View source for Athens Olympic Sports Complex

{{coord|format=dms|display=title}}
{{Short description|Sports facility}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Olympic Athletic Center of Athens
| nickname = OACA
| logo_image = Olympiakó Athlitikó Kéntro Athinón Logo.svg
| image = Aerial view of Olympic complex in Athens 2004 DSC06793.jpg
| fullname = Olympic Athletic Center of Athens "Spiros Louis"
| location = [[Marousi]], [[Greece]]
| built = 
| opened = 
| renovated = 2000–2004 ([[2004 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]])
| closed = 
| demolished = 
| owner = Greek Government
| operator = 
| surface = 
| construction_cost = 
| architect = [[Santiago Calatrava]] (Revamping)
| former_names = 
| tenants = 
| seating_capacity = 
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''Olympic Athletic Center of Athens [[Spiros Louis]]''' ({{langx|el|Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών "Σπύρος Λούης"}}, ''Olympiakó Athlitikó Kéntro Athinón "Spýros Loúis"'') or '''OACA''' (OAKA)), is a sport facilities complex located at [[Marousi]], in the north section of the [[Athens|city]]. The complex consists of five major venues as well as other supplementary sport facilities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Athens Olympic Sports Hall (OAKA) |url=http://www.stadia.gr/oaka-b/oaka-b.html |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=www.stadia.gr}}</ref>

The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens has hosted the [[1991 Mediterranean Games|Mediterranean Games in 1991]], the [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|World Championship in Athletics in 1997]] as well as other important athletic and cultural events. The most significant event the Athens Olympic Sports Complex has hosted, was the Olympic Games. OACA was the main venue for the [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens Olympic Games in 2004]]. The complex was revamped for the games under a design produced by the [[Spain|Spanish]] [[architect]] [[Santiago Calatrava]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=OAKA Olympic Stadium {{!}} Αrchinform |url=https://www.archinform.net/projekte/14277.htm}}</ref>

== Venues ==
=== Spyros Louis Athens Olympic Stadium ===
{{Main|Olympic Stadium (Athens)}}
{{stack|[[File:Athens Olympic Stadium (201816177).jpeg|alt=|thumb|[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Spyros Louis Athens Olympic Stadium]]]]|}}
The stadium, built in 1982 and extensively refurbished for the games in 2004, including the addition of a roof, hosted the [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics|athletics]] events and the [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|soccer]] final, as well as the [[2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony|Opening Ceremony]] on August 13, 2004 and the [[2004 Summer Olympics#Closing ceremony|Closing Ceremony]] on August 29, 2004.The venue also hosted the same events during the [[2004 Summer Paralympics]].

=== Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall ===
{{Main|Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall}}

The '''Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall''' (also known simply as the '''Indoor Hall''') was completed in 1995, and was the largest indoor venue in use for sporting events at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens, Greece]]. It is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, in the suburb of [[Maroussi]]. The [[list of indoor arenas|arena]] was used for [[Gymnastics at the 2004 Summer Olympics#Artistic|artistic gymnastics]] and [[Gymnastics at the 2004 Summer Olympics#Trampoline|trampolining]] and also hosted the finals of the [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|basketball]] matches at the games. On May 18 and 20, 2006, the Olympic Indoor Hall hosted the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2006|51st Eurovision Song Contest]], that was held in Athens after Greece's victory at the Song Contest in 2005.

=== Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre ===
{{Main|Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre}}

=== Athens Olympic Velodrome ===
{{Main|Athens Olympic Velodrome}}
[[File:Athens Velodrome.JPG|alt=|thumb|[[Athens Olympic Velodrome]]]]

=== Athens Olympic Tennis Centre ===
{{Main|Athens Olympic Tennis Centre}}
{{Main|Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Main Court}}

<gallery>
Athens Olympic Stadium.jpg|[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Athens Olympic Stadium]] during maintenance
Athens Aquatics Center.jpg|[[Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre|Olympic Aquatic Centre]]
Olympic stadium,Athens 20.JPG|[[Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall]]
Athens Indoor Olympic Aquatic Center.jpg|[[Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre]]
Athens Olympic Velodrome.jpg|[[Athens Olympic Velodrome]]
POT-Tennis2.jpg|[[Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Main Court]]
</gallery>

== Transportation to and from the venue ==
The Athens Olympic Sports Complex can be reached by [[Athens Metro|Metro]] [stations "[[Nerantziotissa station|Neratziotissa]]" and "Irini" of '''[[Athens Metro|Metro]] Line 1''' (Green Line)], by suburban train ('''[[Proastiakos]]''' station "Neratziotissa"), or by direct bus lines ['''A7''' (Stournari – Kifissia), '''602''' (N. Ionia – Kalogreza – Panormou Metro Station), '''550''' (P. Faliro – Kifissia).

== Legacy ==
While it was reported in 2008 that almost all of the Olympic venues utilized for the 2004 games, including certain facilities in the Sports Complex such as the velodrome and tennis center, have fallen into varying states of dereliction or disrepair, all of the facilities in the Athens Olympic Sports Complex are still in use today.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/features/after-the-party-what-happens-when-the-olympics-leave-town-901629.html |title=After The Party: What happens when the Olympics leave town |publisher=Independent.co.uk |date= 2008-08-19|access-date=2009-05-16 | location=London| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080906182231/http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/features/after-the-party-what-happens-when-the-olympics-leave-town-901629.html| archive-date=September 6, 2008| url-status= live}}</ref>

The table below illustrates how the Athens Olympic Sports Complex facilities are used today:

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Facility
! Olympics use
! Current use
|-
| [[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Spyros Louis Athens Olympic Stadium]] (OAKA)
| Opening and closing ceremonies, track and field, football
| Home pitch for [[Panathinaikos FC]] (football; [[Greek Super League]], [[UEFA Champions League]]), [[Greece national football team]] (some matches), international football competitions (e.g. the [[2007 UEFA Champions League Final]]);<ref>{{cite news|last=McNulty |first=Phil |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/6669039.stm |title=BBC SPORT &#124; Football &#124; Europe &#124; AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool |work=BBC News |date=2007-05-23 |access-date=2009-05-16| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090528211050/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/6669039.stm| archive-date= 28 May 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> track and field events (e.g. IAAF Athens Grand Prix<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tsiklitiria.org/ |title=Athens Grand Prix 2008 |publisher=Tsiklitiria.org |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514013815/http://www.tsiklitiria.org/ |archive-date=14 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>), concerts
|-
| [[Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall]]
| Basketball, gymnastics
| Home court for [[Panathinaikos B.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paobc.gr/category_subcategories.php?category_id=83 |title=Panathinaikos Bc::::Εδρα:::: |publisher=Paobc.gr |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421022711/http://www.paobc.gr/category_subcategories.php?category_id=83 |archive-date=21 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ([[Greek Basket League|Greek BasketBall League]], [[EuroLeague]]); [[Greece men's national basketball team]] ([[Acropolis International Basketball Tournament|Acropolis Tournament]]), International basketball competitions (e.g. the [[EuroLeague Final]] of [[2007 EuroLeague Final Four|Athens 2007]], [[Eurovision]] 2006, and the [[2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men|2008 FIBA Olympic Men's Basketball Qualifying Tournament]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.athens2008.fiba.com/ |title=2008 - FIBA Olympic Qualifier Tournament for Men |access-date=2008-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527191723/http://www.athens2008.fiba.com/ |archive-date=2008-05-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) Concerts
|-
| [[Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre]]
| Swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo
| Domestic and international swimming meets,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005003&e_cat_id=342 |title=Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών |publisher=Oaka.com.gr |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501134126/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005003&e_cat_id=342 |archive-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005010&e_cat_id=341 |title=Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών |publisher=Oaka.com.gr |date=2008-03-22 |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501203212/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005010&e_cat_id=341 |archive-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005&e_cat_id=321 |title=Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών |publisher=Oaka.com.gr |date=2006-07-16 |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501162058/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001005&e_cat_id=321 |archive-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> public pool<ref name=etipos>{{cite web|url=http://www.e-tipos.com/newsitem?id=47588 |title=Ελλάδα: Σβησμένα φώτα στις ολυμπιακές εγκαταστάσεις |publisher=E-tipos.com |date=2007-11-30 |access-date=2009-05-16}}</ref>
|-
| [[Athens Olympic Tennis Centre]] ([[Athens Olympic Tennis Centre Main Court|The Main Court]])
| Tennis
| Domestic and international tennis matches,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001009&e_cat_id=325 |title=Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών |publisher=Oaka.com.gr |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501182845/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001009&e_cat_id=325 |archive-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.athenstennisacademy.gr |title=Athens Tennis Academy |publisher=Athenstennisacademy.gr |access-date=2009-05-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210105417/http://athenstennisacademy.gr/ |archive-date=2009-02-10 }}</ref> [[Status Athens Open]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statusathensopen.gr/default.asp?pid=53&la=2|title=April 17–25 at O.A.K.A.|publisher=Status Athens Open|access-date=2010-04-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422030753/http://www.statusathensopen.gr/default.asp?pid=53&la=2|archive-date=22 April 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[Athens Olympic Velodrome]]
| Cycling
| Domestic and international cycling meets<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001008&e_cat_id=324 |title=Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών |publisher=Oaka.com.gr |access-date=2009-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501203024/http://www.oaka.com.gr/articles_list.asp?e_lang_id=0&e_cat_serial=001011001001008&e_cat_id=324 |archive-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080819195306/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004b.pdf 2004 Summer Olympics official report.] Volume 2. pp. 201, 207, 227, 231, 242, 273, 303, 324, 329, 346, 409.

== External links ==
* {{Official website}} {{In lang|el}}
* [http://www.stadia.gr/oaka-b/oaka-b.html Olympic Indoor hall info and pictures at stadia.gr]
* {{Commons category-inline|Athens Olympic Sports Complex}}

{{Portal bar|Olympic Games|Greece}}

{{Landmarks in Athens}}
{{2004 Summer Olympic venues}}

[[Category:Athens Olympic Sports Complex|*]]
[[Category:Olympic Parks]]
[[Category:Santiago Calatrava structures]]
[[Category:Venues of the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1982]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Athens|Olympic]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in North Athens]]
[[Category:Sports complexes in Greece]]
[[Category:Marousi]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Greece]]