Touring Past Olympic Sites

With the Olympics in full swing, consider visiting a few of the world’s past Olympic sites.

The Panathenaic Stadium was the setting for the very first modern Olympics event in 1896 and is the place the Olympic flame begins its journey for each Olympic event. The stadium is built on the site of the ancient stadium used for sporting competitions approximately 25 centuries ago. It hosted several events in the 2004 Games and is now a popular tourist attraction in Greece.

In 1924, the Olympic Games became widely accepted as a major international event for the first time. The Games were held at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, near Paris. At the time, the stadium held 45,000, but is expanded to fit 60,000. It now hosts rugby, track and soccer events, primarily for the Racing Metro 92 rugby club.

The 1936 Olympic Games, sometimes referred to as the Nazi Olympics, are known as a failed attempt on the part of Adolf Hitler to promote Nazi ideologies. The Olympiastadion is part of Berlin’s Olympiapark, where guests can still attend world-class sporting events in style. It’s hosted multiple FIFA World Cup events and, on non-event days, hosts tours for more than 300,000 visitors per year.

In 2000, the Olympic Games celebrated the new millennium and 100 years of women’s participation. There were 199 competing countries and North and South Korea marched together during the opening ceremony. ANZ Stadium was built specifically for the Olympics and now is home to five professional sports teams. Tours take guests behind the scenes, with a highlight on the original podium from the Olympic Games.