On This Day in 1896 the First Modern Olympic Games Began in Athens

On April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympic games began in Athens, Greece with the opening ceremony in the Panathenaic Stadium, the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.

Athens was chosen to honor the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from at least 776 BC until they were abolished in 393 AD. Reviving the Olympic Games in Athens was seen as a way to pay homage to this ancient tradition.

The late 19th century saw a resurgence of interest in classical Greek culture and ideals across Europe, known as the Greek revival movement. Holding the first modern Olympics in Athens was a way to celebrate this cultural revival and showcase Greece’s historical importance.

Greece had recently gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century and was eager to assert its newfound national identity on the world stage. Hosting the first modern Olympics provided Greece with an opportunity to showcase its progress and promote itself as a modern nation rooted in ancient heritage.

The idea of reviving the Olympic Games was proposed by Pierre de Coubertin, a French educator and historian, who sought to promote international understanding and cooperation through sport. By choosing Athens as the host city, the organizers aimed to involve Greece and other nations in this vision of global unity.

In the lead-up to the 1896 Olympics, Athens underwent significant preparations to host the games. New sports facilities were constructed, including the Panathenaic Stadium, which was refurbished to host the opening and closing ceremonies.

The Games were funded by the legacies of Evangelis Zappas and his cousin Konstantinos Zappas and by George Averoff who had been specifically requested by the Greek government, through Crown Prince Constantine, to sponsor the second refurbishment of the Panathenaic Stadium.

The Greek government did this despite the cost of refurbishing the stadium in marble already being funded in full by Evangelis Zappas forty years earlier.

Athletes participating in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens

There were 241 athletes and 14 nationalities competing in the games. Except for the American Team, every participant was European or a resident of Europe.

Among the athletes competing, Greeks made up over 65 percent. Silver medals were awarded to the winners, while copper medals were handed to the runners-up. The IOC changed them to gold and silver medals retroactively, while third-place competitors received bronze.

Medals were won by ten of the 14 participating countries. The United States won eleven gold medals, while Greece, the host country, took home the most medals, 47.

The Greeks’ most memorable moment was their fellow countryman Spyros Louis’ marathon triumph. Louis was celebrated as a national hero.

As he approached the finish line at the Panathenaic Stadium 80,000 Greek fans rose to their feet in celebration and the runner had to actually be escorted to safety by King George I’s royal entourage.

Louis recalled the moments after his victory on April 10, 1896: “That hour was something unimaginable and it still appears to me in my memory like a dream … Twigs and flowers were raining down on me. Everybody was calling out my name and throwing their hats in the air …”

Seven venues were used for the 1896 Summer Olympics. Panathenaic Stadium was the main venue, hosting four of the nine sports contested. The city of Marathon served as host to the marathon event and the individual road race events. Swimming was held in the Bay of Zea, fencing at the Zappeion, sport shooting at Kallithea, and tennis at the Athens Lawn Tennis Club.

The Games were a great success

The 1896 Olympics were regarded as a great success. The Games had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date. The Panathenaic Stadium overflowed with the largest crowd ever to watch a sporting event.

After the Games, Coubertin and the IOC were petitioned by several prominent figures, including Greece’s King George and some of the American competitors in Athens, to hold all the following Games in Athens.

However, the 1900 Summer Olympics were already planned for Paris and, except the Intercalated Games of 1906, the Olympics did not return to Greece until the 2004 Summer Olympics, 108 years later.