Built 2400 years ago with lots of marble

If you want a mix of sport and culture, it's hard to go past the Panathinaiko Stadium.

Cast in the middle of central Athens, right beside a road busier than rush hour on Auckland's Southern Motorway, it somehow retains a majestic feel.

Built from marble hauled from Mt Parnitha, the stadium traces its roots back 2400 years. This year, it will host the archery and the finish of the marathon.

Jonathan Wyatt, one of two New Zealand marathoners, said it would be a privilege to run into the ancient venue. "We're the last event too so it's going to be pretty special and a really big bonus for us, especially finishing in the old stadium," he said.

The stadium was the main venue for the first modern games in 1896. Sepia photographs show how men in bowler hats and ladies in hooped skirts packed the stands to watch the competitions, especially the famous marathon victory of local hero Spyros Louis.

Panathinaiko is believed to have first been built in the 4th century BC as a venue for Athenian festivals.

It was rebuilt during the second century AD by Herod Atticus who insisted that only the best marble be used.

When Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin began planning the revival of the Olympics, it was considered the best place to host the Games. But it had fallen into a state of disrepair, resembling a rubbish tip. Greek benefactors and architect Anastasious Metaxas transformed it and have left one of the most awe-inspiring stadiums ever.