For the 2004 Summer Olympics, a total of thirty-five sports venues were used. Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, which used venues such as Panathinaiko Stadium and the city of Marathon for which the long-distance race would be named. From the end of the 1896 Games until the late 1970s, Greece underwent numerous political changes that included the Balkan Wars, two World Wars, a civil war, and a military coup that resulted in a junta that lasted from 1967 to 1974. A change in democracy in 1975 resulted in Greece's admission into the European Economic Community in 1979.

Athens first bid for the 1996 Summer Olympics as part of the 100th anniversary of the Modern Olympics, but was upset by Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States for the Games in 1990. Seven years later, Athens won the right to host the 2004 Summer Olympics. At the time of the awarding, 75% of competition and 92% of training venues were available though a massive construction, and a renovation program was taken to get the venues ready for the games. Accessibility and environmental issues were taken into account in venue design and construction. The marathon course used was the same one used for the 1896 Games, though it was longer due to the marathon not being standardized until 1924. Canoe slalom's venue at Ellinikon was the first using saltwater, having it pumped in from the Aegean Sea. After the Olympics, the Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre was converted into a police training center, while two other venues were converted into entertainment centers.

Venues Athens Olympic Sports Complex VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref. Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre Diving, Swimming, Synchronized swimming, Water polo 11,500 (Main Pool) 6,200 (Indoor Pool)

5,300 (Synchronised Swimming Pool)Renovated2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 201, 207, 227, 231. Accessed 22 December 2010. Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Tennis 8,600 (Main Court) 2x4,300 (Semi-Final Courts)

13x200 (Side Courts)New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 409. Accessed 22 December 2010. Athens Olympic Velodrome Cycling (track) 5,250Renovated2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 303. Accessed 22 December 2010. Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall Basketball (final), Gymnastics (artistic, trampolining) 19,250Renovated2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 273, 329, 346. Accessed 22 December 2010. Olympic Stadium Ceremonies (opening/ closing), Athletics, Football (final) 72,000Renovated2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 242, 324. Accessed 22 December 2010.

Helliniko Olympic Complex VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref. Fencing Hall Fencing 5,000New2004 Summer Olympic official report. Volume 2. p. 318. Accessed 24 December 2010. Helliniko Indoor Arena Basketball, Handball (final) 14,100 New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 273, 349. Accessed 24 December 2010. Olympic Baseball Centre Baseball 8,700 (Field 1) 4,000 (Field 2)New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. p. 269. Accessed 24 December 2010. Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Centre Canoeing (slalom) 7,600New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 291. Accessed 24 December 2010. Olympic Hockey Centre Field hockey 7,300 (Pitch 1) 2,100 (Pitch 2)New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 353. Accessed 24 December 2010. Olympic Softball Stadium Softball 4,800New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 395. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref.Karaiskakis StadiumFootball33,000Renovated Faliro Olympic Beach Volleyball Centre Volleyball (beach) 9,600New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 417. Accessed 24 December 2010. Faliro Sports Pavilion Arena Handball, Taekwondo 8,100 New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 349, 403. Accessed 24 December 2010. Peace and Friendship Stadium Volleyball (indoor) 13,200Renovated2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 421. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Goudi Olympic Complex VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref. Goudi Olympic Hall Badminton 4,100New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 265. Accessed 24 December 2010. Olympic Modern Pentathlon Centre Modern pentathlon 5,000 (Equestrian) 3,000 (Shooting, Fencing)

2,500 (Swimming) New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 367. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Markopoulo Olympic Complex VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref. Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre Equestrian 15,000 (Cross-Country course) 10,000 (Jumping arena)

8,100 (Dressage arena)New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 311. Accessed 24 December 2010. Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre Shooting 4,000New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 387-8. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Football venues VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref. Kaftanzoglio Stadium (Thessaloniki) Football 28,200Renovated2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 324. Accessed 24 December 2010. Pampeloponnisiako Stadium (Patras) 21,000Renovated Pankritio Stadium (Heraklion) 26,400New Panthessaliko Stadium (Volos) 22,700New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 323. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Other venues VenueImageSportsCapacityType Ref. Agios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Centre Sailing 1,600New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 379. Accessed 24 December 2010. Ano Liosia Olympic Hall Judo, Wrestling 9,000 New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 357-8, 433. Accessed 24 December 2010. Galatsi Olympic Hall Gymnastics (rhythmic), Table tennis 6,500New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 340, 399. Accessed 24 December 2010. Kotzia Square Cycling (individual road race) 3,600Temporary2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 299. Accessed 24 December 2010. Marathon (city) Athletics (marathon start) Not listed.Temporary2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 242. Accessed 24 December 2010. Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall Weightlifting 5,100New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 425. Accessed 24 December 2010. Panathenaic Stadium Archery, Athletics (marathon finish) 34,500 (Marathon) 7,500 (archery)Existing2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 237, 242, 244. Accessed 24 December 2010. Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue Cycling (mountain biking) 15,500Temporary2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 295. Accessed 13 February 2011. Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall Boxing 8,000New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. p. 277. Accessed 24 December 2010. Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre Canoeing (sprint), Rowing 14,000New2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 283, 372. Accessed 24 December 2010. Stadium at Olympia Athletics (shot put) Not listed.Temporary Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre Cycling (individual time trial), Triathlon 3,600Temporary2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 299, 413. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Before the Olympics

Greece served as home of the Ancient Olympic Games that ran from 776 B.C. to 393 A.D. in Olympia.AncientOlympics.kuleuven.be website information. Accessed 24 December 2010. Following the effort of Pierre de Coubertin to revive the Olympic Games, the first modern Olympics took place at Athens in 1896.1896 Summer Olympic official report. Accessed 24 December 2010. The Panathinaiko served as host of the athletic, gymnastic, weightlifting, and wrestling events.1896 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 31-49. Accessed 24 December 2010. The city of Marathon served the start point for the sport of the same name and the starting and finishing point of cycling's Individual road race.1896 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 86-90, 100-2. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Between the 1896 and 2004 Summer Olympics, Greece underwent a series of events that created political instability in the country. This included the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, World War I, the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-22, the creation of a Second Hellenic Republic, the Axis Occupation of Greece during World War II, and the Greek Civil War of 1946-49.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 35-8. Accessed 24 December 2010. By the 1950s, Greece reemerged as an "economic model", though a coup d'état in April 1967 forced the country into a military junta that lasted until 1974. It would take a change back to democracy in 1975 and an entrance into the European Economic Community in 1979 to set Greece back to growth.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. p. 38. Accessed 24 December 2010.

Athens first bid for the Summer Olympics took place in 1986 for the 1996 Olympics, losing to eventual winner Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States at a 1990 International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Tokyo. The Olympic Stadium in Athens served as host for the European Athletics Championships in 1982. This venue also served as host for the Mediterranean Games in 1991.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 63-7. Accessed 24 December 2010. In 1995, Athens submitted a bid for the 2004 Summer Olympics which it was awarded in September 1997. A month earlier, Olympic Stadium hosted the World Championships in Athletics.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 67-77. Accessed 24 December 2010.

At the time of the bid in 1997, the venues to be used for the 2004 Games were available for 75% of the competition and 92% of the training locations. Venue locations were settled between 1998 and 2003.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 143-5. Accessed 24 December 2010. Construction funding started in 1998, with laws passing in 1999 and 2000 to assist this along.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 147-64. Accessed 24 December 2010. A total of 37 contracts were issued for venue construction and renovation involving three different governmental ministries. Monthly reports were issued to the Athens Organizing Committee (ATHOC) on venue project status, including the use of Gantt charts. Design drawings were completed by December 2002.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 165-9. Accessed 24 December 2010. Accessibility needs for the venues were taken into consideration into their design and construction. ATHOC hired consultants to review the venue design for accessibility. Among the needs considered are keeping corridors flat and free of obstacles, ramps and platforms longer than with a 5% incline, and larger elevators installed for all personnel involved with the 2004 Games.2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 1778. Accessed 24 December 2010.

The Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre had to deal with the World Wildlife Fund and three Greek environmental organizations during the construction phase. The biotope area where the venue would be constructed was declared a National Park in June 2000. Water quality was monitored once the venue was completed in 2003, with monitoring occurring from July to September 2003 and June to September 2004. Among the items monitored were temperature, salinity, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total bacteria, and residual bacteria. The water quality monitoring guidelines were done in cooperation with the International Rowing Federation (FISA).2004 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 303-4. Accessed 24 December 2010.