeon and the Panathenaic Stadium. The stadium used to
be a normal shape, but it got changed to look like a horseshoe, like other stadiums in Rome.
It could fit up to 50,000 people and the seats were covered in special marble. It was really
fancy and there was nothing else like it in the world.

1830: An Independent Greece

  A few centuries later and after the site lay buried in soil and stripped of its valuable
marble, the Panathenaic Stadium was set to start a new life as the idea of hosting the
first modern Olympics in Athens took hold from the mid 1800's.
 When the French gathered a world congress in 1894 to discuss the concept of a
modern Olympic Games, it was agreed that Paris would host it in 1900 to coincide
with their World Fair of the same year.
 The Greek representative Dimitrios Vikelas saw an opportunity and suggested that
Athens host the Olympics in 1896, but did so without the consent of the Greek
government.
 Averoff obliged and financed the construction of the Panathenaic Stadium, insisting it
be built entirely of marble from Mt Penteli, as was used to construct the Acropolis.
 The project moved ahead at a furious pace and although not without complication
(bad weather delayed the excavation of all the marble required to complete the
stadium) the new stadium was ready in time to host the first modern Olympic Games
in March 1896.
(Script: Many years later, the Panathenaic Stadium was covered in dirt and its beautiful
marble was taken away. But then, people got the idea to have the first modern Olympics in
Athens. So, they decided to use the stadium for the games and give it a new purpose. In
1894, the French organized a meeting with people from different countries to talk about
having a big sports event called the Olympic Games. (At first,) They decided that Paris would
host the games in 1900, at the same time as a big fair in the city. (But,) One person from
Greece named Dimitrios Vikelas had an idea to host the games in Athens in 1896, but he
didn't ask the Greek government first. The other people at the meeting agreed, but Vikelas
had a problem because Greece didn't have enough money to pay for the games. Vikelas
really wanted to have the first Olympic Games in Athens because he thought it would be a
special honor for Greece. He got help from Crown Prince Constantine and together they
came up with a plan to pay for the games without using government money. They asked
George Averoff, (the wealthy merchant from Egypt) to help, and he agreed to pay for
building the Panathenaic Stadium. He wanted it to be made of marble from Mt Penteli, just
like the Acropolis. The project went really fast and even though there were some problems
(the bad weather made it hard to get all the marble needed for the stadium), they finished
building the new stadium on time for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
 Figure 3: The Panathenaic Stadium in 1895, as workers prepared the stadium for its marble construction

The Glory of the Panathenaic Stadium today

Figure 4: Panathenaic Stadium Today

 Figure 5: The Olympics Torch Relay and Handover Ceremony for both the Summer and Winter Olympics

Figure 6: Outdoor concert are generally held in the summer months

 By the 20th century, the locals started referring to the venue as "Kallimarmaro" due
to its construction with fine marble, and they still use this name today.
 The term "stadium" originates from the ancient Greek unit of measurement, known
as "stadion," which was approximately 185 meters and equivalent to the length of
the track.
 The venue continues to hold significant cultural, sporting, and ceremonial events.
 During the summer, the stadium hosts regular concerts, providing a memorable
experience for visitors fortunate enough to be there.
(Script: By the 20th century, the locals started referring to the venue as "Kallimarmaro" due
to its construction with fine marble, and they still use this name today. The term "stadium"
originates from the ancient Greek (that means a)unit of measurement, known as "stadion,"
which was approximately 185 meters and (which is) the length of the track. The venue
continues to hold significant cultural, sporting, and ceremonial events. In Olympic Games
years, the Olympic flame travels across Greece, starting from the ancient site of Olympia and
ultimately arriving at the Panathenaic Stadium for an official hand-over ceremony to the
new host country. Additionally, the stadium serves as the finish line for the annual Authentic
Athens Marathon race, which takes place every November, starting from the city of
Marathon and ending in Athens. During the summer, the stadium hosts regular concerts,
providing a memorable experience for visitors fortunate enough to be there.)