As I've mentioned in another thread these pages here are for topics about the Olympics in Athens next year !

Have any news about this event , post them here !!

Here's a small update:

1. Athens Metro Monastiraki station line 3 (blue) is nearing completion and is expected to be operational in March 2003. The extension of the existing station (line 1, green) was delayed due to problems relating to the stability of the soil. The stupid metro engineers simply didn't know a common secret amongst many Athenians and pointed out by many geographers from the Ancient times: That the underground river "Iridanos" flows exactly below that point so extra caution should have been exercised when digging there.

Anyways, this is expected to be a high class station and rumour has it that while on the escalators, passengers will have a view of a big chamber with antiquities found during the excavations for the construction of the station's extension.

Especially for De Snor and the rest of you: Click here (http://www.mjconstruct.com/tunnel/archive/2000/august/Athens%20Metro.pdf) for a .pdf document (Adobe Acrobat format) with technical details about the station's construction (Grand Moustache, I hope you'll like it:)).

2. Attiki Odos, the 70-km Athens ring road system is nearing completion with full operation expected at the end of 2003. To the information of "nationally proud" :tongue: Greeks, Istanbul has two ring roads already like this one (OK, without the suburban rail in the middle ;) and maybe longer but what the hell we built the Parthenon 2,500 years ago right? :baaa: )

The most crucial section, a 14km-long strip, that will finally complete the connection of the new Athens International Airport with the National Road system will be delivered by the end of January 2003. Also, the branch that passes close to my place on the slope of mount Hymettus will be delivered in August 2003. (Yuppiee!!! :) No more torment in Kifissias and Messogeion to go to Kifissia and the north of Athens).

Here's a view of the famous Attiki Odos Roundabout in its junction with the Kifissias Avenue. Photo taken last November, (C) Attiki Odos Consortium. (I had to resize it as the original size of the pics in http://www.aodos.gr is 2.5 megs on the average!!!)

http://www.freephoto-i.net/users/1277/29606

BTW: I SEE A SKYLINE BEGGING TO BE FILLED WITH SKYSCRAPERS HERE. Please tell me am I right or there's something wrong with me?

3. Almost one Km before this spot is the Athens Olympic complex. Here we see a picture of the Olympic Press Centre which is built close to the new Athens Expo and Convention Centre operated by the Thessaloniki International Fairs Organisation (HELEXPO). After the games, this metallic construction will be embodied to the rest of the Expo/convention facilities in a big complex of some 40,000 or so expo or convention space (at last, Athens is doing something right.

Here's a recent (11/2002) pic of the side of this construction:

http://www.freephoto-i.net/users/1277/29609

4. Various sports will also be accomodated in the old Athens "Hellenikon" airport. Many of the big hangars are now transformed into stadiums for varous sports. Also, the two terminal buildings of the International Flights terminal (East Terminal) will be transformed to a convention/expo centre too.

5. Last week, Mr Jacques Roeg from the International Olympic Committee visited the Athens 2004 President, Mrs Yanna Angelopoulou and was given a full update on the progress of the works. Also, Mr Roeg was given the usual helicopter tour (:bleep: I envy this guy so much!!!) of the sites under construction.

Guys, that's all I have for now. Be prepared for more though, as the 2004 Olympics are close and works will start to be delivered at a rapid-fire pace.

Although I had in my plans to post many Athens 2004 Update threads in various topics I think that this cosi corner would also be good :)

@Gregory

I didn't know that of Iridanos river! Thanks for your information
Also the red line station at Heliopolis (Suncity :D ) is due to be finished by the end of the summer. And the metro is currently expanding to the north and east

Btw whats your opinion about the tram? It's a very important project but many residents of the coastal zone are protesting against it (mainly at Faliron). Works have already been started though.

Me as a coastal resident I don't want it in my neighborhood distrincts (Voula - Vouliagmeni) :mad:
It is said though that it will end at Glyfada, so we are ok
I believe that the main problem is at the Faliron and mainly at Flesvos area. I hope for a solution to be found for both sides because many people need the tram but it would be a crime to destroy the wonderful pedestrial coastal street of Flesvos :(

Also the Attica road it will certainly give a big breath to the tortured civilians
And from my place I'll be at Kifissia in 20 mins :eek:

Anyway, I'll be back with news from the almost finished Pancretian stadium in beautiful Crete :cool:

Nessuno...

I agree that the tram will have to pass through already populated areas and that many people say that one of the best coastal avenues of the mediterranean, the famous "Posseidonos Avenue" may lose its beauty because of this.

Actually I don't have any particular objections other than:

1. What's gonna happen to the car traffic, especially in Nea Smyrni and Palaion Faliron.

2. How the coastal Avenue's sidewalks will be affected because of the damn thing. In addition, the opposing parties to the construction of the tram say that it's not actually a regular-sized tram but a speedy mini two-car train that will run on the asphalt or something.

I don't know. Also, the pics that I've seen show a space-age design which I liked. You never know. For sure, the coastal avenue will change as we have the junction with Alimou avenue under construction. One thing is that the place will be modernised for sure.

Heeey, opening this section was a great idea De Snor!!! :okay:

And I'm sure Gregory will provide us the best and most updated info on the latest... :)

Everyone knows that the next Olympic games will take place in the city of Athens

A few events though, and especially the football tournament will take place and in other Greek cities.

Heraclion (pop. 200,000) in the beautiful island of Crete is one of them :cool:

Heraclion among with Athens, Salonica and Volos will organize the football tournament of 2004. For this event a brand new stadium is being built there.
The stadium named "The Pancretion Stadium" will be a 38,000 all-seated with a track. It is located next to a beautiful sandy beach.
The project will have been completed by summer 2003

A few pics from the construction area:

http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio19.jpg


http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio20.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio21.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio24.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio23.jpg

Final rendering of the stadium:

http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio7.jpg

Very nice pics and a good stadium is under constructiton in Crete.

Also, a 14-Km long part of the Attica Road was delivered on Thursday Jan 30, 2003. Of course I mwent there and drove and the feeling if FANTASTIC. It now appears that Maroussi IS becoming a new business centre. I hope that they build tallr though. :D

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Also, a 14-Km long part of the Attica Road was delivered on Thursday Jan 30, 2003. Of course I mwent there and drove and the feeling if FANTASTIC. It now appears that Maroussi IS becoming a new business centre. I hope that they build tallr though. :D</td></tr>
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Yeah,I heard about that. Good news Attica road is almost completed. I'm waiting though for the Hemmetus part of attica road, where the current ring road is. It will save me 20 mins for going to kifissia from voula! :happy:
As for Maroussi it is a rapidly growing business center. I pray that by 2004 Maroussi will surpass the taboo of 100m :D

I hope that they surpass the limit of 50m for starters!!! With the exception of the OTE (Greek Telecom) (http://www.skyscrapers.com/english/wm/bu/?id=148981) building and the Atrina Center (http://www.skyscrapers.com/english/wm/pr/?id=103330) the rest of the notable buildings just "flirt" with the 35m limit which according to Skyscrapers.com is the lowest limit for a building to be classified as a skyscraper.

Perhaps, if I was to make a research, I would discover some with 35,5 m height. I would feel ashamed however to include them in a site where there are skyscrapers listed with a height of 400m and above.

Time for the losers to start think big, that's all I have to say...

One of the most important set of works (in my opinion), the linking Athens's archaeological sites with pedestrian walways, as well as the removing of thousands of ugly billboads and advertisements is well underway! The sections in and around the Acropolis will be re-designed and declared as pedestrian only zones with cobblestone walkways, trees and such being added all around the area. This project was ironically a dream from last century that never came to fruition, until now.

This is being done in conjuction with building refurbishments to help male the city center a more attractive place. It is long over-do and from what I heard, it being very well received (though the cranes and such are a pain).

Some photos of the works (pe patient, many pics!):

SOME NEW WALKWAYS:
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_dareopagt3.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_dareopagt7.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_dareopagt2.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_dareopagt6.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_apaylou6.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_apaylou4.jpg

OMONIA'S NEW DESIGN:
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_omonia6.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_omonia4.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_omonia1.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_omonia3.jpg

REMOVAL OF ADVERTISEMENTS:
Before
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_dpsintag1.jpg
After
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_dpsintagma1.jpg

Before
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_sygkrou1.jpg
After
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_sygkrou2.jpg

Before
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_omonia_p.jpg
After (Notice the green tarpe on the building to the right)
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_omonia_m.jpg

BUILDUING REFURBISHMENT:
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_okakonst2.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_okakonst4.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_okakonst3.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_stadiou1.jpg

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_stadiou2.jpg

SYNTAGMA SQUARE-NEW:
Syntagma Square
http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_syntagma1.jpg


All pics from the site of the 'Unification of Athens' Archaeological Sites' company.

http://www.astynet.gr/

Wow! I knew about the linking project of Athens' arceological sites but I didn't know that it is in a climax like this!!Thanks for the pics Prometheus

And damn the city center is 5 mins from my uni..

The walkways under the Acropolis are impressive! I'll certainly pay them a visit when the weather gets clear :)
It's an ideal place also to seduce a girl :naughty: :D ;)

As for the billboards and the refurbishment of buildings and squares..well it was about time ;)

Wasn't it about time?! Damn politicians! They neglected the capital for too long, and only now seem to have realized that it needed a face-lift. How tacky were all those damn billboards anyways? I mean, some billboads yes, but not on every street corner. We have enough trouble seeing the sun in Athens through all those 200m plus highrises. :rotf:

But seriously, like Gregory said, the first step in a tall Athens is it's need to have an infrastructure to feed off of. Watch especially the metro and the highway (Attiko Odos). Areas with space, where those two converge are key imho! Plus, all this new architectural design, in both buildings and other projects (squares, walkways etc) could be the start of the original 'ballsy' designs that Greek architecture has lacked for years. Space is low, and won't get any bigger, so sooner or later, they'll have to give in.

A nice start would be a cluster like what Napoli has. 1 or 2 200m+ ones though to top it off. :naughty: All in all though, come August 2004, Athens will be a different city.

I already made an announcement for our friends in the main forum in "Urban Discussions" (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24172) (Click in the previous link to access it).

At last I don't feel alone here (well I'm not with so many international friends) but it's good to have a chat with my compatriots every now and then.

I agree about the need for something similar to Naples "Centro Direzionale" with buildings more or less the size of the existing ones of Rotterdam (they have someprojects on store for 200m+ too but their tallest now is a Babis Vovos style glass tower called Gebouw Delfse Poort (http://www.skyscrapers.com/english/wm/bu/?id=111167), only 3,5 times taller :D. Rotterdam has one of the most decent skylines of Europe but the buildings are not utterly tall.

Athens has this characteristic of being "a city with a view" according to a friend from Toronto (:master: ) Canada. This means that the missing skyline in terms of skyscrapers already exists because of the mountains forming the Attica basin ("to lekanopedio Attikis"as we call it in Greek). This is what saves us from living in a flat, ugly city in many parts.

Now, the point os how to incorporate new buildings into such an existing skyline? The answer:

There is no need to build tall in Central Athens. Good or bad, the city's been built already to saturation point. On the other hand, the city centre is only a small part of the total area of Athens. Good or bad, clusters of small high-rises and mid-rises already exist in Maroussi, Pefki and the surroundings of "the cake" style roundabout in Kiffisias and Attika road junction.

Of course, "oi perioikoi" (the neighbours, the term referring even to residents at a radius of 2km from the intersection (which does NOT have any neighbouring residentials within 300 to 500m from its centre) will object "gia tin ygeia ton paidion tous" (for the health of their children). Well, I admit that they have the right to object any vertical expansion even for areas all across the new section of the Attiki Odos between "the cake" and Metamorfossi junction. I wish to find out however if the "exohika" (country homes) they have are built according to the building codes, but that's another story.

You are right though. A couple 150m-tall surrounded by 6-10 80m to 120m can be built there. I wouldn't suggest anything taller unless for a TV/Telecom Tower. However, the skyline "begs" for highrises there. Anywhere else would be bad. Some buildings up to 15 storeys might also be buuilt in Syngrou Avenue but not more, as they would obstruct the view to the sea.

The point is: Who dares?

But we will be back on this soon :).

Very positive! I also hate the advertisements in and around the historic port of Galata in Istanbul and hopefully they'll be removed (along with the restoration of old buildings which are falling apart)

Back in 1999 a similar move was made in Istiklal Avenue (Grand Rue de Pera). They removed all advertisement signs and brought a legislation to put a standard on putting signs (all names, whether Benetton, Burger King, Bulgari, etc. are now written in standard gold paint, usually provided by the municipality). Now it looks much more tidy and beautiful.

Good work, dear Aegean brothers! :okay:

@ gm2263, Are there leaflets and brochures available about the infrastructural projects in Athens ? I would love to have some at home ! Would you like to look around please. Thank you ;)

Back in 1999 a similar move was made in Istiklal Avenue (Grand Rue de Pera). They removed all advertisement signs and brought a legislation to put a standard on putting signs (all names, whether Benetton, Burger King, Bulgari, etc. are now written in standard gold paint, usually provided by the municipality). Now it looks much more tidy and beautiful.Yeah but I'm in two minds about this idea. It's used in historic towns in England (Cambridge, Oxford, York etc) but don't you think that it removes some of the colour from a lively shopping street like Istiklal Cadessi??

I can't believe that the Olympics are just next year. It seems like no time since Sydney. It's really cool that the Games are back in Athens for the 100th anniversary of the modern games.

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I can't believe that the Olympics are just next year. It seems like no time since Sydney. It's really cool that the Games are back in Athens for the 100th anniversary of the modern games.</td></tr>
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the 100th anniversary of the modern games happened at Atlanta 1996

The games started in Athens at 1896

Athens was a candidate city also for the 1996 centenial games but lost in the final round to Atlanta.
But I believe that is better for Athens to organize the 2004 Olympics than having the 1996

Comparing Athens2004 with Athens back at 1996 is like comparing Damascus with Zurich..

originally posted by Nessuno
"Comparing Athens2004 with Athens back at 1996 is like comparing Damascus with Zurich..


:yes:

Not really Olympics related, but nevertheless....


February 20th, 2003

After… wandering around Athens, the new stadium of Panathinaikos FC might be their current one! The president of the club met yesterday with the Minister of Culture and made an official proposal for the complete reconstruction of "APOSTOLOS NIKOLAIDIS" STADIUM (Leoforos).

Note that one year ago Panathinaikos proposed the upgrading of Leoforos (addition of second tier on two stands). The new plan is however totally different, as it calls for an entirely new stadium with a capacity of 35,000. The main feature is the change of orientation (from east-west to north-south), with goals being on the side of Alexandras Avenue and Lycabettus Hill. In order for this to be possible, however, a large area must be expropriated (Panathinaikos want to be given free use for 99 years), schools need to be relocated, part of Alexandras Avenue must be covered and Tsoha Street completely closed.

Panathinaikos say they will fund the whole project, although the amateur division of the club (who "rent" the stadium from the Municipality of Athens) have yet to show any agreement to the plan. What is more, the State must give its permission for the whole thing to go through. The first reaction from the Government was "we are looking into this proposal".

http://www.stadia.gr/news-20-2-2003.html


http://www.pao.gr/media/images/jpg/300/leofnew.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/leoforos2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/leoforos3.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/leoforos1.jpg

One of the major points here is that Alexandras Avenue was supposed to be submerged at this point so as to create a big plaza or esplanade connecting the stadium, the 16-storey Athens Police Headquarters (http://www.skyscrapers.com/en/wm/bu/?id=148978). The area is already served by the Athens Metro (line 3, blue).

These are good plans but I definitely think that the road must be submerged. According to the new plans, there will be a park around the new stadium. My only concernis about the school to be relocated, but again, I reckon that a viable solution might have been worked out already.

What is notable is that this stadium was originally opened in 1908, when the Ampelokipi district were a rural area... :)

I heard the news also guys and I can hardly wait for this project to be approved since Panathinaikos is my favourite team :banana:

The Olympics have waken up many guys in the Greek football scene and in the "rotten" political scene. Finally they realised that there is a big football stadia problem in Greece.

With the upcoming 40,000 new Karaiskaki (Olympiakos), the AEK Athens Arena, the new Kaftatzoglio, the new Pancretian, Panthessalian, PanPeloponessian, and now the new "Leoforos" we're getting into a new orbit of football and sports era :cool:

I just hope that Oly,Pana, and AEK projects won't stay on papers

First-ever Global Torch Relay Route Approved by the IOC


Athens, 21 February 2003

The IOC Executive Board unanimously approved today the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay route. An Olympic Torch Relay route that, for the first time ever, will bring the torch to Africa and South America, thus including every continent in its call to the 2004 Olympic Games.

Lit by the sun’s rays in the ancient Greek city of Olympia in May 2004, the torch will carry the Olympic flame to each of the five continents represented by the Olympic rings, celebrating the values of the 2004 Olympic Games: peace, participation, our shared Olympic heritage, and the human scale of the Athens Games.

The torch will travel the world for 35 days, visiting 27 cities before returning to Greece for the final segment of its route. On 13 August 2004, the torch’s journey will culminate in the lighting of the cauldron in the Olympic Stadium of Athens, and the commencement of the XXVIII Olympiad.

The Olympic Torch Relay route will include every city that has ever hosted an Olympic Summer Games, and the Host City of the 2008 Summer Games, Beijing as well as Cairo, Cape Town, Rio De Janeiro, New York City, Lausanne and Nicosia. The criteria for the selection of the additional cities were their geographic location, adequate infrastructure, cultural and regional significance, the mobilization of participating National Olympic Committee and local authorities, and the approval of the International Olympic Committee. As the programme develops, a limited number of cities might be added, based on the same criteria. Details of the Greek section of the route are being finalized and will be announced soon.

ATHENS 2004’s unique International Torch Relay route was greeted enthusiastically by the IOC on the basis of its global outlook, and attention to history and culture. ATHENS 2004 will continue to work with the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Olympic Truce Foundation and local authorities to use available resources to maximize the impact of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay.

ATHENS 2004 estimates that 10,000 torchbearers from around the world will cover the route: 3,500 during the international section and 6,500 within Greece. On average, each bearer will carry the torch 300-500 metres.

The ATHENS 2004 Torch Relay is sponsored by a number of companies that share the Olympic spirit and ideals. The Coca Cola Company has been selected as the Presenting Partner of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay. The company's 75-year heritage with the Olympic Games -- and ability to connect with people all over the world -- will help us enhance the experience of the Olympic Torch Relay ATHENS 2004 for everyone.

Samsung, Eurosport and GEFYRA SA are official supporters of the programme. The sponsoring programme of the ATHENS 2004 Torch Relay thus far amounts to $19 million.

ATHENS 2004 will work closely with the NOCs, the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Olympic Truce Foundation, local authorities and embassies around the world to promote the relay and the ideals it embodies. The warm Greek sun gave birth to the Olympic flame and to the messages it carries; for the first time ever, the Olympic torch will carry that flame and those messages to the entire world.

Thanks for the news and update Ness :)

Any pics of the main stadium in Athens??

As far as it sounds, PAO has taken things into account when it comes to the schools. It's a good thing I think that the area surrounding Leoforou S. is gonna be benefiting from this. It's about time PAO got a new stadium. As my compatriot above said, things are changing for the better in this regard in Greece (amongst other things!).

Olympic Stadium (Spyros Louis Stadium)
http://www.stadia.gr/oaka4.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/oaka_complex.jpg

Capacity: 74,767

GM, what's the status with regards to the Olympic Stadiums renovations?

Athens gets facelift before 2004 Games
Agence France-Presse


ATHENS, Greece (February 18, 2003 8:18 a.m. EST) - Greece will spend around 460 million euros ($492.5 million) to "embellish and fit out" Athens ahead of the 2004 Olympics, officials said on Tuesday.

"The aim is to improve the (town's) aesthetic and quality of life," Greek Environment and Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou told reporters during a presentation of around 70 relevant studies.

"It's the most encompassing program ever presented," said Papandreou.

The Greek government had earlier said that it would spend 246.5 million euros ($264 million) on this project.

Twenty-one of those studies have already been executed and another 21 are under completion. The latter include the renovation of Athens' old city center, notably by turning the town's hitherto scattered archaeological sites into a single, unified pedestrian area, renovating facades and removing giant advertising banners and ugly television antennae from apartment block rooftops.

Another priority is to plant trees and bushes along avenues and to spruce up Athens' largely neglected parks.

Around 820,000 trees and 14 million bushes are to be planted on a surface totaling 400 hectares (988 acres), Papandreou said.

The minister also claimed that the required water needs, estimated at 26,000 cubic meters (910,000 cubic feet) per day were already covered.

"This operation will enable us to welcome the Games' guests and make Athenians proud of their city," said the town's mayor Dora Bakoyianni, adding that there was not a single day to lose.

Bakoyianni stressed the need to make the city more accessible to the disabled as the current situation was "shameful".

She also urged the minister to grapple with the city's garbage problem. "Athens risks finding itself a hostage of its own garbage," she said.

http://www.sportserver.com/olympics/story/769521p-5539560c.html

It appears that there is some delay with the "aesthetic" renovation works planned for the Olympic complex and other spots in Athens. The Olymic stadium was supposed to get a facelift designed by Santiago Kalatrava, but I don't see any cranes in the area yet. On the other hand, there is an impressive amount of construction going on in the vicinity of the Olympic complex, including the Press Center and the Press village.

The following are two pics from a the Messogeion and Katehaki intersection which were to be added a high-tech foot bridge.

http://de.geocities.com/sidirodromoi/1el12c.gif

I reckon the height of the mast to be around 70-80m at least so I would like this one to be completed. However, I have not seen any activity in the area yet.

We wait and see...

Yes,indeed there is some delay with the renovation works.
Calatrava designed a glass sliding roof (nicknamed "the jewel of the crown" ) but the construction hasn't started yet. The tennis courts though and the rest are in construction.

http://www.stadia.gr/oakanew.jpg

I'm not sure what's going on up there since I'm not getting much info lately.


I reckon the height of the mast to be around 70-80m at least so I would like this one to be completed.

Yeah,seems at last that we're gonna get a kind of "scraper" :D
I like the bridge :) I hope they'll built it

Btw, I recently read an article in Eleftherotypia about a huge building plot at Chalandri owned by the Russian Federation. That plot was given to Babis Vovos S.A. for exploitation. The paper was complaining that babis vovos is about to built skyscrapers and a kind of "Manhattan" in Chalandri. Babis Vovos replyed by saying that the tallest building will be 3 (!!) floors :|

The man who wrote the article is also stating that Babis Vovos has received favours from the state and has built giant (!!!) 8-storeys "teratourgimata" at Kifissias... :|

Ante vres propoki me tetoious anthropous..

@ Nessuno: go to the "view" menu of your browzer and select "greek(Windows) in the "Encoding" submenu (and I hope you're in Greece and you have a Greek character set). This is also for the rest (the very few still standing in a forum of 3,000 participants) of the Greeks in this forum.

@ the rest:
sorry guys, this is in Greek but I do this for two reasons:

A: It contains obscene language not conducive for public reading

B: It's nothing that I haven't written before.

Ößëå Nessuno

Ôþñá ôï ðÞñåò ÷áìðÜñé üôé ç ìáëáêßá ìáò Ý÷åé ÷ôõðÞóåé êüêêéíï? Ôü îÝñåéò (êé' åóý êáé ïé õðüëïéðïé ößëïé) üôé äÝí õðÜñ÷åé äçìüóéï Ýñãï áõôÞ ôç óôéãìÞ ðïõ íá ìÞí ôï´Ý÷ïõí ðÜåé óôï Óõìâïýëéï ôçò Åðéêñáôßáò äõï êáé ôñåßò öïñÝò ãéá êÜèå ÷éëéüìåôñï ôïõ Ìåôñü êáé ôçò ÁôôéêÞò ïäïý; Ôü îÝñåéò üôé ç Ë. ÂÜñçò - Êïñïðßïõ óõí ôïéò Üëëïéò ðñïóâëÞèçêå íïìéêÜ áðü ôïõò éäéïêôÞôåò ôùí ÷áóÜðéêùí- ôáâåñíþí äéüôé äåí èá åß÷áí ÷þñï ïé Áëâáíïß ÔóïëéÜäåò - êñÜ÷ôåò íá êéíïýíôáé; Ôß óôï êÝñáôï ñå ðáéäéÜ, ÊÁÍÅÍÁÓ äå ãïõóôÜñåé íá áëëÜîåé áõôÞ ç ÷þñá åêôüò áðï ìåñéêïýò ìáëÜêåò óáí êé' åìÜò. ÃïõóôÜñïõíå íá ìïéÜæåé ç ÁèÞíá óáí ôá ÷ùñéÜ áðï ôá ïðïßá Þñèáíå, áõôü åßíáé üëï.

Ìáò Ý÷ïõíå ðÞîåé óôç ìáëáêßá ìå ôéò áíáðáëáéþóåéò ôùí íåïêëáóóéêþí, áëëÜ ôüóá ÷ñüíéá ôßðïôá äåí êÜíïõíå. Áìá äåí Þôáíå ç ÏëõìðéÜäá, ç ðüëç èá Þôáí ôï ìðïõñäÝëï ðïõ Þôáí ðñßí äÝêá ÷ñüíéá (êáé áêüìá åßíáé áëëÜ áõôÞ ôç öïñÜ õðÜñ÷åé êÜðïéá åëðßäá).

Êáé ïé ïõñáíïîýóôåò; Á, êáëÜ åêåß ç ìáëáêßá óðÜåé ôæÜìé. Ðñïôéìïýí íá êôßóïõí êÜèå óðéèáìÞ ãÞò áíá ìéêñü ïéêüðåäï, ðáñÜ íá óçêþóïõí øçëÜ êôßñéá, ìå ïñãáíùìÝíï ôñüðï. Ôé íá óïõ ðþ ñå ößëå, üôé ðñßí áðï ìåñéêÜ ÷ñüíéá âüóêáíå ðñüâáôá ðßóù áðï ôá êôßñéá ôïõ Âùâïý óôçí Êçöéóßáò; Ïôé ãåëÜù Üìá âëÝðù ôá "óôåëÝ÷ç" (ôùí 300.000 ôï ìÞíá, äñ÷ åííïþ) íá êáôáóôñÝöïõí ôá ðáðïõôóÜêéá ôïõò âãáßíùíôáò áðï ôá ãõÜëéíá ôåôñáüñïöá "óõãêñïôÞìáôá ãñáöåßùí" :lol: (!!!) óôïí ÐáñÜäåéóï Áìáñïõóßïõ Üìá âñÝ÷åé äéüôé ïé äñüìïé åßíáé óáí âïìâáñäéóìÝíïé êáé åðåéäÞ ôá êôßñéá áõôÜ Ý÷ïõí ðÜñêéíãê 20 èÝóåùí ãéá ðåíÞíôá åñãáæüìåíïõò êáé ìüíï ãéá ôïõò äéåõèõíôÜäåò; Ç ôï ÓÏÕÑÃÅËÏ ôïõ Village Centre (Ìáñïýóé) ðïõ êïñéôóÜêéá ðëáôóïõñßæïõí ìå ôá ôáêïõíÜêéá ôïõò óôá íåñÜ ðïõ ìïíßìùò ôñÝ÷ïõí áðï ôá óïêÜêéá ðïõ ðåñíÜíå ìðñïóôÜ áðï ôï êôßñéï.

ÎÝñåôå ãéáôß äÝí êôßæïíôáé (ìÝ÷ñé ôþñá) ïõñáíïîýóôåò óôçí ÁèÞíá; Ï÷é ãéáôß áðáãïñåýåôáé áðï ôá üñéá ýøïõò (ôüóïé íüìïé ðïäïðáôéïýíôáé êÜèå ìÝñá óôçí ÅëëÜäá, Üí èÝëáíå èá Ýöôéá÷íáí "ðáñáèõñÜêéá" üðùò åêåßíï åðß ÷ïýíôáò ðïõ ëåãüôáíå "êáôÜ ðáñÝêêëéóç ôùí êåéìÝíùí äéáôÜîåùí"), ïýôå äéüôé ïé ïõñáíïîýóôåò åßíáé "êáðéôáëéóôéêïß" (åäþ ç ìáëáêßá óôÝëíåé ðýñáõëï óôï öåããÜñé), Üí êáé ôÝôïéåò ðáôÜôåò Ý÷ïõí áêïõóôåß áðï êáéñïý åéò êáéñüí. Ðéóôåýù üôé ïé íüìïé ðåñß ýøïõò (êáé ìüíï áõôïß ôçñïýíôáé äéüôé ôï íá ÷ôßóåéò ïõñáíïîýóôåò, èÝëåé êáé êÜðïéá áñ÷ßäéá áðï êáôáóêåõáóôéêÞò áðüøåùò, ðñÜãìá ðïõ åëÜ÷éóôïé Ý÷ïõí óÞìåñá óôçí ÅëëÜäá. ÅðéðëÝïí, ïé Åëëçíåò áíôß íá ðñïóðáèïýí ãéá ôï êáëýôåñï áðëÜ ìéóïýí ôïí äéðëáíü ôïõò.

Åãþ óáò ëÝù üôé ï ðñþôïò ðïõ èá ôïëìÞóåé íá ðñïôåßíåé êÜôé ôÝôïéï èá áíôéìåôøðßóåé ëõóóáëÝï ðüëåìï áðï ôïõò Üëëïõò êáôáóêåõáóôÝò, ôï êñÜôïò áëëÜ êáß ôïõò ðåñéïßêïõò (Üó÷åôá áí ïé ìéóïß áðï áõôïýò Ý÷ïõí êôßóåé ðáñÜíïìá óôï êýìá Þ óôá âïõíÜ êáé ìÝóá óôá äÜóç. Áõôü äåí åíï÷ëåß êáíÝíá, áëëÜ åíï÷ëåß ôï ãåãïíüò üôé êÜðïéïò ìðïñåß íá ïñáìáôßæåôáé êÜôé ìåãáëåéþäåò ãéá ôç ÷þñá ôïõ.

Ïóïí áöïñÜ ôï Âùâü, Üí øá÷ôåßôå ëßãï åäþ ìÝóá èá äåßôå üôé ôá ó÷Ýäéá ôïõ åßíáé åðéåéêþò outdated. ÍÔÑÅÐÏÌÁÉ íá âëÝðù ôá êôßñéá ðïõ êôßæïõí áëëïý. Ðáñüëá áõôÜ, ÷áñéò óå áõôüí ôï Ìáñïýóé ìïéÜæåé Ýóôù êáé ëßãï ìå business centers ôïõ åîùôåñéêïý, êáé ðñüò ôï ðáñüí ìáò îåëáóðþíåé ïñéáêÜ. Óôï êÜôù-êÜôù åßíáé ï ìüíïò ðïõ êÜôé Ýêáíå. Ïðïéïò íïìßæåé üôé ìðïñåß íá ôï îåðåñÜóåé (ìáêÜñé), ï äñüìïò åßíáé åëåýèåñïò êáé ôá óêõëéÜ ëõìÝíá...

Ðáñüëá áõôÜ, Ý÷ù ìéá ìéêñÞ áéóéïäïîßá... êáé âáóßæïìáé óå êÜðïéåò õðïøßåò ó÷åôéêÜ ìå ôéò áóÜöåéåò ðïõ åðéêñáôïýí ó÷åôéêÜ ìå ôïõò üñïõò äüìçóçò óôçí ÁôôéêÞ Ïäü áëëÜ êáé óôá áñéóôåñÜ ôçò áíüäïõ ôçò Ë. Êçöéóßáò. Ôï èÝìá åßíáé: Ðïéüò èá ôïëìÞóåé ðñþôïò... :?

ÐáéäéÜ, ðÜù íá óõíå÷ßóù ôç äïõëåéÜ ìïõ. Åëðßæù íá ìÞ óáò êïýñáóá êáé ôá îáíáëÝìå...

ÕÃ: ÄÝí îÝñù Üí Ý÷åôå äéáâÜóåé ôç ìáëáêßá "ãõÜëéíïé ðýñãïé ôçò Êçöéóßáò" ãéá ôá ïêôáüñïöá :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Ôïõëá÷éóôïí ïé êïìðëåîéêïß äçìïóéïãñÜöïé Ý÷ïõí ÷éïýìïñ.....

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Ãéá ôï èåìá ôùí ïõñáíïîõóôùí áðü üôé åß÷á óõæçôÞóåé ìïõ åß÷áí ðåé ãéá: Åëëåéøç åðåíäõôéêïõ åíäéáöåñïíôïò (êáé êõñéùò îåíïõ ) Áðïôñåðôéêïò ðáñáãïíôáò ç áéó÷ñç ãñáöåéïêñáôåéá êáé öõóéêá ç åëëåéøç åíäéáöåñïíôïò. Ôùñá ìå ôïõò Ïëõìðéáêïõò êáé ôçí áíôéìåôùðéóç ôçò ôñïìïêñáôéáò å÷ïõí áêïõóôåé ðñïôáóåéò êáé ðéóôåõù ïôé èá äéáôåèåé óõíôïìá êáðïéï êåöáëáéï.
Áêïõóá êáôé ãéá ôá Óðáôá,ïôé ðñïêåéôå íá ãéíåé ðåñéï÷ç "áðïêëåéóôéêá øçëùí êôéñéùí". Âëåðïõìå..

Ãéá ôá õðïëïéðá ðïõ ëåò åéíáé ëéãï ðïëõ ãíùóôá. Ìå ôçí ìáëáêéóìåíç íïïôñïðéá ðïõ ìáò äåñíåé óáí ëáïò. Êáíåéò äåí èåëåé ôïí äéðëáíï ôïõ íá ðáåé ìðñïóôá êáé öõóéêá ï ðñþôïò èá äå÷ôåé åìåôéêç åðéèåóç! áêïìá êáé áðï áó÷åôïõò ðïõ ìåíïõí 5 ÷ëì ìáêñéá.
Óáí ðáñáäåéãìá èá óïõ ðù åíïò êáêïìïéñïõ áíèñùðïõ ðïõ åéðå íá êáíåé ìéá óïâáñç åðé÷åéñçóç óôçí Éèáêç êáé å÷ôéóå ôï ðñùôï club ôïõ íçóéïõ. Áõôïò ï ôõðïò äå÷ôçêå åðéèåóç êáé ìçíõóåéò ãéá ïôé ëïãï ìðïñåéò íá öáíôáóôåéò! (áðï ôá êëáóéêá ç÷ïñõðáíóç,ðïôá,íáñêùôéêá :lol: ìå÷ñé ôï ïôé ôá ôñáðåæáêéá ðïõ åé÷å åîù ÷áëïõóáí ôçí öõóéêç ïìïñöéá ôïõ ëéìáíéïõ :lol: :lol: :lol: áó÷åôùò ôï ãåãïíïò ïôé õðáñ÷ïõí äåêáäåò áëëá ìáãáæáêéá ðïõ å÷ïõí ôá ôñáðåæéá ôïõò ðáíù óôï êõìá :lol: :| ) Öõóéêá ëïéðïí õðáñ÷åé öïâïò êáé ÷ñåéáæåôáé ìåãáëá áñ÷éäéá ãéá íá îåêéíçóåé êáðïéïò. Êáé íá äåéò ðïõ áõôïò ðïõ èá ôïëìçóåé êáé èá áíôåîåé óôçí ðéåóç ôá õðïëïéðá èá óêáóïõí óáí ìáíéôáñéá ;)
Ï Âùâïò îåêéíçóå íá êáíåé êáôé ìå ôï Áôñéíá [b]ôïí ãáìéóáíå[b] êáé áñêåóôçêå óôá ðåíôáïñïöá "ÔÅÑÁÔÏÕÑÃÇÌÁÔÁ" ôçò Êçöéóóéáò ìå ôïõò äñïìïõò-÷áñáêùìáôá ãõñù ãõñù ïðùò óùóôá ëåò. Ôùñá ï "ôáìðåëáêéáò" Âùâïò (ðïõ åäù ðïõ ôá ëåìå êáëïò êáñáãêéïæçò åéíáé êáé áõôïò) áñêåéôáé óôçí áíáðôõîç îåíïäï÷åéáêùí ìïíáäùí óôéò Êõêëáäåò.. :|
Åíôáîåé êáíåéò äåí èåëåé ïõñáíïîõóôåò óôï êåíôñï (ìá êáé åôóé ìðïõñäåëï ðïõ åéíáé ôï êåíôñï ðñåðåé íá åéóáé êáé ðïëõ ìáëáêáò ãéá íá ÷ôéóåéò åêåé) Áóôïõò íá êáèáñéóïõí ôá ãáìçìåíá íåïêëáóóéêá ðïõ óé÷áéíåóáé íá ðåñáóåéò áðï êáôù, íá öôéáîïõí êáììéá ðëáôåéá . Ôïõëá÷éóôïí áõôï ãéíåôáé!! ÁËËÁ ÅÐÑÅÐÅ ÍÁ ÅÑÈÅÉ Ç ÏËÕÌÐÉÁÄÁ!!
Æïõìå óôï êñáôïò ôçò ñïõöéáíéáò êáé ôçò ìéæåñéáò. Å÷ïõìå ôéò ðåñéóóïôåñåò åëåõèåñéåò óôçí Åõñùðç êáé áêïìá ãêñéíéáæïõíå! ---->"äÝí õðÜñ÷åé äçìüóéï Ýñãï áõôÞ ôç óôéãìÞ ðïõ íá ìÞí ôï´Ý÷ïõí ðÜåé óôï Óõìâïýëéï ôçò Åðéêñáôßáò äõï êáé ôñåßò öïñÝò"

Óôç Ãåñìáíéá óïõ ëåíå ï äñïìïò èá ðåñáóåé áðï äù èåëåéò äå èåëåéò! Êáé åäù ç Åèíéêç å÷åé 5000 ëïõðåò åðåéäç 2 ìåôñá ðéï êåé çôáí ôï ïéêïðåäï ôïõ ôáäå!! ÅËÅÏÓ!

Êáé áõôï ìå ôá Âëá÷éêá.. :lol: :lol: ôé íá ðù..

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Ãéá ôá ÓðÜôá ôï ìüíï ðïõ îÝñù åßíáé üôé åðñüêåéôï íá éäñõèåß "ôå÷íïëïãéêü" ðÜñêï ìå ôåôñáüñïöá (áëëÜ top of the tops) êáôáóêåõÝò ãéá åôáéñßåò ÇÕ - ÕøçëÞò ôå÷íïëïãßáò, ÌÜëëïí ìáëáêßá èá Þôáíå íá ÷ôßóïõíå åêåß ïõñáíïîýóôåò ëüãù ôçò ãåéôíßáóçò ìå ôï áåñïäñüìéï.

Ïóïí áöïñÜ ôïí Âùâü, áðëÜ åßíáé ï ôõöëüò óôïýò ìïíüöèáëìïõò. Áõôü ìå ôßò ôáìðÝëåò èõìßæåé ëßãï äéêôáôïñßá Ëáôéíïáìåñéêáíéêïý Þ Ìåóáíáôïëéêïý ôýðïõ :guns1: åßíá ç áëÞèåéá. Ï ßäéïò åßðå üôé Üñ÷éóå íá ôéò âÜæåé ðñßí ðåñßðïõ äÝêá ÷ñüíéá üôáí ëüãù êÜðïéùí ðåñéïéêùí ôïõ Øõ÷éêïý "êüðçêáí" äõï üñïöïé óå êÜðïéá ïéêïäïìÞ êïíôÜ óôá öáíÜñéá ôçò Áãßáò ÂáñâÜñáò óôçí Êçöéóßáò. ÖõóéêÜ üëá áõôÜ åßíáé êáñáãêéïæéëßêéá áëëÜ êáé ðÜëé ðáñáìÝíåé ï ìüíïò ðïõ êÜôé Ýêáíå... (Áí êáé ìáëáêßåò, ðëÝïí áðëÜ Ý÷åé äýï-ôñßá ó÷Ýäéá êáé ôá îåðáôéêþíåé, áõôü åßíáé üëï).

Ç éóôïñßá ìå ðéèáíïýò îÝíïõò ïßêïõò åßíáé óßãïõñá ëõðçôåñÞ. ÌáëÜêåò åßíáé ïé Skidmore, Owings and Meryll, Þ ï Richard Rogers íá Ýëèïõíå åäþ ðÝñá; Ãéá ðéü ëüãï; ãéá íá âñåèïýí ìðñïóôÜ óå óôñáôéÝò "ðåñéïßêùí" ìå ðáíþ ðïõ ïé ìéóïß Ý÷ïõí Þäç ëåñùìÝíç ôç öùëéÜ ôïõò ìå ðïëåïäïìéêÝò ðáñáâÜóåéò; Ç ãéá íá ôïõò ôçí ðÝóåé ç ÂÑÙÌÅÑÇ óõíôå÷íßá ôùí ðáëáéïêïììïõíéóôþí áñ÷éôåêôüíùí ðïõ üôáí ãñÜöïõí êÜôé äåí êáôáëáâáßíåéò ðåñé ôßíïò ðñüêåéôáé êáé ðïõ ÌÉÓÏÕÍ ÏÔÉÄÇÐÏÔÅ äåí Ý÷åé íá êÜíåé ìå áõôïýò Þ äåí Ý÷åé ãßíåé áðï áõôïýò;

Ïé õðüèåóç ôùí ïõñáíïîõóôùí óôçí ÅëëÜäá åßíáé áðëÜ Ýíá ìéêñü äåßãìá ôçò êáôáóôñïöéêÞò éäåïëçøßáò åíüò ìåãÜëïõ ôìÞìáôïò ôïõ Åëëçíéêïý ëáïý êáé ôçò Ýëëåéøçò ÏÑÁÌÁÔÏÓ ôçò çãåóßáò ôïõ. Áêïýù óõ÷íÜ ôç ãíùóôÞ ìáëáêßá üôé ïýôå êáé ç Ñþìç å÷åé ïõñáíïîýóôåò, áëëÜ ãéá üíïìá ôïõ Èåïý ìç óõãêñßíïõìå íåñÜ ìå óêáôÜ. Ç óõíïéêßá ôçò EUR (ìå ýøïò êôéñßùí áíÜëïãï ìå ôï Ìáñïýóé) áñêåß ãéá íá êñõöôåß ï êÜèå Âùâüò êáé Áãéïóôñáôßôçò óôï ëÜêêï ôïõ. Ãéá íá ìÞ ìéëÞóù ãéá Ðáñßóé (La Defence), Ëïíäßíï (Canaty Wharf) Þ áêüìá Êùíóôáíôéíïýðïëç (Levent êáé Maslak). ÅíôÜîåé ñå ðáéäéÜ ç Ðüëç Ý÷åé êáé ÐÏËÕ ðáëéáôóáñßá áëëÜ Ý÷åé êáé êÜôé highrises êáé áõôïêéíçôïäñüìïõò ðïõ âãÜæïõíå ìÜôé.

ÁëëÜ óô' áñ÷ßäéá ìáò ÑÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ, ôé íá ìáò ðïýíå ïé êïëüôïõñêïé. Åìåßò åßìáóôå ÅëëçíÜñåò êáé ìáò ðÝöôåé ç ìáãêéÜ áð' ôïí êüëï. Åõôõ÷þò ðïõ ïé õðüëïéðïé participants åäþ ðÝñá äå ìáò îÝñïõíå êáëÜ (Þ åßíáé åõãåíéêïß) áëëïéþò...

ÊáôÜ ôá Üëëá ç Åëåõèåñïôõðßá äåí êïéôÜåé ôá ÷Üëéá ðïõ Ý÷åé ç ðüëç ìáò, áðëÜ êïéôÜåé ìç ÷ôßóåé êáíÝíá "ìåãáèÞñéï" ôùí ðÝíôå ïñüöùí ï Âùâüò.

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Ôá ëÝìå öéëáñÜêï...

Åãù íá äåéò ìáëáêéåò ðïõ å÷ù áêïõóåé, áðï ôï êëáóéêï ôçò Áêñïðïëçò ìå÷ñé ïôé óôçí Áèçíá êáíåé óåéóìïõò êáé ïôé ôï ãõáëé ôùí êôéñéùí èá áíåâáóåé ôç ìåóç èåñìïêñáóéá :D
Ãåãïíïò åéíáé ðáíôùò ïôé ç Áèçíá åéíáé ìéá äïëïöïíçìåíç ðïëç, ìéá ðïëç ðïõ ðñåðåé íá ãêñåìéóôåé êáé íá îáíá÷ôéóôåé áðï ôçí áñ÷ç. Ìáò äïèçêå åíá áð'ôá êáëõôåñá ìåñç ôçò ãçò (ëïãïé ïìïñöéáò, êëéìáôïò, èåóçò êôë) ôï ëåêáíïðåäéï êáé êáôáöåñáìå íá ôï ãáìçóïõìå
Ðáíôùò åãù ðïôå äåí åé÷á êïëëçìá ìå ôá øçëá êôéñéá, áëëá áðï ôïôå ðïõ áñ÷éóá íá øá÷íïìáé...åéäá ôçí ðéêñç áëçèåéá
Ìáò å÷ïõíå öëïìùóåé óôçí ìáëáêéá ìå ôï Ìåôñï, ôçí Áôôéêç Ïäï êáé ôï Ñéï-Áíôéñéï (åñãá ðïõ åðñåðå íá åé÷áí ãéíåé ôïõëá÷éóôïí 20 ÷ñïíéá ðñéí) êáé äéðëá ïé ôïõñêïé ðïõ "ðåéíáíå" åôïéìáæïõí ôïí 5ï äïñõöïñï ôïõò, èá óõíäåóïõí ôïí Ìáñìáñá êáé ãéá ôçí ðïëç äåí ÷ñåéáæåôáé íá ðù,ôá îåñåéò êáëõôåñá êáé ôá å÷åéò äåé ìå ôá ìáôéá óïõ.
Äåí åéíáé âåâáéá ôõ÷áéï óå ìáò ïôé ïé åñãïëáâïé "ðåöôïõí" óõ÷íá åîù óôïí ðñïõðïëïãéóìï ôïõò..

Ðáíôùò õðáñ÷åé êáé ç êáëç ðëåõñá, ìå ôï 2004 âëåðåéò, åéäáìå ëéãï ðñáóéíï, êáèáñéóå êáðùò ôï êåíôñï (ôï Êïëïíáêé ðáñáìåíåé ç ÷åóôñá ðïõ çôáíå :| ) âëåðïõìå äñïìïõò êáé ôñåíá (÷ñõóïðëçñùìåíá ìåí) ç ìéóç ðïëç áíáêáôáóêåõáæåôáé. Ãéíåôáé ìéá ðïëç ðïõ ÷áéñåóáé íá ôçí ðåñðáôáò. 30 ÷ñïíéá êáèõóôåñçóç áëëá ôïõëá÷éóôïí! Åëëçíáñåò âëåðåéò...
Ôåëïóðáíôùí..ôï êïìðëåî ïðùò ëåò åéíáé áíçóõ÷çôéêá ìåãáëï. êáé áõôç ôçí "áíôáñôïìáãêéá" ðéóôåõù ðùò èá ôç óðáóåé êáðïéïò îåíïò ìå @@. Ôïõ ðïõóôç êáôé èá ðáé÷ôåé ìåôá ôï 2004 (âëåðå Âáñêåëùíç,Ìïíá÷ï)

Ïóïí áöïñá ôá Óðáôá ôåëéêá åéíáé áõôï ðïõ ëåò ç åëëçíéêç åêäïóç ôçò Silicon Valley (êáôé ðïõ åìåéíå óôá ÷áñôéá-ðñùôïôõðï)

Ðñéí åñèù Áèçíá åìåíá Ôæåíôá. Ðñéí 30 ÷ñïíéá åêåé çôáí åñçìïò. Óôï ìéëáù åéëéêñéíá äåí èõìáìáé íá åé÷á ðåôõ÷åé ðïõèåíá êáðïéá ëáêêïõâá óôï äñïìï. Ïõôå êáí åîù áð'ôï óðéôé ìïõ! Åêåé íá äåéò äñïìïõò êáé ãåöõñåò êáé êôéñéá!!
Êáé ôï ðåñéåñãï îåñåéò ðïéï åéíáé..??
Ïôé ìåñïò áõôçò ôçò ðïëçò ôï ÷ôéóáí Åëëçíåò..

http://www.saudiarabia.net/pics/city/jeddah.jpg

Anyway, êáëç îåêïõñáóç.
Õ.Ã: Íá êáíïíéóïõìå êáíá êáöåäáêé êáììéá ìåñá

Nessy:D

ÐáëéêÜñéá ãåéÜ óáò áð' ôá ïðßóèéá ôçò ãçò:)

Ïëá êáëÜ áõôÜ ðïõ ó÷ïëéÜæåôå áëëÜ ôåëéêÜ äåí èá âñåèåß ÅÍÁÓ ÅËËÇÍÁÑÁÓ ÐÏËÉÔÉÊÏÓ ìå ìðüëéêç .....ðñïóùðéêüôçôá ïðùò ëÝåé êáé ï ×. Êëýí ùóôå íá ìðåß ôï íåñü óôï áýëÜêé;;;

Áëëá åäþ ðïõ ôá ëÝìå äåí åßíå ìüíï ïé ðïëéôéêïß, èá ðñÝðåé óéãá - óéãÜ êáé ï ëáïõôæéêïò íá áëëÜîåé íïïôñïðßá, íïìßæù..

ÁõôÜ ôá ïëßãá êé áðï ìÝíá.

ÁÅ

Welcome to the forum AlexE! :)

It's very nice to talk with Greeks from the Omogenia :cool:

I would like though to remind you that this is an international forum and any discussions in greek should be avoided ;)

Welcome aboard patriotaki! :cheers:

What are you guys saying? Can you translate the main points? What am I missing??

Damn there's only some 500 days left - when are they gonna put Santiago Calatrava's roof on? Are the IOC gonna pressure them to drop the plan or what? Apparently this Oswald guy from the IOC is terrified of a repeat of Montreal where the games took place in an only half complete stadium:
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/olympics/story/0,10308,922121,00.html

BTW I thing Santiago is definitely the best guy for the job. One of my all time favourite architects.

I prepared this rendering:

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL85/949935/1752917/22425669.jpg

@ Monkey:

First of all a big thanks for your contribution mate. I owe you (and the rest of our community) some explanation about the Greek stuff in here.

It was simply on a bad day when I wanted to curse the Greek politicians and city planners and I switched to Greek in order to do it more comfortably. It would take a multi-page essay to explain what has been exchanged between me and Ness, but here's short summary:

The Greek reality as far as architecture is concerned is that apart from some prominent architects is that the respective community is... mute. The few Athenian skyscrapers that were built in the 1970's, despite their now outdated designs, had an aura of vision in them. Unfortunately their building permits were given during the military junda time (1967-1974) and thus, after the fall of the junda, there was a new legislation (1978) which prohibited their construction.

Anyway, in my view the vast community of the Greek architects are hypocrites and they hide their incompetence behind the laws which prohibit construction of buildings taller than some 30m or so in Athens.

Apart from all that, there is a suburb in northern Athens metro area called Maroussi. Maroussi is the place where the Olympic village is located and has two highrise buildings (listed in skyscrapers.com) and is the ONLY place in Greece that has the characteristics of a what could be called miniature business centre compared with La Defence or Levent, Istanbul (I have a thing for this city :) - nevermind) There, a large number of lowrise has been built by a contractor called Babis Vovos...but... I plan a big thread about this place so you will know all about it soon.

Conclusion: My country needs a few visionary people to make some serious waves about where architecture is going in Greece. Anyway, in these threads in Greek I make many references about places and persons you don't know about so you didn't miss that much.

However, I feel compelled to contribute more to this thread and I will do it since this is THE FORUM, not only because of its content but because of people like ypu who make it the beauty that it is.

Wait for news mate, they will be some soon :)

The rest constitutes part of a thread posted by me called Athens 2004 Olympics Infrastructure Master Plan (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6254). Part of it involved a reference to the main stadiums to be used for the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics.

As I understand that this part of the forum is visited by many many people (the number of views clearlt suggests that) I felt that since I don'e have anything ready, it would be useful to dig out this old thread (posted October 14, 2002) and give you sone idea about the Athletic installation that are ready, under construction or nearing completion.

Also you can of course find useful info in:

http://www.stadia.gr and,

http://www.athens2004.gr

Those of you not having seen it before, enjoy:

_____________________________________________

Sports Venues and Stadiums
URL: http://www.athens2004.gr

All picture copurights: http://www.athens2004.gr

Map of venues including the major 2004 road transport network.

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusmaps/oakaen.jpg


Athens Olympic Complex (OAKA) in Kalogreza, Greater Athens

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusmaps/2_540_Ath_Oly_Spor_Comp.jpg

Athens Olympic Stadium
Seating Capacity: 75,000

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/02119_13_Olympic_stadium.jpg

Olympic Indoor Hall (interior)
Seating Capacity: 15,000

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/2_600_AOSC_OL_INDOOR_HALL.jpg


Olympic Velodrome
Seating Capacity: 5,000

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/02120_06_Olympic_velodrome.jpg

The Wightlifting Sports Hall in Nikaia, West Athens-Piraeus metro area
Seating Capacity: 5,000

a. Rendering of the exterior

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/3_0300_Nikaia_Olympic_Weightlift.jpg

b. Rendering of the interior

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/3_0301_Nikaia_Olympic_Weightlift.jpg


Peace and Friendship Stadium
Seating Capacity: 14,000

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/3_0130_P_and_FshipStadiumFaliron.jpg

Olympic Aquatic Centre
Seating Capacity: 11,500

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/02120_09_Ol_aquatic_centre.jpg

Galatsi Indoor Olympic Hall
Seating Capacity: 6,000

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/3_0310_Galatsi_Olympic_Indoor_Hall.jpg

Ano Liossia Olympic Indoor Hall
Seating Capacity:8,000

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/3_0500_Ano_Liossia_Olympic_Indoor.jpg

Olympic Village
Contractor: Workers Housing Organisation

Rendering of part of the project displaying its representative architectural style and philosophy

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venuessportsfull/3dolympicvillagefull.jpg

Description: (As per http://www.athens2004.gr/page/?la=2&id=2041)

The Olympic Village is located at the foot of Parnitha, a mountain situated in the Municipality of Acharnes, close to the centre of Athens and covers an area of 1,240,000 square metres. The project incorporates bioclimatic designs to maintain average temperature three degrees cooler, and incorporates ecological building materials.

The Olympic Village will host 16,000 athletes and team officials during Olympic Games and 6,000 athletes and team officials during Paralympic Games.

The Olympic Village has developed two basic zones, as far as security and accreditation issues are concerned, that is, the Residential Zone and the International Zone. It also includes outdoor sporting facilities (30,000 square metres), indoor halls (3,000 square metres), public utility buildings (80,000 square metres) including schools, children's day care, fire brigade, and 310,000 square metres of paved roads to be used either for the International or the Residential Zone.

Upon completion of the Games in 2004, the Worker's Housing Organisation (OEK), which is responsible for the construction of the project under the Olympic Village SA, will construct houses in accordance with current housing programmes that will accommodate thousands of beneficiaries of OEK.

Olympic Village SA will deliver this project to ATHENS 2004 by February 2004.

Residential Zone

The Residential Zone during Olympic Games, which is in its larger part the same area as the General Housing Area after Olympic Games (according to the approved Urban Plan), includes 366 blocks of 2,292 apartments for the athletes, as well as public utility facilities, like recreational centres, halls, religious centres, the polyclinic, training facilities etc.

In June 2001, the construction was divided into four sections. Each section is under the responsibility of a joint venture of three contractors, after an international tender that took place in February 2001.

International Zone

The International Zone, which is extended to the same area of the Urban Centre after Olympic Games, includes the main entrance, shopping centres, the Olympic museum and other administration buildings.

Of course, the above is not an exhaustive list of all projects in progress. For more info on other projects not shown here please click below to transfer to the sports and facilities venues page of Athens 2004:

http://www.athens2004.gr/page/default.asp?la=2&id=141

Status of some of the projects:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/pabelopon.jpg
"PANPELOPONNISIAKO" STADIUM - PATRAS OCT '02

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/pagrit025.jpg
"PANCRETIO" STADIUM - CRETE OCT '02

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00103amygdal.jpg
POLICE TRAINING CENTER AT AMYGDALEZA FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00116liosia.jpg
HOME OF HEAVY EVENTS - ANO LIOSIA FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00215nikea.jpg
HOME OF WEIGHTLIFTING - NIKEA FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00226pirea.jpg
WORKS AT PIRAEUS PORT FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00326beach.jpg
BEACH - VOLLEY GYM FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00404taek.jpg
TAE KWON DO GYM FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00409falgen.jpg
INSTALLATIONS AT PHALIRON #00409 FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00413falgen.jpg
INSTALLATIONS AT PHALIRON FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00422tram.jpg
TRAMWAY FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00511ellin.jpg
INSTALLATIONS AT ELLINIKON FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00622istiopl.jpg
OLYMPIC SAILING CENTER - AGHIOS KOSMAS FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00906ippiko.jpg
HORSE RACING CENTER AND NEW RACE-COURSE, MARKOPOULO FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_00924skopeft.jpg
SHOOTING CENTER, MARKOPOULO FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01017proast.jpg
SUBURBAN RAILWAY FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01036ote.jpg
PRESS VILLAGE - PALLINI (OTE) FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01103dukis.jpg
MULTIPLE TRAFFIC JUNCTION - DOUK. PLAKENDIAS St. FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01114selete.jpg
PRESS VILLAGE AT S.E.L.E.T.E. INSTALLATIONS FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01128oakaloui.jpg
ROADWORKS FOR OLYMPIC CENTER (O.A.K.A.) FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01209ping.jpg
TABLE TENNIS GYM - GALATSI FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01231mpc.jpg
WRITTEN PRESS CENTER FEB '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01305amarus.jpg
PRESS VILLAGE - MAROUSI MUNICIPALITY FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01308tennis.jpg
TENNIS INSTALLATIONS AT OLYMPIC CENTER (O.A.K.A.) FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01321oakakif.jpg
ROADWORKS FOR OLYMPIC CENTER
(O.A.K.A.) - KIFISSIAS AVE./POLYDROSO FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01333oakakimis.jpg
ROADWORKS FOR OLYMPIC CENTER
(O.A.K.A.) - KYMIS AVE. FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01408oakaibc.jpg
OLYMPIC INTERN. BROADCASTING CENTER (I.B.C.) FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01423oakaakkimis.jpg
ROADWORKS FOR OLYMPIC CENTER (O.A.K.A.)
- KYMIS AVE./ATTIKI ODOS INTERCHANGE FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01515kopil.jpg
OLYMPIC ROWING CENTER FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01527marathonios.jpg
MARATHON RACE COURSE FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01601oxae.jpg
OLYMPIC VILLAGE FEB '03

//www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t11/images/yppo_01619oaka_oxae.jpg
OLYMPIC VILLAGE LINKING TO OLYMPIC CENTER (O.A.K.A.) FEB '03

Here are some recent photos of the Rio-Antirio bridge:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_280.35%20jan.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_282.29jan.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/jan.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_29211jan03.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_29421feb.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_29721feb.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_30210feb.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_30422feb.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/greek/techn/t1b/images/gef_30505feb.jpg

Tora paidia, pou eho ligi ora, yia na grapso kai ego kati.

Grigori, phile mou, ti na poume pou den ehoume pei kai hiliades fores? I Ellada, mia apo tis pio omorfes hores sti gi, ehei kimithi mehri tora s'afta ta themata. Ehmoume afisi tous gitonous mas ekei na mas kseperasoun. Kai einai poli krima. Ma ti lipei stin Ellada? Ilio ehoume. Thallasa ehoume. Vouna ehoume. Prasinada ehoume. Istoria ehoume. Ma den katalaveno yiati mehri tora ehoune afisi tin omorfia tis Ellada's, (kai mallon milao yia Athina) na ftasi sto simeo afto. Re paidia, fantasou na eihe i Athina 5-6 175m+ moderna ktiria. :D

I meriki stin Ellada, sketi malakes. Yia thimisou afta pou mas egrapse o Grigoris prin liges evdomades. Hestikane apano tous meriki yiati nomizane oti i Babis tha ehtize ena "terrastio" (8 orofous!) monster sto Marousi (?). 2000 hronia meta apo to Parthenona, kai akoma perimenoume yia ktirio na to kseperasi. Agrievo otan vlepa ta halia mas sto thema afto. :rant: Kitao dipla mas, sto ti ehoune kani i diplani, kai leo 'ma yiati'!?!?!?!

I Ellada prepi na alaksi paidia. Prepi i anthropi i eidiei na alaksoune. Vlepo kai ligo fos me tis agones. Vlepo kati ekei. Elpizo na vlepoume tis arhes edo paidia. Yiati einai krima i protevousa mas, i Athina mas na min ehei kai kati na dosi kai afti. Kala kai den zitame 300m ktiria, mono respectable ktiria. Kana 5-6 175m, kai 2-3 200m.

Alla, opos pane ta pragmata stin Ellada, tha perimenoume....

:sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy:

Thanks for your replys and information gm2263. :okay:

Wow, impressive post Prometheus :eek:
Thanks for this huge update! :okay:
btw I recently visited Patras, the brigde construction is looking good and the brigde is way too big! :eek:

As for your comments I don't want to add anything, lets just hope that things will change

P.S: you should make an extra thread with all this pictures

@Prometheus

Thanks for your thread and comments filarako. I wish I could write more right now but I am busy and not exactly in the mood for writing. In addition, I am VERY WORRIED about the outcome of the war in Iraq and since I have a tendency to think a lot and make connections, I tend to be unhappy all the time...

I believe that if we attempt a careful reading of the book of the Apocalypse, we will get chills in our spines with certain "coincidences" between what's happening around us and what's written there. But let's not write anything about it, not right now, It's Friday night and I better go out for a couple of drinks, I need it.

Also, I think that it would be better, if we are to converse in Greek, to open a thread in the "Domus Ludicrous Maximus" and do it there. Stephan (i.e. De Snor, a.k.a. "Le Grand Moustache") was kind enough to open this thread in this prominent position so that we can present news about the upcoming Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. Thus far, all of us but mostly you and Nessuno, have presented some very interesting things bout the subject, although if there were more Greeks around, this thread would be some 15 pages now. Nevertheless, I believe that it was my mistake about starting writing in Greek in this particular thread. This thread had some 700+ hits at the time of this writing which makes it a matter of global importance as far as the community of this forum is concerned. Again, thanks for all your contributions guys, it's good to be among ones with the same beliefs with regards to certain things...

@ Monkey

Thanks for your nice comments dear friend. Even in a state of "mild depression" in my case, I try to contribute to this forum which is a life-saver for me. However, I believe that Prometheus and Nessuno deserve many accolades for their contributions too. They have been more active than me during the last months, so...

Again, I may write something about the latest developments in Athens in the near future. Not a long one but just to keep this community updated with the latest developments. :)

WOW! Athens and ALL of Greece is in a CONSTRUCTION BOOM...Roads, Transportation systems, Sports complexes, housing (well, once the athletes leave after the Games) , and tons of other infrastructure...

Olympics are a great thing for Greece, no matter what the cost.

And my hope is.....Athens 2004, Belgrade 2020.

I think we could do it;)

I agree with you CrazyS

Belgrade can definitely host the Olympic games, maybe earlier than 2020. If, that is, there has not been a nuclear war till then... :D

Thanks guys. Just trying to give in my two cents. Gregory, I agree we should limit the Greek on this thread.

@CrazySerb

Nothing would fill my heart more with joy than to see Beograd host the Olympic games. Poor city. It's seen so much turmoil and violence in the last 15 years. I for one have faith in the Serbian people and their ability to prosper now that the worst (!) is behind them, and Beograd will be the jewel of the central Balkans imho. By the way, I very much like reading your threads, though more often than not the pictures don't show up. :(

<table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by Prometheus </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top> Gregory, I agree we should limit the Greek on this thread.

</td></tr>
</table>

I don't mind the Greek language , this is Euroscrapers !!

<table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by De Snor </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top><table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by Prometheus </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top> Gregory, I agree we should limit the Greek on this thread.

</td></tr>
</table>

I don't mind the Greek language , this is Euroscrapers !!</td></tr>
</table>

I don't want to make you furious, moustache man, but greek is the father of the most european languages... latin language too ;) so greek on euroscrapers it's okay, but I propose that a translation in english be available after the text in greek :)

What Mekky meant to say, a SHORT translation or brief description accompanying the messages in Greek;)

Didn't we have a thread on the Rio-Antirio Bridge some while back? I believe so ... (darn search function). I remember the pictures in that thread, and if it's the same bridge, enormous progress has been made. :okay:

GO, ELLAS! :banana:

Efcharisto, Prometheus! :)

Actually, even I couldn't foresee the appeal that this thread would have to our forum's international audience. Speaking in Greek all the time would not be appropriate since there may be certain things that are of interest to the forumers. I certainly thank everybody for their appreciation of the Greek language as one of the mothers of European languages (along with Latin of course). I believe though that even the small number of Greeks here wouldn't justify many threads in this language. If we have anything to say in Greek, we can go to the "Domus" section and open a thread - I reckon no-one would be bothered.

the only thing that I miss is that it comes more naturar to me to bash the bad aspects of Greece using my native tongue and "lay off some steam". Anyway, things are progressing rapidly with regards to the Olympics. But more on this, soon. I had to prepare this thread about Istanbul (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33847) (click on link to access it), since I had promised it to my Turkish friends, Especially Asim, Kerem and Anil from wowTURKEY.com (http://www.wowturkey.com) and after they recommended that I can use their site to store my pics, I started to work on this... Now, I will do some work on Athens and Greece :)

OK, talk to you later. :)

@ WH: You can go to http://www.gefyra.gr the official site of Rio-Antirio bridge where you can read news facts and see pics of the construction progress

ATHENS 2004 Volunteer Programme is progressing rapidly


Athens, 7 April 2003

The Volunteerism Selection Programme officially launched on 30 January 2003 is continuing successfully, with personal interviews carried out in order to select and place volunteers in appropriate positions according to the Olympic and Paralympic Games requirements and to the candidates’ preferences. 3.250 candidate volunteers were interviewed by the end of March, while the number of candidates interviewed will exceed 4,000 in April. During the coming months the number of volunteers will increase in accordance to the intensity of the pace of preparations. The Volunteer Programme primarily aims at the selection and training of volunteers for their participation in the 2003 Test Events.

Submitted volunteer applications are increasing, the total number of applications submitted as at 3 April 2003 were 68,726. It is reminded that only the Official Volunteer Application, which was issued on 30th January 2002, can be submitted to the ATHENS 2004. Anyone who wishes to contribute as volunteer to the organisation of the Athens Olympic and Paralympic Games must complete the application form and send it to ATHENS 2004. They may directly communicate with the Volunteer Toll Free Line in Greece on 800 11 2004 1 and ask for the official Application form or complete the application online on the ATHENS 2004 official website, www.athens2004.com

Within 60 days of receipt of the Application form, the ATHENS 2004 Volunteerism Department reassures the candidate volunteer that their Application has been received and provides him/her with a code number. If this period passes and the applicant has not been notified by ATHENS 2004 (via regular or electronic mail) then they are requested to communicate with the Volunteer Telephone Centre in order to register missing data.

It is noted that the submission of the official Volunteer Application is necessary for all those who completed the ATHENS 2004 Volunteerism Expression of Interest form before 30 January 2002and who have not been notified by ATHENS 2004 either via regular or electronic mail because of changes in the data registered on the form.

Volunteer Telephone Centre 800 11 2004 1 (toll free in Greece)
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8:30-21:00 and Saturday 10:00-14:00.

Again, thanks for the information Ness. Indeed the recruitment process (I have been a professional consultant recruiter in the past) will be of unprecedented scale in the history of Greece.

Looks like the games enter the final line. I hope for the best, too much effort has been made already. I hope the roads will finish soon though. I mean Messogeion is already a soup of cars and now they will demolish the old bridge of Stavros Aghias Paraskevis in order to complete an ultrasonic Attiki Odos three level junction. Fine but untill it is completed (end of 2003)... :rant: :wallbash:



KOLASI , that's HELL in GREEK

The new tram of Athens look like nice :

http://www.greece.gr/POLITICS/InternalAffairs/makingtracks.img/poseidonos.jpg

But it's the only picture that I can find...

Mekky, the Athens tram is currently under construction, (which means that we're experiencing a chaotic situation in Posedonos Av. :mad: )
I saw the gantt chart of the construction company and it is estimated to be finished by May 2004.

May 2004 is a milestone date for Greece :D All projects conserning Olympiad (including test events) should have been finished and we're having elections too :D

As for the tram, the only pic ever published is this:

http://www.yme.gr/trans/tram/poseidonos.jpg

Here is a map of the 2 lines:

http://www.yme.gr/trans/tram/tram-map.jpg

<table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by Mekky </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top><table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by De Snor </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top><table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by Prometheus </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top> Gregory, I agree we should limit the Greek on this thread.

</td></tr>
</table>

I don't mind the Greek language , this is Euroscrapers !!</td></tr>
</table>

I don't want to make you furious, moustache man, but greek is the father of the most european languages... latin language too ;) so greek on euroscrapers it's okay, but I propose that a translation in english be available after the text in greek :)</td></tr>
</table>

@ Mekky , don't misunderstand me here , I am pro using this language and in Europe it's oh so nice to have so many languages , afterall this is Euroscrapers > meaning we are (thank God ) in Europe , so let's talk Greek , alltough I don't understand one word from it except "calimera" ;)

Is there a website to find more information about the public transport in Athens & is there a kind of masterplan available on the Net about the infrastructure for the Olympics ??

@ gm2263 , Gregory some of your earlier posted pics show me only red crosses :(

@De Snor, here are a few links for you conserning public transportation in Athens

Athens Metro (http://www.ametro.gr) (Green, Red, Blue Line)

Metro-Green Line (http://www.isap.gr)

Ministry of Transport (http://www.yme.gr)

Athens Urban Transport Organisation (http://www.oasa.gr)

Athens Tram (http://www.tram.gr)

As for the infastructure master plan you can find it in the official site of Athens 2004 (http://www.athens2004.com)

@De Snor & the rest

Dear Stephan, with regards to the previous posts, I too found out that they are full of red crosses. I tried to use a number of free image hosting services, unfortunately they don't allow hotlinks anymore. Furthermore, the majority of the pics in photoways (all Athens skyscrapers and highrises) were lost, meaning that they don't even exist in the hosting site!!! I am still looking for new free services, or else I may go for a paid service.

It's a pity that so many hours of work have been lost but what can I do?

Also, thanks for your words about the Greek language, I appreciate.

In addition to the links provided by nessuno, you can try the following ones:

Ministry of Planning, Environment and Public Works English Page (http://www.minenv.gr/5/55/e5500.html) and chack the left column which contains an overview of all major works in progress in Athens.

Also you can check the website of Attiki Odos (http://www.aodos.gr/en/index.html) the new ring road of Athens now nearing completion (end of 2003, some 30+ km out of 70+ already in operation) You can see the map of the highway as follows from a satellite image

If you click on the image you will see the map in ultra-high resolution (for your eyes only:D hehehe )

http://www.aodos.gr/en/road/maps/03_72.jpg (http://www.aodos.gr/en/road/maps/03.jpg)

(c) Attiki Odos consortium, http://www.aodos.gr

In addition, we should not forget the fine webside of the Greek stadiums found by Prometheus and nessuno, namely the http://www.stadia.gr.

Gregory , many sincere thanks :okay:

As posted in the Projects and Construction section of the Euroscrapers forum:

Today, 5 May 2004, the Greek Prime Minister Mr Kostas Simitis inaugurated the Athens 2004 International Broadcasting Centre for the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games.

Some data:

Area: Over 100,000m2 (Sydney's Centre was about 65,000m2)
Capacity: 10,000 reporters with at least 6,000 being present any time of a typical games day.
Technology: The best to date, including some 20,000km of optical fibre cables
Major Users: All the world major channels. Biggest users will be the Greek National Television (ET, NET etc) and the US NBC Channel.

Picture (C) Nikos Daniilidis (http://www.daniilidis.gr/category_list.php?categ=0&LANG=en)

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_01408oakaibc.jpg

click here (http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_01408oakaibc.jpg) in case you cannot see the pic (shit happens)

The building is in Maroussi, right on the junction of Kifissias Avenue (where else?) and the Spyros Louis Avenue (Spyros was the first winner of the Marathon run in the first Athens Olympics in 1896). It is located very close to the Olympic stadium and also close to the the new Athens Helexpo complex, where another smaller development is underway for the International Media Press Centre (I reckon another 30K to 40k square meters)


(C) Nikos Daniilidis (http://www.daniilidis.gr/category_list.php?categ=0&LANG=en)

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_01231mpc.jpg

click here (http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_01231mpc.jpg) to see the pic if you cannot see it directly.
My critique:

I have taken some street level pics of the building which have not yet been developed (I still have an old film Olympus SLR) and from my inspection in the area I can tell you that these constructions are HUGE, albeit lowrise ( :( ) The IBC could have had a height of 15 stories or something and let the part of the space occupied now to have some greenery.

But I guess, it's only me saying that right?

Anyway, construction is heavy at this part of northern Athens, with many new road junctions under construction. Right now, driving in Kifissias Avenue until its junction with the new Attica Road (Attiki Odos) motorway is a true ordeal. However, as the works are nearing completion, the overall visual outcome is quite impressive :yes:.

click here (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38352) to access the original thread.

The British NOC is impressed with the Olympic Village

The visit of a delegation from the British Olympic Association, the British NOC, concluded with extensive meetings between officials from ATHENS 2004 and the BOA, as well as a number of visits to Olympic sites.

The BOA party included the senior staff of the association as well as the twenty eight (28) Team Leaders of the Olympic sports who will have the responsibility of managing their teams during the Olympic Games.

The group visited the Olympic Village and saw first hand the progress made in that section of the city. In particular, the BOA group was impressed with the Olympic Village infrastructure and the accommodation provision for athletes.

Simon Clegg, the Chief Executive of the BOA and Chef de Mission for the Great Britain Olympic Team in ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games, said: “We are delighted to be here in Athens for an extremely busy visit with our Team Leaders and BOA officials. We were particularly impressed with the progress made at the Olympic Village and expect this to be an excellent environment for athletes during the Olympic Games. In addition, we had productive meetings with our colleagues, and our Team Leaders were very satisfied following discussions with various Competition Managers”.

Spyros Capralos, Executive Director, briefed the BOA representatives on the current status and future timeline for delivery of all services for NOC’s in advance of the Games.

ATHENS 2004 International Relations General Manager, Dionysis Gangas, Sports General Manager, Makis Assimakopoulos and NOC Relations and Services Program Manager, Laszlo Vajda made presentations also.

Following, ATHOC Competition Managers briefed team leaders and invited them to tour relevant venues.

http://www.athens2004.com/files/press/03669_005_m.jpg

I found a few pics, small in size but they show how the "new" Olympic Stadium Complex will look like

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new5-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new6-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new8-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new9-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new10-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new11-view.jpg

<table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by Nessuno </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top>I found a few pics, small in size but they show how the "new" Olympic Stadium Complex will look like

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new5-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new6-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new8-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new9-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new10-view.jpg

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new11-view.jpg</td></tr>
</table>
Gorgeous if they build it - but will they? Any news??

Gorgeous if they build it - but will they? Any news??

Yes, the roof has already been constructed in France and Italy and now it is being moved to Greece. The project will be ready on time but I read somewhere that the budget has almost been doubled! :eek: I'll try to find any specific article.

Btw, I love this color combination! Light-blue is my favourite color and it fits alot with light-silver :)

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new11-view.jpg
What part of the Olympic complex is this one? Is it something like a garden? It's almost the same of the "Umbracle" (a garden), here in València:
http://www.cac.es/umbracle/images/fotos/2.jpg
http://www.cac.es/umbracle/images/fotos/5.jpg
http://www.cac.es/umbracle/images/fotos/4.jpg

Athens rules!!! ;)

This is the promenade around the Olympic stadium as designed by Santiago Calatrava. Welcome to this thread, Cobi, how're you doing amigo?

Cobi, how're you doing amigo?
Supporting Athens'04 until DEATH! :D :D :D
You chose the bst architect; Calatrava has a Mediterranean style that fits Athens so well!!!

@Cobi:

And Athens loves you amigo. I agree about your views of Calatrava. I too like his "organic" designs, they are very original.

ALSO: NOTICE TO ALL VISITORS

IF YOU WANT TO SEE PICTURES OF MAROUSSI, THE ATHENIAN SUBURB WHERE THE OLYMPIC SPORTS COMPLEX IS LOCATED CLICK HERE (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40527) to visit my thread on modern Maroussi

You will see pictures of the rapidly developing new business centre of Athens. Not many highrises but worth seing especially if you haven't seen pics of modern Athens before.

As a taster I give you the following pictures:

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2002/11/168996.jpg


http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2002/10/165082.jpg

Worth seing!!!

This is so inviting :eek:
I just love it :yes:

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new11-view.jpg

June 2nd, 2003

A vast empty space is all that is left where "NIKOS GOUMAS" STADIUM used to stand. Yesterday was the "grand finale" of the stadium, marked by the demolition of the historic two-tiered "Skepasti" stand. This completed the first phase of works for the building of AEK's new stadium, as the old one is now razed to the ground. Club officials are confident that works will be finished before the 2004 Olympic Games. (The 2 photos above come from aek.com).

On another note, according to reports in newspapers, plans for AEK's new sports centre have changed significantly from those initially published. The club had to come to a compromise with local authorities and reduce the height and overall area covered by the new buildings (by 2,000 m²). As a result the indoor basketball arena (capacity: 8,000) will "move" to the north part of the complex and will mostly be below ground level.

http://www.aek.com/nikos/N_Goumas_end/203.jpg
http://www.aek.com/nikos/N_Goumas_end/205.jpg

Some facts about the new stadium:

- A football stadium with a capacity of 32,000. All seats will be covered. There will be 3,500 m² of
service areas and 2,000 underground parking spaces.

- An indoor basketball arena that will have a capacity of 8,000.

- Three more multi-purpose indoor halls: two primarily for volleyball (1,816 and 420 seats) and one for
basketball (340 seats).

- A hostel of 60 beds (for accommodation of teams and athletes), a conventions centre (640 m²), the
"AEK Museum" (600 m²) and the "AEK Superstore" (240 m²).

- "AEK Live Arena": a hall of 800 m² designed for the live projection of match broadcasts on video wall.

- "AEK Leisure Centre", which will include a multiplex of 8 cinemas, a bowling centre, a fitness club, a
swimming centre, theme restaurants, a shopping centre etc.

http://www.stadia.gr/ngoumasnew2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/news-2-6-2003.html

May 31st, 2003

KARAISKAKI STADIUM is now part of history. At 7 PM yesterday the last standing piece of the old stadium's stands was demolished after an emotional ceremony attended by over 4,000 Olympiakos fans. It was the part containing the entrance of Gate 7, the site of the worst tragedy in the history of Greek football (twenty-one people were killed in a freak accident on the 8th of February 1981).

The demolition of Gate 7 ends the first phase for the construction of the new stadium that started 40 days ago. It was the 21st of April when the General Secretariat of Sports signed the deal that gave Olympiakos CFP exclusive use of their historic home for the next 49 years. This was on the premise that the club would be responsible for the construction of a new stadium to be used in the 2004 Olympic Games. The new football-only ground (no athletics track) will have to be ready by July 2004, since it will host several matches of the Olympic football tournament, including the finals. The construction of the 34,000-seater stadium will cost approximately € 50 million. Olympiakos will also have to cover its operating costs for the next 49 years (around € 50 million on top of the construction costs).

http://www.sportnet.gr/ReportImages/55933C.jpg

How the new stadium will look:

http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan3.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan5.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan1.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/geneve2.jpg

3 teams are workimg 8 hours each 7 days a week (24/7) on each these news stadia's to have them done in record time. Finally 2 giants of Greek soccer will get the modern homes they deserve.

http://www.stadia.gr/news-31-5-2003.html

A short video 3d rendering of AEKs new stadium can be viewed here:

http://www.anaparastasis.com/site/pe-index----.htm

Go to 'gallery', and then 'videos' and it's at your bottom right corner.

1. Monastiraki Station Complete. The new Monastiraki Metro station is already operational in central Athens. The new station which belongs to line 3, (blue line) us built with a junction to the already existing line 1 station. The new station is close to the Acropolis, near the famous Monastiraki Flea Market. In the station, a whole section will be devoted to displaying part of the bottom of the ancient Iridanos river (which was responsible for the delays in the construction of the station as the soil was too unstable for the use of the excavating equipment and the classical "Austrian Method", traditional digging and excavation tat is, was used).

2. Nikea Weightlifting Hall.

The Weightlifting hall in Nikea, to the west of Athens is ready to be delivered to the Hellenic Olympic Committee. It is the first of an array of works expected to be delivered this summer in order to be used for the test events, late 2003-early 2004.

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/NikaiaMay03pop1.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/Nikaia1feb03pop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/Nikaia2feb03pop.jpg

All pics (C): Athens Olympic Committee

3. Athens Tram: the first cars have arrived from Italy and will be put to testing in the Hellenikon testing site, at the site of the old Athens Airport. The new cars look like the ones in the pictures. That was actually the main reason that made the residents of the areas that will be served by the tram to react as it looks more like a light train than an old fashioned tram car in the first place.

4. Others

As Prometheus already wrote, two major football stadiums are under demolition in order to be replaced by newer installations. The AEK and Olympiakos (the team which won the 7th Greek Championship in a row) Stadiums are already under total reconstruction (built anew that is :D).

Roads also are under heavy reconstruction and I personally wouldn't advise anybody to visit Athens this summer as apart from the sites of the completed works, the rest of the city looks like under heavy bombardment. I have never seen so many road junctions under construction in my life in all the 40 years of my humple presence on this planet. I hope we will make it alive though until 2004 because all major roads are dug and traffic is twice as hell compared to the usual Athens situation.

5. Finally

Many Athens hotels have been reconstructed or renovated, or are still in the process. The luckiest of the guests though will stay in cruize boats, where they will be allowed to have a panoramic view of the coastal areas of Athens and its port, Piraeus. The ships will be docked in Piraeus although other places may be also under consideration.

And life goes on...

Nikea Indoor Hall **UPDATED**


http://www.stadia.gr/nikaia2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/nikaianow4.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/nikaia3.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/nikaianow5.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/nikaianow6.jpg

All pictures are from Stadia.gr

Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre **UPDATED**


http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/MarkopEquestrianMay03pop1.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/MarkopEquestrianMay03pop2.jpg

Aerial view(February 2003)
http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/MarkopEquestrian1feb03pop.jpg

All pics are from Athens2004.gr

Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre **UPDATED**


http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/MarkopShootingMay03pop1.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/MarkopShootingMay03pop2.jpg

Aerial view(February 2003)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_00924skopeft.jpg

pics 1 and 2 from Athens2004.gr---pic 3 from Daniilidis.gr

Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre **UPDATED**


http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/SchiniasMay03pop1.jpg

aerial view(April 2003)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_02113kopil.jpg

pic 1 from Athens2004.gr---pic 2 from Daniilidis.gr

Ano Liossia Olympic Hall **UPDATED**


http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/AnoLiossiaMay03pop3.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/AnoLiossiaMay03pop2.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/AnoLiossiaMay03pop1.jpg

all pics from Athens2004.gr

THE ONASSIS HOUSE OF LETTERS AND FINE ARTS

The building is to be erected on a plot of land owned by the Foundation, of apporximately 3,000 sq.m. surrounded by streets, located at 109 Syngrou Avenue in Athens,it will be completed in 2005.

The height of the building will be 27m. with a total interior surface of 18,000 sq.m., which will consist of the following areas:

A large amphitheatre of approx. 1,000 seats with a stage for symphonic orchestra, theatrical performances, opera, dance, lectures etc.
Two or three halls of 100-300 seats each for smaller musical, theatrical or dance performances, lectures, special audiovisual projections (multimedia, virtual reality) etc.
One space of 1,000 sq.m approx. for artistic exhibitions
A library for rare books
A professional recording studio
A restaurant with an open-air area
Secondary auxiliary spaces
Underground parking space for the users

The project
http://www.architecture-studio.fr/images/ATN2/grand/persp.jpg

http://www.architecture-studio.fr/images/ATN2/grand/opera.jpg

http://www.architecture-studio.fr/images/ATN2/grand/hall.jpg

http://www.architecture-studio.fr/images/ATN2/grand/pers_hall.jpg

http://www.architecture-studio.fr/images/ATN2/grand/eclate.jpg

@ Konstantinoupolis:

Thanks for this one Hyperion.

Also, one has to note that in the next block on the same side of Syggrou Avenue, a HUGE complex of two 6-storey buildings (with some 200m facade, that is) will be built, having a large plaza in the middle. I haven't been able to find any pics of this. This complex will belong to the National Insurance Company (Ethniki Asfalistiki), which is a subsidiary of the National Bank of Greece.

Looks like Syggrou is re-born in this site which is some 150m close to the Athens Intercontinental Hotel and the panteion University of Social sciences.

Thanks for the pics and the info. :)

Kala den trehi tipota

Asheto,kapia stigmi ihes anaferi kati gia to eboriko kentro tou metohiko tamiou stratou stin panepistimiou,mipos kseris se pia fasi vriskete to ergo kai pote prokete na teliosi?
An kai tha psakso gia leptomeries(haraktiristika apo tin tote eksagelia tou ergou mou ihe kolisi to poli omorfo estiatorio ston telefteo orofo) gia afto opos kai gia to allo tis ethnikis asfalistikis.

For the non-Hellenes:
More projects to come so stay tuned

Will the Olympic marathon run from the Plain of Marathon to the city - as in the ancient battle??

@ Monkey, aka the Londinium Langur and the rest of the visitors :):

First click here (http://www.lakepowell.net/marathon.html) for a brief reference about Phiddipedes, the first Marathon Runner and the famous battle where all the Hellenes beat the Persians in 490BC (but I guess you know much of this stuff already).

The new Marathon run will take place in almost the original marathon course, probably on the new dual carriageway (a four lane avenue with a barrier in the midsection) which will replace the old narrow road that leads to the area of the Marathon battle. The marathon run will start from the site of the battle and after 26 miles will end in the Panathenaean Marble Stadium, right in the centre of Athens.

This map depicts the full marathon course:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/maps/RoadProjMarathonPalliniEN.jpg

According to Athens2004.com (http://www.athens2004.com/page/default.asp?la=2&id=7827) the following factoids are valid as to the history of the sport and its current situation:

History

The Marathon is run over public roads and the men’s Marathon is traditionally the final event in the programme of the Olympic Games. The history of the event goes back to 490 B.C., when the Athenians defeated the Persians at the battle of Marathon. One of the Athenians brought the news of the victory from Marathon to Athens. Running at top speed all the way, he cried “Nenikekamen” (We won), and died.

The Marathon race was first run at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, over the historic route. The IOC wished to honour Greece’s contribution to democracy, sport and civilisation. The winner of the first Olympic Marathon race was the legendary Greek runner, Spyros Louis. Since 1924 the official distance is 42,195 m. The women’s Marathon was included in the competition schedule in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

ATHENS 2004 Marathon

In the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games the marathon will be run on its historic course. It will start in Marathonas and pass through the areas of Nea Makri, Rafina, Pikermi, Spata, Loutsa, Pallini, Anthusa, Glyka Nera, Gerakas, Agia Paraskevi, Holargos, Neo Psyhico, Papagos (this is where I Live) and Athens. It will finish in Panathinaiko Stadium.

This is the starting point of the Marathon run in Marathon, Attica (rendering by Athens 2004 Organisation)

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/3_0720_Marathon_Race_Starting_Place.jpg

And this is the finish point, the Athens Panathenaean Marble Stadium, now under total restoration:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/6_100_Photo001_Kallimarmaron.jpg

...and some additional info from Athens2004.gr in http://www.athens2004.com/page/?la=2&id=838




The famous Marathon race has its roots back to an ancient Greek legend, where a Greek herald named Phidippides, ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory against the Persians at the battle of Marathon, a small village back then, but with a great historic value to modern times. The marathon race is very popular in Greece, as a symbol of the revival of the Olympic Games, also because the first gold-medal athlete in the marathon race in 1896 was the Greek, Spyros Louis. The marathon route at the 2004 Olympic Games will be identical to the original one run by Phidippides during the ancient years and by Spyros Louis at the 1896 Olympic Games. Its starting point will be in Marathon, called the Marathon start and the finishing line at the Panathinaikon Stadium – the famous Marble Stadium known as “Kallimarmaro” where the Games were revived in 1896. The Ministry of Environment, Public Welfare and Public Works is responsible for several overlays that will take place to meet Olympic requirements.

The Panathinaikon Stadium, widely known as “Kallimarmaro” or the ancient marble stadium, is the stadium where the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 were held. Even in ancient years, the Panathinaikon (or Panathenian) Stadium was largely used to host the Panathenean Games, festival events that were held to honour the Greek goddess Athena (the Goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare in ancient Greece and protector of the City of Athens). Historians considered it, at that time, to be “a miracle above description that it had almost exhausted the marble quarries of mountain Penteli” (Pausanias). It is situated in the heart of the Greek capital, Athens and it was first reconstructed in 1895 for the purpose of becoming the main stadium to host the 1896 Olympic Games.

The time has come to serve once again as one of the competition venues for this great sporting event: the 2004 Olympic Games. The renovations that will take place, under the responsibility of the General Secretariat of Sports and the Ministry of Culture, include upgrades and modifications on its infrastructure, mainly in the scope of restoration of the monument, configuration of the track and surrounding areas, incorporation of lighting, and establishment of anti-fire systems. The overall project of restoration will result in 45,000 seats for the marathon finish and 5,500 seats for archery. The project is due in July2003.

I hope the above cover the extent of your querie, our Londinium brother... :)

Thanks Gregory. :okay:

I love the story of Marathon. There are two different versions. One is (as above) that Phiddipedes ran back and broke the news of the victory to Athens - famously dying on the spot. Another version has it that Phiddipedes ran to ask assistance from the Spartans (a lot more than 42.2 km away) and then back to the battlefield where he fought and then finally to Athens to break the news of victory to the populace. Modern historians think it likely that Athens requested Spartan help and that the Spartans refused until they had finished their religious festivites - in reality an excuse to await the outcome of events. It is also thought likely that when the Athenian army had routed the Persian army on the plain of Marathon that the Persians ran back to their ships in an attempt to sail up the coast and attack undefended Athens by surprise. The entire Athenian army therefore ran back to the city and when the Persian fleet rounded the headland they saw the Athenian hoplites lined up on the shore in full battle array. Seeing this they turned around and set sail for home. Truth or legend - it doesn't matter - a great story and a famous and brilliant victory!! :okay:

Athens untrammeled

Latest addition to mega-projects around Athens, a brand new tramway set to make a record of its own


Banish the image of San Francisco-style streetcars or lumbering communist-era people-carriers. The first of Athens’ trams – part of the capital’s plan to unclog the city center and take visitors to Olympic Games venues in 2004 unimpeded – was delivered late May 2003, conjuring images more in keeping with a futuristic movie.

The shiny silver trams, created by Ferrari designer Pininfarina and made by AnsaldoBreda, comprise five cars each and are reminiscent of a sleek Japanese bullet train. Thirty-five of them will whisk passengers from Syntagma Square to the south coast of seaside Glyfada suburb by next August.

Expected to carry 35,000 passengers a day, the light rail vehicles (together with the underground Metro, buses and a highway ringroad ), will relieve the commuting burden in and around the four-million-strong metropolis.

Routes and lanes
Two lines covering 24-kilometers (15 miles) will open by the time of the Olympic Games next summer, and two more phases of extension works are expected to be completed by 2010, Transport Minister Christos Verelis announced in May.

Greece is building the first phase on a 50-50 funding basis between the European Union and the state, whereas the extensions, to seven lines covering 81 kilometers, will be undertaken with the private sector. The construction and supply of the 346-million-euro first phase is by the Terna (Greek) / Impregilo (Italian) joint venture.

The tramway will run from Vassilissis Olgas Avenue and connect the marble Panathenaiko Stadium to Zappeion Gardens, near central Syntagma Square. The 48-stop line will run down Ardittou Street, through the island middle of Kallirois Avenue and onward to the Saronic coast at Paleo Falero, from where the line will branch west to Glyfada and east to Neo Falero metro station at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Tramcars will share the road with regular cars in some sections, says the head of the transport ministry’s managing authority, the 3rd Community Support Framework Operational Program for Railways, Urban Transport and Airports (SAAS) , Eleni Yoti. But mainly the tram, which can reach speeds of 70km/h, will have its own exclusive lane.

“It’ll go right along the seaside, and in some places go by the road between the two lanes,” Gioti said. “But in some places towards the center it’s going to be mixed traffic.” Asked if she thought the trams would hinder the vehicular flow, Gioti said trams sharing the road with cars is common practice in other cities, but “there will be a whole study of how to circulate both, so these things will be managed.”

Extending lines, initiatives
The extensions, constructed at an estimated cost not exceeding 630 million euros, would cover an additional 57.1 kilometers and link the city center and the south coast’s stadium with Piraeus station and Perama in western Attica, a long line (27.6 km) linking Aghia Paraskevi in the east via Peristeri in the west, Syntagma Square to Ano Patissia station and Votanikos in the city center, and the Athens University campus at Ilissia via Alexandras Avenue from Larissis railway station, later reaching the suburb of Zografou.

The government’s public transport initiative, which has the date with Olympics as a fixed deadline, is trying to slow, if not reverse, the trend of commuters driving cars into the city, which exacerbates the traffic flow and raises pollution.

In just ten years the number of cars in the European Union has trebled, but the sharp upward curve is expected to taper off when public transit improves. The Greek government is doing its part to meet the recommendations of the EU White Paper on transport 2001-2010 , offering citizens quality and safe urban transport and lessening pollution and gridlock.

Coming a long way
It is not the first time Athens has had trams plying urban streets. But old tramlines were paved over in the 1950s to make way for vehicles, as no one guessed at the time that the traffic problem would eventually become so acute.

The tram resurrection, however, has had its share of birthing pains when line construction began in August 2002. Residents and the mayors in some seafront districts initially opposed the plan, while a segment of the line through the city center had to be rerouted due to its proximity to antiquities, especially around central Hadrian’s Arch . Despite the delays, Greece is building the railed rapid transit in record time. A tramway of similar length was once constructed in a record 32 months. Greece will shave another ten months off, having it ready in a mere 22.

http://www.greece.gr/BUSINESS/Infrastructure/athensuntrammeled.stm

http://www.ansaldobreda.it/IMAGES/siriomi.jpg

http://linuxweb.internet.gr/tramsa/

http://linuxweb.internet.gr/tramsa/clips/pics/3_vehicle/0_10.jpg
http://linuxweb.internet.gr/tramsa/clips/pics/3_vehicle/0_8.jpg

ATHENS 2004 President presented in Prague the Medals for the 2004 Olympic Games

During a press conference held in Prague ATHENS 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and HOC President and IOC Executive Committee Member Lambis Nikolaou presented the medals for the 2004 Olympic Games.

The main feature of the medals is the Greek character shown on both sides, since their basic side has been changed for the first time since the Amsterdam Olympic Games in 1928. This is of particular importance, as from now on all Olympic medals will reflect the Greek character of the Games as regards both their origin and their revival.

“Right from the start of the competition for the medals,” the President pointed out, “our aim was to modify side one of the medals, and to include Greek elements in it –elements that would highlight the close connection between Greece and the Olympic Movement. Therefore, in the official announcement of the competition we asked candidates to include in their design the “Nike of Paeonios” and the Panathinaikon Stadium.”

Goddess Nike was worshipped as the personification of victory in the stadium as well as in the battlefield. Zeus sent her to earth to crown the winners. Historical research has showed that goddess Nike was always represented as “winged”, full of movement and dynamism, descending from heaven either to sing praises for a victory, or to offer libations, or to crown a winner.

There are many examples of statues and vases, in which goddess Nike is represented in this way, the most famous being, of course, the “Nike of Samothraki” in the Louvre.

In the Museum of Olympia there is a statue of “Nike of Paeonios”, three metres in height, created in 421 BC by the well-known sculptor Paeonios. Supported by a nine-metre triangular pedestal situated at the east facade of the Temple of Zeus, she gave the impression that she was descending from heaven.

As Mrs Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki pointed out, “the connection of this particular statue with Olympia was the main reason for which we chose it as the theme for designing side one of the medals”.

On the medals awarded to Olympic athletes from 1928 until the Salt Lake Games, goddess Nike was seated, holding an ear of corn in one hand and a wreath in the other. The second element of side one was the exterior of an arena that resembled the Colosseum.

“Since goddess Nike would fly into a stadium to crown the best athlete, we concluded that it was best to represent the interior of a stadium on the medal,” said ATHENS 2004 President, and she added: “For the Athens Olympic Games medals, we selected the Panathinaikon Stadium where the Olympic Games were revived in 1896.”

Side one of the medal will also include the sport in which the athlete won it.

“What is of the utmost importance for all of us is that, from now on, side one of all Olympic Games medals will be identical with this one, according to IOC Executive Committee’s decision,” the President pointed out.

The elements on side two of the medal are three.

The first is the eternal flame that will be lit in Olympia and will travel through the five continents by way of the 2004 Torch Relay.

The flame is accompanied by the opening lines of Pindar’s Eighth Olympic Ode composed in 460 BC to honour the victory of Alkimedon of Aegina in wrestling.

The design of side two of the medals is completed with the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games emblem.

The design of the Medal was created by Elena Votsi.

The total number of medals to be produced is 1,130 gold, 1,130 silver, and 1,150 bronze.

“The medals,” as ATHENS 2004 President stated, “are one of the most important design applications, since they will be worn by the athletes, the real protagonists and heroes of the Athens Olympic Games. By designing the medals we have completed all visual applications of the Games, the so-called LOOK OF THE GAMES, which consists of the following items:

*the emblem of the Games,
*the main marks of the Games, i.e., for volunteerism, *environment, culture, and torch relay,
*the sports pictograms,
*the Games mascots,
*the secondary graphics, collectively called “the panorama”, and of course
*the torch.

Of these, the emblem, mascots, torch and medals were the result of public competition, whereas the main marks, sports pictograms and secondary graphics were created by ATHENS 2004 Communication Division and Image and Identity Division.”

On his part, Mr Nikolaou pointed out the following: “The presentation made by ATHENS 2004 to the IOC Executive Committee was outstanding. Two historic decisions were made here in Prague. First, in 1925 Pierre de Coubertin resigned as IOC President, and today it is decided that the basic and permanent side of the Olympic medals will incorporate Greek elements. From now on the Olympic medals will bear the stamp of Athens; at the same time the Organising Committee may make any further changes it considers desirable for their improvement. This is a great success for ATHENS 2004. Mrs Angelopoulos deserves warm congratulations.”

The ATHENS 2004 President thanked the HOC President and IOC Executive Committee Member for his help and support.


http://www.athens2004.com/files/press/03887005m.jpg

President Gianna Aggelopoulos Daskalaki presenting the medals

http://www.athens2004.com/files/press/ATHENS2004Medal_Low.jpg

The new medal design

Some updates. All photos courtesy of Nikos Danilidis Photography:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/index.php?LANG=en

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_4204.jpg
PANCRETIO STADIUM - CRETE JUN '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_4028.jpg
PANPELOPONNISIAKO STADIUM - PATRAS JUN '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_02833.jpg
HOME OF HEAVY EVENTS - ANO LIOSIA APR '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_02936.jpg
HOME OF WEIGHTLIFTING - NIKEA APR '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_3215.jpg
TAE KWON DO GYM APR '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_03205.jpg
INSTALLATIONS AT PHALIRON ÌÁÕ '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/faliro_2707.jpg
INSTALLATIONS AT PHALIRON JUN '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_03408.jpg
INSTALLATIONS AT ELLINIKON APR '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_3418.jpg
TRAMWAY APR '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/agkosmas_1814.jpg
OLYMPIC SAILING CENTER - AGHIOS KOSMAS APR '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/ipp_1609.jpg
HORSE RACING CENTER AND NEW RACE-COURSE, MARKOPOULO ÌÁÕ '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/skopeut_1015e.jpg
SHOOTING CENTER, MARKOPOULO JUN '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/kopil_1052e.jpg
OLYMPIC ROWING CENTER ÌÁÕ '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/oxae_2912.jpg
OLYMPIC VILLAGE JUN '03

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_2727.jpg
OLYMPIC VILLAGE LINKING TO OLYMPIC CENTER (O.A.K.A.) APR '03

Rion-Antirion update,pics 1,2,3,4 from daniilidis.gr pic 5 from aeter.gr

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/gef_33129.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/gef_33031.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/gef_33209.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/gef_33223.jpg

http://www.aeter.gr/selected/neesmeletes/X011053d02.jpg

Hello there...

What follows below is one of the biggest projects related to many events of the so-called Cultural Olympics that will run in parallel to the main sports events during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. Read on, it's interesting news... Also, click here (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49769) to access this content in Euroscrapers - Projects and Construction section.

http://www.megaron.gr/homepic.jpghttp://www.culture2000.tee.gr/ATHENS/COMMON/BUILD_PHOTOS/59.jpg
( URL: http://www.megaron.gr. It contains many pictures, including 360 degrees rotating views of the main halls and foyers of the phase 1 - read below )

The Athens Megaron is the main concert hall of the city of Athens. Although its construction was decided since approximately three decades ago, the completion of phase 1 took place not earlier than 1991. The funding came from the Ministry of Culture, after the efforts of Melina Merkouris, a former actress and minister of culture, as well as the Organisation of the Athens Megaron whose president is Christos Lambrakis, a prominent Businessman and President of the Lambrakis Group, mainly active in the mass media sector.

Below is the model of the project and its surrounding areas, plus another pic with a night view of the completed section:

http://www.megaron.gr/megaro/aboutcompletioneng/maketa.jpghttp://www.megaron.gr/megaro/vtourgr/external.jpg

Built in a simple Doric (Read: Spartan) style in its design philosophy, this project (although not looking like that in the above pic) is one of the biggest in Europe of its kind and gradually fills up a huge gap that the capital city of Greece had in terms of concert halls or spaces where culture could be developed. It is conveniently located in Vassilissis Sophias (Queen Sophia) Avenue, next to the US Embassy.

Since this is a skyscrapers forum and I am still and ALWAYS a skyscrapers fanatic, I can't help in offering you the following pic. It depicts the skyline of the Ampelokipi district with some of the Athens' tallest and the Megaron, which is the big white building in the centre of the pic. Pas mal huh?

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2003/05/192795.jpg

OK, let's continue. The whole project, now nearing completion, was built in two phases. Phase 1, as said before, is already complete and includes the following halls and facilities:

Level 0

Surrounding areas, including the front garden and main entrances

Level 1

Tickets
Ground Floor Foyer
C@feNet

Level 2

Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall
Hall Foyer
Allegro Restaurant
Greek Record Club shop
Recording Studio

Level 3

Conference Centre
Video Unit

Level 4

Friends of Music Hall
Organ
Hall Foyer
Hall Bar
Dressing Rooms
Support Facilities
Reception Area

Level 7

Music Library

Some notable technical characteristics and pics:

The Friends of Music Hall

Completed in 1991, it was the one that made phase 1 of the Athens Megaron famous all over the world. One should note that this hall incorporates the best developments in acoustics. Seating capacity: 2000

http://www.megaron.gr/megaro/intro/theatre.jpg

This hall can be multi-function and can also be used as a congress hall. Here we see the hall "in action" during one of the countless performances there:

http://www.megaron.gr/megaro/vtoureng/level3/congress2.jpg

One of the major attractions of this hall, is the church organ, which is the biggest in Greece. I am happy to say that the Church organ is my favourite musical instrument and -yes- I am a fan of the Music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to go to the megaron to watch the astounding performances of the Christmas Oratorio or the St' Mathew's Passions Oratorio during Easter.

here's a couple of pics of the Organ, one of the biggest in Europe.

http://www.megaron.gr/megaro/vtoureng/level3/organ1.jpg

http://www.megaron.gr/megaro/vtoureng/level3/organ2.jpg

Also, there is an additional hall, namely the Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall with an additional 450 seats, moslty directed for chamber music or gala nights, poetry readings and small emsemble performances.

One should also note the rest of the facilities of phase 1 such as the restaurant, the Music library and Multimedia Centre, and the restaurant with the internet cafe. Not to forget the big foyers and other halls which are among the most lyxurious public spaces in Europe. Last but not least, there is a fully ecquipped Video unit and recording studio for reference recordings of selected performances.

Phase 2 of the construction is now under completion. It includes the following:

The Alexandra Triantis Hall. This is an underground hall with a capacity of an additional 200 seats and of the same quality and size with the Friends of Music Hall. It was designed for stage plays and opera performances, but it can be used for multiple purposes due to the versatility of its design. Here are two pics of this hall:

http://194.30.220.72/news/static/03/07/02/51a.jpg

http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/data/D2003/D0702/1or24d.jpg

The Atrium. This is the new external foyer in the back side of the building. It allowas for many types of receptions and other outdoor events.

http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/data/D2003/D0702/1or24b.jpg

The Backyard. This is the back side of the project above the A. Triantis Hall. Note that in the left picture there is a five storey residential that was demolished, thus allowing for the creation of a unified park as it appears in the right pic.

http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/data/D2003/D0702/1or24c.gif

Last but not least, a new underground parking lot is under completion (capacity: 750). Also, an underground walkway connecting the megaron with the subway station "Megaro Moussikis" (some 100m long) is also under completion.

Now let's look at some figures:

Volume of Phase 1: 200.000 m3
Volume of phase 2: 700.000 m3

Total Volume: 900.000m3


Total area of spaces of phases 1 and 2: 143.000m3

Deepest point of building from ground surface: 48m
(had it been overground, I would have been adding a new skyscraper in the Athens page of Skyscrapers.com :()

Overall, the size and grandeur of the project is breathtaking, even for the choleric and snobbish me. I have to admit that this project adds a lot to the cultural aspects of the Athens Olympics and beyond. I hope that it will be used for the best, as the case was until now.

Unfortunately I will not be able to listen to Beethoven's ninth symphony with the Berlin Philarmonic Orchestra with the late Herbert Von Karajan as the conductor. However, I am sure that my favourite and most beloved Maestro would have been pleased to perform in such a place...

Athens preparations :

PANPELOPONNISIAKO STADIUM - PATRAS
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_4028.jpg

PANCRETIO STADIUM - CRETE
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_4204.jpg

POLICE TRAINING CENTER AT AMYGDALEZA
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_02807.jpg

HOME OF HEAVY EVENTS - ANO LIOSIA
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_02833.jpg

HOME OF WEIGHTLIFTING - NIKEA
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_02936.jpg

WORKS AT PIRAEUS PORT
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_00226pirea.jpg

BEACH - VOLLEY GYM
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_00326beach.jpg

TAE KWON DO GYM
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_3215.jpg

INSTALLATIONS AT PHALIRON
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_03205.jpg

INSTALLATIONS AT PHALIRON
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/faliro_2707.jpg

TRAMWAY
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_3418.jpg

All others pictures are here ==> http://www.daniilidis.gr/index.php?LANG=en

EOA, OFFICE BUILDING (finished) lovely building !


http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/architectural/images/kteoa101.jpg

Panpeloponnisiakon Stadion-Update


http://www.stadia.gr/patrasapodecathlon2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/patrasapodecathlon3.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/patrasnew4.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/patrasnew2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/patrasnew3.jpg


All pics from Stadia.gr

Hey Hey Hey!!! Allow me to present you with an Athens Update later today. Athens is progressing rapidly with the only problem being that our life is a bit of a mess here because literally ALL major roads are dug for one reason or another. Although Athens was notorious for its traffic jams for instance, I now see that with some 100km of new highways and some 40-50 (!) new junctions including 2 or three of them being GIGANTIC plus some 60 new km of metro/suburban rail, the situation will dramatically change.

But like I said, I'm in a hurry right now. Wait until my report later today.

@ Mekky: Mille merci pour les photos et commentaire. The building is the headquarters of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and it was completed some time in the mid-90's, in Maroussi, the so-called "Olympic suburb" of Athens. It is also Athens' new Business suburb. Click
here (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40527) to see my thread about what is going on in terms of non-Olympics related construction there.

Talk to u all lated gents and ladies. I have to do some shopping this morning and I'll be back to give you some food for thought.

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/architectural/images/kteoa101.jpg

Wow! Never seen that building before! It's nice!
I guess everything will be on time for the XXVIIIth Olympiad but, WHY ISN'T THERE AN ONLINE OLYMPIC STORE YET? I want to buy so many things! :cry:

Now seriously...I want to buy tha official Athens 2004 logo poster and I'm coming to the conclusion that if I don't go to the Olympic store at Athens airport, I won't be able to buy it.
I don't like to compare Sydney and Athens, but by this time the Organizing Committee for the 2000 Games even had a magazine which showed more than 500 Olympic related products, that was sent to the people every 2 or 3 months.
I guess that maybe when the new year (2004) start, the ATHOC will open the online store.
http://www.athens2004.com/files/aboutathens2004/Sorogas.jpg

I hereby present you with some update news on the construction with regards to Athens Olympics

Also not to forget: @ Cobi

I searched throughly for an online shop of Athens Olympics memorabilia store. Looks like it ain't ready yet :( (they operate a full service on online ticket sales though). However, watch the Athens 2004 page in http://www.athens2004.gr since any related announcement will appear in their homepage for sure.

From Online edition of English Language Athens News (http://www.athensnews.gr), July 18, 2003, in, http://www.athensnews.gr/athweb/nathens.prnt_article?e=C&f=13023&t=01&m=A03&aa=1


Calatrava's canopies get new lease of life


The project may be three months behind schedule but the arrival of the first parts for the monumental Olympic Stadium and velodrome roofs raises hopes of its completion before the Athens 2004 Games

http://www.athensnews.gr/data/D2003/D0718/1ng3a.jpg

BY JOHN HADOULIS

Parts of Santiago Calatrava's steel-and-glass canopy for the Olympic Stadium began to arrive on July 14, three months behind schedule

MONTHS of litigation, procrastination and project simulation have finally brought the Athens 2004 Olympics' most eagerly-expected landmark to the starting line.

The ambitious remodelling of Athens' 240-hectare Olympic complex (OAKA) by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava received a lease of life on July 14, when parts of two steel-and-glass canopies designed to cover the Olympic Stadium and velodrome began to arrive from Italy after a three-month delay.

The metallic parts were unloaded at the port of Lavrio and dispatched to Maroussi, where plans to remodel the 20-year-old OAKA are slowly taking shape. Work on a Calatrava-designed park to replace the unruly mess of garbage and graffiti that currently covers the area began earlier this year, after months were lost in litigation between rival companies bidding for the project contract.

But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is still worried that the OAKA worksite could remain open until just before the August 2004 Games.

Denis Oswald, the IOC's chief overseer for Athens, said earlier this month that delivery of the pieces was a "major worry" and expressed fears of a clash with the simultaneous remodelling of the stadium grounds.

In fact, the Greeks were told not to proceed with the canopy plans unless they could guarantee their completion before the Games.



Greek organisers confident


Greek organisers now say that the canopies' assembly will be simpler than originally expected, because the Italian manufacturers will deliver parts that could be screwed in instead of welded.

"We can do it," says Yiannis Pragiatis, head of Olympic construction at the public works ministry. "And it's a technocrat saying this, not some politician."

An IOC inspection team was in Athens this week to monitor venue construction progress. Pragiatis told them the stadium canopies would be installed according to (the modified) schedule, and would not impede test events set at the velodrome for February, and at the Olympic Stadium for June 2004.

"I think they were convinced, and rather impressed," he says.

Organisers say the arches will be assembled beside the stadiums, and will subsequently be lifted and fitted on "like shells". But critics fear that the simultaneous operation of several worksites at OAKA, coupled with the relative inexperience of Greek engineers with metallic structures of this size, could bring the project to its knees.

"Everything will be done at the last minute," says New Democracy MP Marios Salmas. "Even the competent government officials admit that the feat of dragging and lifting these structures has never been done before in Greece."

"We would be fools to say we can manage this thing by ourselves," says Pragiatis. "That's why we have foreign experts to help."

The government says that the arcs will cost 115 million euros, while the park infrastructure comes to 70 million euros. The project was initially budgeted at 83 million euros.




My View: The canopies will be ready and placed even in July 2004 if necessary. There's no turning back now and everybody knows it. If the first parts had not come to Athens yet, I would say that we would have been in a dangerous stage. However, I'm confident that they will do it, it's a matter of prestige.


Now this is an interesting one since it's only 1.2km distance from my house:

Footbridge starts walking


Another Calatrava project, a 4 million euro bridge stretching over Mesogeion Ave, came close to being scrapped last year. Its construction is now set to start in September.


http://www.athensnews.gr/data/D2003/D0718/1ng3b.jpg


Elsewhere in town, construction is poised to begin on another of Calatrava's Athens projects - a 94-metre footbridge stretching over Mesogeion Avenue. The initial plans of project supervisors Attiko Metro, the company which built Athens' new subway, specified that the bridge should have been completed early this year. But construction plans went into hibernation for over 12 months when Attiko Metro underwent a management change in 2002.

"The new management needed to be briefed on the project," says architect Polykarpos Koukourakis, an Attiko Metro consultant. "It took some time, but now it's ready to go. We re-examined the costs, and the deal with the contractor will be signed next week."

Former Attiko Metro chairman Leonidas Kikiras told the Athens News that the new top brass found the bridge "rather hard to swallow".

"The new management had to re-evaluate the project to be convinced of its necessity," says Kikiras, who now supervises the Olympic stadium project on behalf of Santiago Calatrava SA. One of the changes, he notes, is that the bridge's glass floor was replaced with wood to cut cost. It has a budget of 4.15 million euros.

The bridge's construction is now expected to begin in September and be completed in June 2004.

Koukourakis further explained the delay by saying that Attiko Metro was preoccupied with the subway's expansion to the western, eastern and northern parts of the city.

"These issues are completely unrelated," says Kikiras. "During my tenure, Attiko Metro managed to both plan the bridge and assign the subway extensions."

My view: They have to do it. This construction looks like the tallest new structure in the city for ages. Judging from the model, I would say it's anywhere between 70 to 90m tall. Calatrava is said to have been inspired from the shape of the ancient Greek harp, the well known musical instrument, that is. I personally saw it as a mast from an ancient boat but Calatrava's explanation is probably more correct (after all it's his design). It will be built over a junction built in the early 80's and in an area with many big buildings in proximity, like the 10-storey complexes of the military hospirals, but most importantly, the 18-storey Ministry of Public Order (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/148980/). It will be rather impressive but I still have doubts as to whether they are really up to it. I hope it gets built though.

Yesterday night Italian Television Rai done a Dossier about Athens 2004
:applause:
Great!
Athens and Greece the Mother of Europe ;)

Ciao !!!

@gm2263:
Efharisto for the information. I was kind of afraid that there was indeed an online shop and I didn't notice. Back in 2000 I wanted to buy a poster with the official logo but by the time I made my order, they had none left and I had to buy other design that I didn't like that much. I don't want that to happen again, especially now that the Olympics are in my beloved Athens.

Kherete! ;)

Thank you all guys for your kind words. !!! wait for more in the near future. Actually, the test events will start soon and we will have plenty to talk about. From September onwards they expect to inaugurate a project per week in Athens so it's gonna be fun.

Events test readiness

Athens goes onto an Olympics footing, a year before Games start


Reported by the
Kathimerini (http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100004_05/08/2003_32722) newspaper on August 5, 2003


http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/photos/05-08-03/05-08-03_32722_1.gif
A jubilant Athens 2004 president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki speaks at yesterday’s official opening of the World Junior Rowing Championships at the Schinias Olympic rowing venue near Marathon, north of Athens. The championships will be the first of a series of seven test events to be held this month, one year before the opening of the 2004 Games. Rowers complained of strong winds.


A year before the start of the Athens Olympics, the city is almost in full Olympic mode, with the hosting of seven test events this month, and 32 more to follow from October until June 2004.

The first test event, the World Junior Rowing Championships, will start tomorrow and finish on Saturday. Yesterday, the opening ceremony was held for the rowing center at Schinias, northeast of Athens. It was attended, among others, by Denis Oswald, the chief overseer of Athens's preparations. Oswald, a member of the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board, is also the president of the International Rowing Federation (FISA).

Only one test event has been conducted so far, a sailing competition in August 2002.

The events, which will be attended by a total of 1,600 athletes and 460 event officials, as well as 2,000 volunteers, will test the adequacy of facilities and organization. According to the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, «the aim is to identify potential errors or deficiencies, which will then be analyzed so as to avoid them at (the time of the) Games.»

A total of 2,695 policemen, soldiers, firefighters and «security volunteers» will be deployed to guarantee security at «an Olympics level,» and there will be several road closures and traffic diversions. For the first test event, rowing, Schinias Avenue, between Kato Souliou and Poseidonos avenues, will be closed to traffic between 6.30 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and between noon and 3 p.m. each day from tomorrow through Saturday.

The test events may seek to simulate Olympic conditions, but most of the venues in which they will take place are not complete. The security communications system will not be in place, either.

The 557 athletes from 45 countries taking part in the rowing event have already found that strong winds, which are quite frequent, made training impossible. Officials were privately saying that tall trees would need to be planted along both banks of the 2,000-meter course. Oswald, who had asked about tree-planting in general in the past, had made the self-evident remark that «trees need time to grow.»

If IOC chief Jacques Rogge's remarks in an interview published in yesterday's Ta Nea newspaper are an indication, Olympic officials are chiefly worried about transport.

«The transfer of everyone taking part in the Olympics is one of the riskiest points on which the IOC lay especial importance,» Rogge said, adding that «I can now express my complete satisfaction with the progress of preparations for the Games in Athens - progress in all areas is clear.»

my view

It is only one year before the games start and despite many delays observed in the past, with numerous red flags waved by the members of the IOC, looks like things are going into a smooth finish, as far as works progress is concerned. My only objection (since I am an aviation fan too) is that the site of the rowing events was a general aviation airport before the land was reclaimed to be used as an Olympic installation site. Too bad, there are no general aviation airports in Athens right now, besides the expensive new Athens International Airport.

Of course, the new 16km2-large Eleftherios venizelos airport can cater for the large numbers of the visitors aircraft expected to land in Athens during the games. However the need of a general aviation airport becomes urgent as even the old Hellenikon airport to the south-east of Athens is now converted into a complex of Olympic installations and a congress centre (in 2007 it will be one of the biggest in Europe FYI).

Well, Sports Illustrated isn't exactly The Economist ;), but today their online edition carries an article (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/news/2003/08/11/rogge_athens/) describing Jacques Rogge, the head of the IOC, as being satisfied with the Athens preparations and confident that all projects & other arrangements will be ready and in place in time for the opening day, August 13, 2004. :okay:

Two other articles are offered at the bottom of the page. :)

Under scrutiny

Heads to roll over Athens blunders -- newspapers


ATHENS (Reuters) -- Aug 11, 2003

Greek newspapers slammed their 2004 Olympic Games organizers Sunday for disarray during test events that ranged from teams getting lost to security lapses to a food poisoning outbreak.

Headlines compared boats going under water at the rowing venue in the opening test for next August's Games to the sinking of the Titanic and forecast heads would soon roll at the highest level to make up for the blunders.

The newspapers said Athens Games chief Gianna Angelopoulos and Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who held a special meeting to discuss the disarray, were both furious.

They were annoyed that in-fighting appeared to have broken out again between government and Games officials about who was in charge of the Olympics.

"Mistakes have been discovered in the planning of sports events, in hospitality, among volunteers, while communications and crisis management functions didn't work," the respected newspaper Eleftherotypia, one of the country's largest, and normally pro-government, said.

Eleftherotypia listed a host of blunders, particularly with the Skinias rowing test event about 30 km (20 miles) from Athens, where competition was held up for nearly two days because of winds that caused U.S. and British boats to sink.

The paper said that 24 percent of volunteers involved in the event changed their minds about giving their services to the Olympics after their first contact with the Skinias venue.

Some simply abandoned their posts, claiming they were put off by difficulties in getting to the venue using public transport.

Lost buses

Eleftherotypia said teams from South Korea and the Ukraine went missing for hours after their buses got lost on their way from the new Athens international airport to their accommodation near the rowing venue.

"It is certain that much will change after the test events. Gianna Angelopoulos is threatening (everyone) within 2004," the newspaper said.

Other newspapers zeroed in on security lapses, including claims that some officers were not able to operate high technology screening and communications equipment.

A row over the withdrawal of Germany's team from the rowing event with food poisoning rumbled on.

A government inspection of the hotel where the 63 Germans are believed to have caught salmonella found 13 hygiene breaches a month before the event.

"The responsible authorities are investigating all possible sources of the infection, however experts are focusing their attention on the hygiene and dietary conditions at the lodgings of the German delegation," Athens Organizing Committee (ATHOC) managing director Marton Simitsek said in a statement.

"Even though this could be described as an isolated incident, the state and Athens 2004 will assume all necessary measures to prevent its recurrence and all those responsible will be accounted for," Simitsek added.

The setbacks have added up to an unfortunate start for organizers hoping to show during a month of venue testing in August that much-criticized preparations are back on track.

Venues for beach volleyball, cycling, sailing, archery, canoeing and show jumping will be test this month with more than 1,600 athletes from 50 countries taking part.

Eleftherotypia forecast that unless there were drastic changes there would be more trouble ahead before the actual Olympics start next August 13.

Test events continue with Archery as winds abate
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- With strong seasonal winds abating Sunday, the world's top men archers competed in the second day of a pre-Olympic test event held in the marble stadium that hosted the first modern Olympiad.

On Saturday, women archers battled strong winds that forced an extra effort to flex their bows.

Although the gusts were not fierce enough to cancel or alter the women's competition -- as they did with a rowing test event that ended Saturday -- they added to concerns that the seasonal "meltemia" winds could complicate the Olympic homecoming next year for some sports.

"Today it was much better than the other day when we went for practice, a little calmer," said Richard Johnson of the United States, who ranks among the top 10 archers in the world.

He said that winds swirling through the horseshoe-shaped stadium that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896 made it difficult to flex the bow for the amount of time required to get a good line on the target.

"If it is going to be windy, it is going to be a pretty nasty wind. If they can stop the wind for the rest of the tournament, life can begin again," he added.

Sunday's men's competition, which started with the individual eliminations, also featured world champion Michele Frangilli of Italy and Australian David Barnes, who won the bronze medal in last month's world championships.

Frangilli said he was satisfied with the organization of the event so far but said the wind was a problem affecting the performance of the athletes.

"There was no wind today. That was good," said Frangilli who advanced easily to the next round. "Only the wind is the problem for an archer."

The men and women's archery event ends on Aug. 15.

More than 100 athletes from 29 countries are taking part in the archery test event in the Panathinaiko stadium. It will also serve as the finish line for the Olympic marathon race.

The stadium -- built on a site first used for athletics more than 2,300 years ago -- is being furbished for the 2004 Games. Cranes and marble cutting equipment served as a backdrop for the archery competition.

Other test events scheduled this month include: equestrian eventing, beach volleyball, cycling and sailing.

A work in progress

Athens in an Olympic building frenzy with a year to go


Picture: Continuing works on the Palaion Phaleron Pavillion, part of a HUGE regeneration of the Athenian coastal front

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/news/2003/08/09/athens_year_ap/lg_stadium_ap.jpg

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Aug 9, 2003

On a hillside where gypsies used to live outside this ancient city, a concrete maze of buildings is taking shape as workers scurry to finish the dusty road leading to it.

By this time next year, it's supposed to be home to 17,300 Olympic athletes and officials. For now, it's a work in progress, much like everything around Athens.

Throughout the city, cranes litter the sky, roads are torn up and construction stops and starts in fits. Greece is teetering toward the 2004 Summer Olympics with a $5.1 billion makeover of the birthplace of the modern games.

There's a spanking new airport, a new subway system complete with archaeological displays, and miles of freshly paved roads. A light rail system is being built, and stadiums and arenas seem to be under construction everywhere.

Nearly everything is late, after years of delays. But the Greeks are confident it will all be completed by the time the Olympic cauldron is lit next Aug. 13.

"There were a lot of problems when I first came here," Greek sports minister Nasos Alevras said. "These days we feel better. The situation is very encouraging."

The sudden urgency with which Greece is attacking the task has brought smiles to international Olympic officials, who once threatened to take the games away.

Just three years ago, Jacques Rogge was in charge of an International Olympic Committee task force that told bickering organizers and Greek officials to get their act together -- and quickly.

Now, Rogge is the president of the IOC and sees an Olympics that will blend the roots of the games with a modern sports spectacle.

"I'm confident because I know the love for the games that the Greeks have," Rogge said. "They are very capable once they have decided to work very hard."

Working hard, they are. The $340 million Olympic Village that was little more than a garbage-strewn hillside less than two years ago now actually resembles a village.

But the preparations are causing major disruptions to the lives of Athenians who aren't quite sure what the city has gotten itself into.

"Greece has no need for this," said Stella Alfieri, a former member of Parliament and deputy mayor. "It already has its history and culture that everyone knows. In the end it will have a serious, serious effect on our everyday life."

That effect is visible around Athens, where 20 years' worth of badly needed infrastructure work is being packed into two years to prevent gridlock on streets so crowded that Athenians are allowed to drive their cars into the city's center only every other day.

There's even scaffolding around the Parthenon as the nearly 2,500-year-old landmark gets a facelift.

When it's done -- if it's done -- Athens will host 17 days of competition next summer that officials hope will showcase the city to the world as a major center for tourism and business.

While Greeks grumble about the mess and worry about who is going to pay for it all, the government promises the Olympics will make Athens a better place to live and provide a much needed boost to the economy.

"This will be the center of the world for two weeks," Alevras said. "This is very important for a country that gets a lot of income from tourism."

Indeed, the stakes are high for a country rich in Olympic history yet burdened with the reality of staging the mammoth spectacle the Olympics have become.

Greece has a population of only 10.6 million, and it is dependent on the whims of tourism. Yet it is borrowing some of the billions to stage the games amid worries that the tab could go much higher.

Athens is in a race against time as it frantically tries to get ready for an Olympics that will bear little resemblance to the first modern games it staged 108 years earlier.

It shows at the old airport where workers scurry about retrofitting an old hangar to use for basketball preliminaries. And it's evident at the athletes' village, where 2,300 Greek families will live after the games.

"Greeks are very nervous about the games," said Katerina Barbosa, an executive helping build the sprawling athletes' village. "They were born here and they don't want to have the worst games ever."

Olympic officials don't want them to, either. They've kept close watch on the preparations in Athens ever since former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch warned in May 2000 that the city could lose the games.

Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, who led the winning-bid effort, was brought back to head the organizing committee, and organizers and government officials stopped much of their bickering and began working together.

"The Greek people, I believe that they are not afraid," Angelopoulos-Daskalaki said. "They want to deliver an historic ... exciting Olympic Games."

The athletes' village is one of the few construction bright spots so far, four months ahead of schedule and ready to be delivered to the Athens Organizing Committee by February. That and the $91 million state-of-the-art rowing venue were the only sites organizers wanted journalists to see on a recent tour.

Still, in another troubling sign, the games' first test, at the rowing center, was called off Thursday because of strong winds. The conditions disrupted the four-day World Junior Rowing Championships and heightened doubts about the decision to build the center in Schinias, a coastal area about 20 miles from Athens and known for sustained summer winds.

Elsewhere, most of the main sports venues are still steel skeletons, if that. Pieces of the main stadium roof, designed to be an architectural highlight of the games, have just arrived, and work began only recently on the boxing arena.

Behind a fence and guarded gates at the city's old airport, a former hangar that will host the basketball preliminaries appears gutted, and only the early steel work is done on the baseball and softball stadiums.

Already, the construction problems have forced organizers to move back other test events, making a tight schedule even tighter. The first planned test of the main Olympic stadium is now set for June, just two months before the games.

There are worries that the frantic rush to finish means Athens will pay a price in slipshod construction. There are also concerns that the venues, such as the rowing center, will serve little purpose after the Olympics.

Even so, Greeks are rallying around the flag to show they can pull off the games.

"This will be proof of the capacity of our government and people to make big things," culture minister Evangelos Venizelos said. "It's not easy, but now it's very natural. We didn't have much experience with this before."

Some Athenians, though, worry they will end up being stuck with the bill.

"The Greek people will have to pay for it after the Olympics," 72-year-old retiree Emanuel Manggiros said. "But it has to do with the national pride and I'm proud they're coming back to Greece."

In addition to the $5.1 billion the government is spending, the organizing committee has a $2.5 billion budget to run the games.

The city itself borrowed $136 million to give buildings a fresh coat of paint, pour new sidewalks and plant thousands of trees in places visitors will see.

Yes, stray dogs will continue to run the streets because the Greeks couldn't bring themselves to remove the animals. And prostitutes in legal brothels will either be working overtime or protesting government interference, as they did on a recent summer day.

But Greeks are counting on the blend of modern Olympics and ancient history to make an indelible impression on the world and lure future tourists.

"Athens has a very good opportunity to show a new, improved look," alternate Mayor Theodore Skilakakis said. "It's going to look much better both for our sake and for the sake of visitors a year from now."

Assuming it all comes together in time, the event will be played out underneath a spectacular backdrop. The marathon will be run on the original route from the ancient city of Marathon to the marble stadium used in the 1896 Games.

Cyclists will race beneath the Acropolis, and visitors will walk the streets of the Plaka, where Socrates and Plato used to hang out. This is the country where the Olympics began in 776 B.C., and the city where they were reborn.

"The look of the games will be very special," Rogge said. "There are great cultural assets that the Greeks are very proud of. They invented the games, and there will be lots of reminiscence and links with the ancient games."

In 1896, 245 athletes from 14 countries gathered for the first modern Olympics before large and excited crowds in the ancient Panathenaic stadium.

Americans won nine of the 12 track and field events, but Greece won the most medals, with Spyridon Louis winning the marathon on the same course covered by the Greek hero Pheidippides after the battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.

The first modern games were such a success that Greece's King George suggested they be held every four years in Athens. It's taken them more than a century to return, and this time they will include more than 10,000 athletes from a record 201 countries with a massive infrastructure in place to stage it all.

Even if construction is finished, however, there are other issues. Security is a worry despite a $600 million plan to protect a country that has porous borders and its own homegrown terrorist group, November 17.

The Athens heat can be stifling in August, there may not be enough quality hotel rooms despite the use of cruise ships in the harbor, and transportation remains a big question mark.

Some Athenians wonder if the city will wake up with a huge Olympic hangover after the games.

"The country is using its money to make venues that the day after the Olympics will be useless," Alfieri said. "And there are parts of Athens with history and cultural importance that will be destroyed by these games."

All the money is being spent while the Greek economy is shaky, 10 percent of the people are out of work despite the building boom, and people struggle to adapt to higher prices caused by the adoption of the euro.

On a recent evening in the Plaka, 62-year-old Peter Nekopoelis was trying to make a living by luring tourists to a small bar where they would pay exorbitant prices to buy drinks for women who work there.

"Life is very hard now. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing," Nekopoelis said. "We pay prices of Europe, but we don't get European things."

Politicians, though, are counting on the games to remake Athens as a tourist destination, hoping that 17 days of worldwide television exposure will bring back visitors who in recent years merely passed through the city on the way to the Greek islands.

"It's very expensive if it's just for two weeks," Venizelos said. "But not at all expensive if we make the wider consideration of the post-Olympic period. It's for a better every day life of Greek society and also a new platform for the Greek economy."

Whether that happens depends a lot on how smoothly and successfully the games come off.

Organizers say Atlanta and Sydney had their own problems a year out, and Atlanta was never able to resolve transportation issues that plagued those games.

For Athens, it won't be until closing ceremonies that the Olympics can be judged, Rogge said.

"It's just like in sports. You may train as much as you can, prepare as well as you can, but you still have to make the competition," he said. "When you go to the final night of the last day, only then will you know if you are successful."

Once upon a time the Egyptians had told visiting ancient Greeks that "Greeks are always like children" (Ellines aei paides eisin in ancient Greek). The funny part is that Greeks may find out the hard way that not everything is a child's game in this short and miserable life that we live during our temporary existence on this planet we call Earth. Well. Let them learn.

I can't remember the name of a scholar who once said that Greeks are capable for the best and for the worse. It would be useful to have him around to see what his opinion would be about the current situation.

Some changes in the city of Athens are far too obvious for one not to see them. In the slope of mount Hymettus near the suburb of Papagos where I live, nothing reminds the quiet landscape where we used to drive with our girlfriends in order to drink beer, listen to music and... you know the rest. In a few days, part of the Athens ring road, the 12km south branch of the Attica road (Attiki Odos) (http://www.aodos.gr) will be ready, and the famous K30 junction, not the biggest of the nearly 40+ or so that will be part of this road, is now completed, after years and years of fights between the municipal councils of Papagos and the neighbouring suburbs and many other interest groups including the "Environmental Group Hymettus" amongst others.

Will this road alleviate the congestion of the packed Messogion Avenue according to the central authorities plans or will simply flood Papagos with bypassing cars? who knows? In a few days the 'mountain" as we used to call called this romantic area of our adolescence where our first surges of youth found fertile grounds to consummate, will not be as quiet as it used to be. For the better or the worse? We'll see

Overall, I trust that the games will be much more than a near (or real disaster). However, always having been an anti-Greek as far as the bad aspects of being a Greek are conserned, I will repeat: Let them learn. My compatriots have to prove that Athens (and Greece) is not a underdeveloped, dry, hot part of the world and steps have been taken towards this direction. Also, they have to learn that when you sign up for something of the magnitude of such an undertaking (modern summer Olympic games, that is) the world will not forgive you in case of failure for the sake of some glorious ruins and a glorious past. Present is present and past is past. So, I will repeat: Let them learn.

I believe that the games will be successful and that Athens is transforming partially into the city it deserves to be (with some modern skyscrapers still missing but that's another story :D). On the whole however, I will wait for a full account of this first array of test events to draw conclusions about the imminent success or failure of the upcoming games.

One thing though: I wish we had death penalty by stone throwing. This biped primary mammal that fed the German rowing athletes with food inelligible for human consumption deserved it if he was the responsible one for this. I can forgive the weather but not such a bastard. him, I would't get a clean shot on. I'd let him suffer before dying.

Test events successful

Participants praise Olympic venues, flustered by pigeons
AP

http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/photos/18-08-03/18-08-03_33069_1.gif Magdalena Sadlecka of Poland is handed a bottle of
water as cyclists competing yesterday in the women’s Under-23 European Road Championships
past the Athens Municipal Cultural Center on
Academias Street. The Olympic test event led to
of the city center being cordoned off to traffic
most of the day yesterday. Fortunately, most of
the city’s residents were still away on holiday.

Organizers of the Athens 2004 Olympics, which faced
a series of problems at the beginning of a series of
«test events» earlier this month, were relieved over the
weekend as four of those events were completed with barely a hitch.

One event, an archery tournament at the Panathenaic Stadium, finished on Friday. Three more, an
equestrian event at Markopoulo, a canoe-kayak flatwater event at the rowing center at Schinias, near
Marathon, and the two-stage Under-23 European Cycling Championships, held in the Vouliagmeni
area and in the center of Athens, were wrapped up yesterday.

This time around, there was much praise for the venues.

Belgium's Marc Vandervyvere - a four-time Tour de France competitor and an official observer for
international cycling's ruling body UCI for the last two Olympic Games at Atlanta and Sydney - had
high praise for the road race course through the center of Athens.

«The course is truly wonderful and I would even say entertaining,» he said of its route past the many
historical monuments and archaeological sites that dot Athens.

International show jumper Andrew Hoy, who has competed in five Olympics, said facilities at the riding
course, including the crucial veterinary clinic, were «marvelous.»

But one of the judges at the equestrian event suggested crowd control could be improved at the
dressage event.

«For this event it should be as quiet as a church,» said German judge Christoph Hess. The crowd, which
was far from capacity and which mainly included officials and about 250 spectators provided with a
special pass, did not keep quiet and cellphones repeatedly rung during the event.

Also, cyclists yesterday encountered numerous pigeons on roads around the Acropolis. «The pigeons
could cause problems,» said the head of the European Cycling Federation, Vladimir Holoecek, before
praising the police, which succeeded in turning central Athens into a traffic-free zone. Barriers closed
roads throughout the cycling course, with volunteers and police making sure that passers-by used the
available crossing points without interfering with the race.

At Markopoulo, a minor incident occurred on Saturday, when Greece's ex-King Constantine tried to
attend the event without a pass. Constantine, a gold medallist in sailing at the 1960 Olympics, has
been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1963. He was eventually issued with a
spectator's pass.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100002_18/08/2003_33069

Yes, it appears that the first series of the test events were successful with the exception of the rowing event. I must also point out that from September to July we will see construction works being completed almost every week. The only works that need to be monitored (and the most spectacular IMO are the ones related to the Olympic Stadium where the famous design of Santiago Kalatrava is to be implemented. However, one can already see four iron towers, each about one about 80m tall already having been erected with the purpose to lift the gigantic construction once it is assembled on the ground. God I love this one!!! Once completed it will give Maroussi skyline a good addition.

Also, I don't have any news about a HUGE entertainment centre which was to be built next to one of the "Press Villages" in Maroussi, containing some 20 movie theatres and countless shops. The state council (symvoulio tis epikratias) said that land usage was above the legal provisions for the area "building coefficients" but I reckon that it will also be ready on time.

At the moment (mid-August), Athens is an empty city (2/3 of the population are on vacation) something which extremely facilitates the work of the construction crews.

Also, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis has visited the works on the coastal front escorted by the 2 "iron ladies" Vasso Papandreou, Minister of Public Works and Yanna Angelopoulou, President of the Athens 2004 organisation. True, the installations of the Beach volley and many other medium-sized stadiums there (all between 5-10,000 spectators) seem to be rapidly progressing, along with the one of the biggest regeneration projects ever realised in Europe, which will result in the "renaissance" of the coastal front from Pireaus to Aghios Kosmas, a distance of some 5-7km that is.

Hi boys and girls,i am back from Crete,happy n good winter to all

Here is the new "Faliro Arena"

http://www.stadia.gr/faliro1.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/falirocsection.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/faliro2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/faliroworks1.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/faliro3.jpg

all pics from Stadia.gr

Thanks very much Konstantinoupolis!!! and welcome back. Too bad I didn't have the opportunity to fo to Crete this summer too... I re-post here the surrounding area of the Faliro Arena so that our friends get a better idea of the works in progress there.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/news/2003/08/09/athens_year_ap/lg_stadium_ap.jpg

Also, yesterday I was in the Maroussi Carrefur restaurant where from the ground level you can see the Olympic stadium with the new pylons which will lift S. Calatrava's roofs once they will be completed. Their height is between 80 to 100m and I must add the bitter note that they are the first constructions of such a height in Greece after 1980 when the Atrina Centre was completed!!!

:omg:

!!!!!!!!


I'm just blown away by all the wonderful architecture Athens will display for the olympics. What a wonderful place and what a wonderful city!


THE OLYMPICS ARE GOING BACK HOME, AND THEY ARE GOING BACK
IN STYLE !!!!!!!!!!!!

Olympic Stadion-small update

"The pieces of the roof 's arcs are now being assembled with the help of the temporary metal "towers".A first part is already fitted together and now hangs over the stadium.The photo below was shot today"

http://www.stadia.gr/oakaworks2.jpg

from Stadia.gr

A closer look.The Olympic Stadion will be gigantic when its complete.A really work of art.

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004-oaka_calatrava.jpg

from Ethnos.gr

Hi guys ,

I am reading this thread always until the last letter but I have some questions about all this ;

Where can I obtain a plan about all the Olympic activities about constructing & infrastructure ?

Does Athens have an urban plan available ?

Hi everybody,

On Wednesday 3 September 2003, a significant part of the Athens ring road system (Attiki Odos or Attica Road, where Attica is the prefecture where Athens belongs FYI) became operational, namely the south branch of the main road which passes along the slope of mount Hymettus (Imittos in Greek). This part of the system which is some 12 km in length will allow the unobstructed access of the eastern suburbs of Athens to the north the north-east and the west of Athens, including the two national roads, the Athens Olympic Complex in Maroussi-Kalogreza and the Athens International Airport. A small branch of 1.5 km will also be delivered in March 2004.

Click here (http://www.acci.gr/trade/No25/54_59.pdf) to read more about this road, but beware that the pics there are two years old :D). Also, by clicking here (http://www.aodos.gr/en/index.html) you can access the Attiki Odos website (content in English) for further info. It is worth visiting it as it contains useful info about the full project.

If we take a look at the map below we can see the full development of the Attiki Odos which is the long green road.

http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/attiki_odos/images/image-4.jpg

Now, the Hymettus branch is the blue section 9 in the following map. You can compare the two maps in order to position it in the Athens area.

http://www.aodos.gr/newsite/road/photos/sections.jpg

The road is a 6 lane (2+1 ancillary side lane) to 8- lane (3+1) toll motorway with no traffic lights and 5 intersections which also include the toll stations for all directions. The "Papagos" intersection is approx. 1 km from my house (I live in Papagos or "Papagou" suburb on the slope of the mountain.

The road is completed after a very long series of appeals and debates of NIMBY citizen interest groups and the municipal authorities of the suburbs of Papagos, Cholargos and Aghia Paraskevi which caused a total completion delay of three years. However, due to their interventions, some 7.5 km of tunnels were built in order to allow for the environmental protection of the mountain. Also, some 200,000 trees were planted on both sides of the highway in order to create a natural sound barrier and to compensate for the trees that were cut during the construction of the highway.

Some factoids worth mentioning:

-Expected traffic: 30,000 to 50,000 vehicles daily
-Tunnels: 22 tunnels at a total length of 7.5 km out of the highway's total length of 13.56 km which were constructed with the "cut and cover" method
-Sound barriers: 3.5km in length.
-Junctions: 5 main plus 23 airbridges plus 2 footbridges.
-Other Technology aspects:

Use of Photometres and light sensors for variable lighting in the tunnels so as to compensate for poor or bright lighting conditions (which is a driving safety issue especially for the Greeks who are inexperienced in driving through tunnels).

Use of Cameras for safety reasons. These are connected with the control center of Attiki Odos.

Automated fire safety system for the total length of the tunnels which is supported by 8 big water tanks located in various positions on the slope of the mountain, above the level of the highway.

Ventilation system which also includes heat sensors and detection sensors for carbon monoxide. Also, the wiring and the electical installations of the highway are heat-resistant.

Finally, there is full support for mobile telephony and there are many emergency phones for use for the total length of the highway, especially in the tunnels.

http://www.mpa.gr/media/thumbnails/MSC/img_3f546da6130ce.jpg http://www.kathimerini.gr/kathnews/photos/4-09-03/4-09-03_75641_1.gif http://www.aodos.gr/en/road/low/70.jpg http://www.aodos.gr/en/road/low/106.jpg

http://www.eone.gr/kathnews/send/news/news_PerB.jpg

I have driven on this road twice already despite the high toll fares (1.80 Euros for automobiles). It is a dream road to drive on and I also appreciate the fact that I can now be at the Athens airport after 15 minutes driving. I still remember however how quiet the mountain used to be before works began, especially some 20 years ago, when we used to drive there with our girlfriends and a bottle of hard liquor to give way to the first surges of our youth... Now, I see a highway that has nothing to be envious about compared to the best ones in Europe. It reminded me of the highways to the south of France (almost the same type of flora with the mount of Hymettus). On the other hand, I feel a kind of nostalgia for the parties we had there when it was all peace and quiet except for the music we played in our car stereos...

Ahhh... The times they are a changin' as Bob Dylan used to sing once...

Originally posted by KONSTANTINOUPOLIS

Olympic Stadion-small update

"The pieces of the roof 's arcs are now being assembled with the help of the temporary metal "towers".A first part is already fitted together and now hangs over the stadium.The photo below was shot today"

http://www.stadia.gr/oakaworks2.jpg

from Stadia.gr

A closer look.The Olympic Stadion will be gigantic when its complete.A really work of art.

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004-oaka_calatrava.jpg

from Ethnos.gr

The black building to the left of the stadium is the 80-m tall, 20-storey Atrina centre. I am amazed to see that the Olympic stadium pylons look taller. True when completed, the stadium will look like an alien structure in origin.

I love that :):):):)

@ De Snor

You can find most of the information in a comprehensive form by clicking in the following address:

http://www.athens2004.com/page/default.asp?id=200&la=2

At the bottom of the page there are links about almost anything you may ask for. Also, you may find this page useful:

http://www.athens2004.com/page/default.asp?la=2&id=2027

Remember that all the above present generic information but the links at the bottom of the pages may be extremely useful and their contents are in English or at least have links to pages with English content.

A bientot mon ami. It's Friday night and I am about to go out. Thanks for visiting here... :)

Originally posted by gm2263

The black building to the left of the stadium is the 80-m tall, 20-storey Atrina centre. I am amazed to see that the Olympic stadium pylons look taller. I somehow knew that this photo would find its way here ;)
I was also sure you would make this comment, comparing Atrina with the temporary metal pylons of the Olympic Stadium :D

Still waiting for that email though!

Originally posted by gm2263

@ De Snor

You can find most of the information in a comprehensive form by clicking in the following address:

http://www.athens2004.com/page/default.asp?id=200&la=2

At the bottom of the page there are links about almost anything you may ask for. Also, you may find this page useful:

http://www.athens2004.com/page/default.asp?la=2&id=2027

Remember that all the above present generic information but the links at the bottom of the pages may be extremely useful and their contents are in English or at least have links to pages with English content.

A bientot mon ami. It's Friday night and I am about to go out. Thanks for visiting here... :)


Gregory , I've mailed the company who's responsable for the metro network and they shall send detailed info to my home !
Also the athens2004 site has been contacted to ask about an urban plan of the area > so far no response , even the city of Athens site recieved an e-mail for an urban plan of the Athens region > no news yet , and the Greek topurist agency is going to send me a giant poster with the Athens2004 logo on it !

Thanks for the links :okay:

@ De Snor,

Stephan, the Athens 2004 organisation is responsible for organising the Olympic events and have a say on the construction of the Olympic installations but they are not responsible for the construction of infrastructure works like trains, metro, or highways. For all the above, the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public works is responsible, which co-operates with the consortiums of Attiki Odos, the Attiko Metro, the Athens International Airport etc. To contact the ministry, please click in the address below:

http://www2.minenv.gr/Contact/Contact_en.html

Of course, keep in mind that bigorganisations, especially state ones are very slow in their responses (especially the Greek ones).

Thanks , a mail has been send to them :)

Olympiakos FC have released officially the 'plans' for their new stadium which it is learned is 3 weeks ahead of schedule :D

As soon as they are up on the net, I will post them.

In other news FC AEK's new stadium (AEK arena) is now falling very much behind schedule (it is not however an Olympics related work). The mayor of the town has filed a suite against AEK and the contractor and it will not get sorted out until at least November. Thus, FC AEK (my team) will have to continue to play at Panionios FC's stadium until the 2005 season.

And now, the new home of the Greek Champions Olympiakos. Karaiskaki stadium...

http://www.gate7.gr/net/modules/myalbum/photos/2675.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan18.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan13.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan17.jpg
http://www.stadia.gr/karaiskakinewplan15.jpg

Here we should mention that the new Olympiakos FC stadium will be completed in just 18 months from the groungbreaking day which, I believe, may constitute a Guiness record by itself... Also, one has to add that the location of the stadium is very appropriate for use in the Olympics since is will be next to the Peace and Friendship Stadium and the existing access road bridges to Piraios street and close to the new HUGE junction of Posseidonos Avenue with Kifissos Avenue, where two highways, the Athens Green Metro line to Piraeus and the West tram line to Piraeus will converge.

You can have an indication of how the area will look like in the following design. To the left of the image you can see a circular structure which is the roofed Peace and Friendship stadium. To its upper left (outside the picture) will be the Karaiskaki stadium. The junction is to the right of the P&F stadium.

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/venusfull/30100enm.jpg

As you understand, the whole area is under total reconstruction. Want more? the green space will constitute a model ecology park for a number of animal species that live there (believe it or not!!!)

Unfortunately, I cannot go there and take pics now as works are still in progress. Thanks for the pics anyway file, thay're great :):).

A query to the wise Greeks: what function will the original Stadion serve during the Games? I remember it as being right smack in the middle of town. I hope it will get plenty of use although I suspect it's considered "old fashioned" and "lacking in modern facilities." ;) Did they already rehab it? It's GORGEOUS, and I LOVE it!!! :)

Efcharisto to you all (and of course particularly to Gregory) for keeping us so beautifully up to date on this awesome undertaking! :banana:

@ Whose homepage

Thank you for your kind words dear friend. I quote here the info directly from the Athens 2004 Olympics official site (http://www.athens2004.com) which can be found in http://www.athens2004.com/page/?la=2&id=788. I hope this answers your querie

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/6_100_Photo001_Kallimarmaron.jpg

The Panathinaiko Stadium, widely known as “Kallimarmaro” or the ancient marble stadium, is the stadium where the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 were held. Even in ancient years, the Panathinaiko (or Panathenian) Stadium was largely used to host the Panathenean Games, festival events that were held to honour the Greek goddess Athena (the Goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare in ancient Greece and protector of the City of Athens). Historians considered it, at that time, to be “a miracle above description that it had almost exhausted the marble quarries of mountain Penteli” (Pausanias). It is situated in the heart of the Greek capital, Athens and it was first reconstructed in 1895 for the purpose of becoming the main stadium to host the 1896 Olympic Games.

The time has come to serve once again as one of the competition venues for this great sporting event: the 2004 Olympic Games. The renovations that will take place, under the responsibility of the General Secretariat of Sports and the Ministry of Culture, include upgrades and modifications on its infrastructure, mainly in the scope of restoration of the monument, configuration of the track and surrounding areas, incorporation of lighting, and establishment of anti-fire systems. The overall project of restoration will result in 45,000 seats for the marathon finish and 5,500 seats for archery. The project is due in July2003.

Efcharisto, gm! :)

That's most reassuring. To me this signifies that the old Stadion Kallimarmaro (good or beautiful marble, I gather) will be a major feature during the Games next year. The fact that the Marathon is scheduled to end there leads me to think that it will be the main venue, at least the one where the opening and closing ceremonies are held. I draw this conclusion because at the previous Olympics I've seen (on TV only :( ), the Marathon runners arrived one by one, followed by the closing ceremonies.

I hope I'm right! The place is so gorgeous, it deserves it! :cool:

Great Athens! This stadium bellow is fantastic!!!!
I've buyed here in Lisbon a book about the athens projects, called "ten projects for the greek city"
In fact, the book is in greek and italian, but I know to read italian, a little bit... :okay:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/6_100_Photo001_Kallimarmaron.jpg

;) ;) ;)

Why is the 1896 Olympic Stadium open on one side ?

Originally posted by De Snor

Why is the 1896 Olympic Stadium open on one side ?

This is because it is build on the side of the Ardittos Hill (and that's in the centre of the city!!!). If you look at it from another angle you will see that the 'blind" side of the structure literally "rests" on the hill. Also, one has to consider that this is the site of the ancient Athens stadium so the choice for this location pays tribute to the old glory of this city.

To illustrate the above, here is a pic taken from Vassileos Konstantinou Avenue that shows the entrance of the stadium from the street level.

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2002/11/171184.jpg

3 very nice photos which i have found from ergose.gr

These r 2 stations of the Athina Suburban railway network,all stations are U/C(and i dont really know how many are they) expected to finish in summer of 2004


This is Athina 's int. airport suburban+metro railway station
It has 3 lines(2 for the suburban and 1 for the metro)
http://www.ergose.gr/ergosesite/_images/uploaded/SS_Proastiakos1_large.jpg

i dont know anything about this station
http://www.ergose.gr/ergosesite/_images/uploaded/SS_Proastiakos2_large.jpg

http://www.ergose.gr/ergosesite/_images/uploaded/SS_Proastiakos3_large.jpg

When i found pics and info from the other stations i will post them here

@ Konstantinoupolis

Thanks very much for the info. The Athens International Airport station is impressive and I wasn't able to find a picture to post here. It is being built opposite the main terminal building and will be connected to the terminal via an airbridge that already exists. It will also be very close to the Athens Sofitel Airport hotel.

@ ALL: There are so many works in progress right now in my city that it's difficult even to count them. At last, Athens becomes a metropolis with all this infrastructure having nothing to do with the mega-village that it was some 5, 10 or 15 years ago :D.

How are the local people reacting to all these developments and construction sites ?

Bigger pic: :)

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL85/949935/2682391/34156441.jpg

Originally posted by KONSTANTINOUPOLIS

Olympic Stadion-small update

"The pieces of the roof 's arcs are now being assembled with the help of the temporary metal "towers".A first part is already fitted together and now hangs over the stadium.The photo below was shot today"

http://www.stadia.gr/oakaworks2.jpg

from Stadia.gr

A closer look.The Olympic Stadion will be gigantic when its complete.A really work of art.

http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004-oaka_calatrava.jpg

from Ethnos.gr

Is that the main stadium that I just posted a rendering of above? I can't believe you guys didn't tell me about it - you know how much I love this project!! Anyway I'm just relieved she's definitely being built. This will be one of the best pieces of contemporary architecture in the world. :)

Originally posted by De Snor

How are the local people reacting to all these developments and construction sites ?

Not that positively I'm afraid dear Stephan. I know that almost ALL the visible infrastructure works (that excludes the Athens subway system which is-as the word denotes- underground and thusly not visible) have been taken to the State Council (we call it Symvoulio tis Epikrareias for the Greeks here) by many NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) citizens. Now, there are two major points of view here:

First, given the time pressure it is highly probable that some works might have not been given the proper concern with regards to the environmental hazards they would impose to their neighbouring urban communities. I would say that some 15% of those appeals have reasonable grounds for consideration. However, and I confess it with the upmost embarrassment here, most of the appeals were made by local authorities and interest groups with no reason and with dubious purposes. The most characteristic example is the enlargement of the Varis-Koropiou road (to the east of Athens) a very significant arterial road which connects the coastal suburbs of Athens-Piraeus with the new Athens International Airport. At some point on this road there are some folk taverns (ta hasapica tis Varis for the Greeks here). These taverns employ some people (probably Albanian emigrants :D) to wear Greek folk costumes (dressed as evzones) and point their shepherd stics (we call them glitses in Greek) to the cars driving by to invite them in. Can you imagine that the owners made an appeal to state council and said that the road shouldn't be enlarged because this will not allow any space for these guys to do their show? :eek:

I can keep on with many examples which simply show how selfish my compatriots are at times.

@ Monkey: My apologies mate for not receiving prompt info. Thisngs happen so fast in Athens, it's difficult to keep track of everything and unfortunately, I am the only regular Greek here in a forum of 4,700 at the time of writing. It's a shame but that's how it is... :(

Grigori, you are doing a fine job for Athens and Greece as a whole brother.

I'll start coming back more often to help you out more. :D

Originally posted by Prometheus

Grigori, you are doing a fine job for Athens and Greece as a whole brother.

I'll start coming back more often to help you out more. :D

Dear Prometheus

File mou, I am not writing that there are no regular Greek participants here, in order to poke on the Greeks already participating. I said it a thousand times before: Where the f*** are all the architecture students and the construction community? Also, I understand that many people may have a rich and healthy social life and may not be available to write and post here on a 7/7 weekly day basis. The problem is not with the participants but with the absent ones. Like I said: How come that in the biggest architecture (even highrise) forum on the globe there are only 4 Greeks posting?

BTW: Read next post:

I knew about this for quite some time. I present you with the info that I know and I hope that I will find out more on this.

In some (a handful to be precise) electronic and printed publications about the works currently in progress in the Athens Olympic Complex in Maroussi-Kalogreza, there have been some indications that a tall structure will be erected in the south-west area of the complex somewhere, I reckon, between the velodrome and the main Olympic Stadium (not much enlightening for the non Greeks, I know, sorry guys).

Anyway, thanks to the forumers at http://www.stadia.gr (which is THE source of information about the Greek stadiums and it is the type of site and forum that I would very much to do about Athens architecture once, congrats to the admin, George Xenidis), I present you with the structure. Unfortunately it will not be inhabited as it seems but it will be at a height of 110m according to a source from the ministry of culture and will definitely change the skyline of the area if built.

http://users.panafonet.gr/georxen/other/cauldron.jpg

In case of this project materialised, this will be the tallest structure in Athens (and Greece) ever built (if we exclude a chimney in a power plant in Keratsini, near the port of Piraeus), height 150m) and some 7m taller than the Athens tower which stands at 103m of height in Ampelokipi North-central Athens.

I feel happy today!!! :):):):)

Is that the cauldron designed by Calatrava? Do we know have the cauldron will look like? :)

Originally posted by Cobi

Is that the cauldron designed by Calatrava? Do we know have the cauldron will look like? :)

@ Cobi

My information does not suggest that the tall structure will be the cauldron, (too far away from the main Olympic Stadium) although it looks like this "sewing needle" of a tower was designed by the one and only Sandiago. It's too much his style anyway :):):)

As for the cualdron, I think Nessuno has posted something in page 2 or 3 of this thread. I will look up for a pic of it tomorrow.

Buenas Noches and we talk tomorrow :)

Originally posted by gm2263 @ Monkey: My apologies mate for not receiving prompt info. Thisngs happen so fast in Athens, it's difficult to keep track of everything and unfortunately, I am the only regular Greek here in a forum of 4,700 at the time of writing. It's a shame but that's how it is... :( No worries Gregory - I was only kidding. It's just that I love this project and I was really worried they had left it too late and would abandon the roof. Also how is work coming along on the Pancretan Stadium?

http://www.stadia.gr/pankritio7.jpg

The following photo is not mine, nor do I have permission to post it on my website (I don't want a free ad - Gregory knows what I'm talking about ;) ). I don't see a problem posting it here though, so...

Here's a pic of the Pancretan in August:

http://users.panafonet.gr/georxen/other/pancretan.jpg

I would like to introduce myself - my nick is Hamburger, because I'm from the city in Northern Germany and I'm dedicated to the Olympic Games.

So I can hardly wait for ATHINA 2004 - and I'm glad to get information about the Summer Games as most I can get.

I'm certain we will see great games - according the Olympic motto: ƒ¡ƒ¯ƒ¥ƒ¡ƒ_ƒ¯ƒ_ƒ±ƒ£ƒ¯ƒŸ ƒµƒ¥ƒ©ƒ_ƒ±ƒ£ƒ¯ƒŸ ƒ¢ƒ²ƒ«ƒŸƒ±ƒ_ƒ±ƒ£ƒ¯ƒŸ (Citius Altius Fortius)

Hamburger ;) :D :cool:


oops - Greek letters do not work here in this forum

@ Monkey: It's OK old chap. Wait for more news as they come.

@ Hamburger: Welcome to the zoo and thanks for your words. We are here to report anything fresh on the subject matter.

WELCOME to the forum Hamburger. Enjoy this WONDERFUL thread. :)

Originally posted by mitsubishi

The following photo is not mine, nor do I have permission to post it on my website (I don't want a free ad - Gregory knows what I'm talking about ;) ). I don't see a problem posting it here though, so...

Here's a pic of the Pancretan in August:

http://users.panafonet.gr/georxen/other/pancretan.jpg Great! Almost finished!! Thanks mate. :)

http://www.astynet.gr/images/b_syntagma1.jpg

;) ;) ;)

@Marco Bruno: That's the existing "Syntagma" square {constitution square} and that's a plan of its "modernization"


For the rest, I was out for a long time [long vacation, uni exams etc] and currently I'm having problems with my pc. It's good to see that my fellow Greeks are doing a great job here -polla xairetismata Gregory & Prometheus, na'ste kala- I hope that soon I'll be back on track, Athens is changing rapidly

Take care,

Nessy :)

@ gm2263 and cobi

Thanks for your kind words.



@gm2263 or nessuno

in German TV was a programme about Athens 2004 - including an interview with Dora Bakoyannis (she speaks very good German) - in this programme the Helliniko Olympic Complex (esp. the handball and the fencing venue) was shown and the construction workers looked very busy - Could you be so kind and give an update about this Complex?

@ Hamburger , herzlich wilkommen am besten thread im € Forum .
Hasst Du etwas zu melden über Athen , hier is die richtige Platz !

@ Hamburger:

The Hellenikon area is the area of the old Athens Airport before where a number of Olympic installations are to be completed and operated. I will have a full account of the developments there later today. Indeed these projects need a good presentation.

Talk later.

Originally posted by De Snor
@ Hamburger , herzlich wilkommen am besten thread im € Forum .
Hasst Du etwas zu melden über Athen , hier is die richtige Platz !

@de snor,

danke schön - ich werde es bestimmt machen.



@gm2263

thanks - it is very difficult to get news about Athens 2004 here in Germany - there were "just" programmes about the Olympic Games one year before the Games - at the moment nothing.

:moods:

Cool!!! Calatrava works are always interesting, including this one!
http://www.ethnos.gr/pages/images_b/2004oaka_new11-view.jpg

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS(Transports) SEPTEMBER 2003


Pharos interchange-N.Psychico(1)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05133.jpg

Vari-Koropi avenue(1)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05606.jpg

Attiki Odos Motorway-Suburban railway(2)
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04222_001p.jpg

Kymis avenue-Attiki Odos interchange(1)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05727.jpg

Road constructions in the grade separated flyover of Kifissou - Poseidonos Avenues(2)
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04227_006p.jpg

Suburban Railway(1),(2)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05611.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04225_004p.jpg

Constructions in the Imittos Western Peripheral Zone(2)
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04225_007p.jpg

Doukisis Plakendias multiple traffic junction(1)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05425.jpg

Also <Neratziotissa> the transport hub in Maroussi(North Athina) is U/C
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/VenOakaCalatNeratziotissa.jpg

(1)pics from daniilidis.gr
(2)pics from athens2004.gr

Greetings

nice!
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04222_001p.jpg


interesting roads. I like the railway in the midle...
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05611.jpg

very good!!!
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04225_004p.jpg

Calatrava?
http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/VenOakaCalatNeratziotissa.jpg

;)

Nessuno, glad to hear from you again friend!! :)

Kosta phile mou, ti egine me ton AEK stin Gallia? Paizame san tous Gavrous. Elpizo na kairdisoume to PSV se liges evdomades.

@Marco Bruno,

Yes that's the Calatrava-designed new "Neratziotissa" metro station in Athens Olympic Sports Complex.
I can't wait to see how Athens will look like in May 2004. It's gonna be a long but exciting winter :)

@Promithea,gia sou file pos ta pernas ola entaksi?Pragmati i aek den epekse kala kai to hirotero ine oti apo kapia stigmi kai meta ta paratise den prospathise.Ego pistevo oti ston agona me tin psv etsi kai peksi tin bala pou kseri den tha ehi provlima gia na pari tin niki.

@Marco Bruno,this is for you

The U/C Suburban Railway of Athina,more details in the near future,until then enjoy a sample from aodos.gr(pics 1,2) and siemens.com(pic 3)

http://www.aodos.gr/newsite/road/high/100.jpg

http://www.aodos.gr/newsite/road/high/107.jpg

http://www.siemens.com/Daten/siecom/HQ/TS/Internet/Transportation_Systems/WORKAREA/reinhold/templatedata/Deutsch/file/binary/24086pic_24086.jpeg

The olympic Velodrome-September 03

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/VenOakaCalatVelodrome.jpg

http://www.calatrava.com/slides/olympic_sports_athens_06.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08706.jpg

pic 1 athens2004.gr
pic 2 calatrava.com
pic 3 daniilidis.gr

Thank you for the nice pics! The Calatrava structures for the stadiums are very good!!! The roads are interesting with the railway between. The trains design seems also good. I will try to check more on siemens site...

Thanks again! ;)

Originally posted by Hamburger

@ gm2263 and cobi

Thanks for your kind words.



@gm2263 or nessuno

in German TV was a programme about Athens 2004 - including an interview with Dora Bakoyannis (she speaks very good German) - in this programme the Helliniko Olympic Complex (esp. the handball and the fencing venue) was shown and the construction workers looked very busy - Could you be so kind and give an update about this Complex?

First of all: I like it that the Greek gang is back. Ti kanete paidia?

@ Hamburger: Sorry about the delay. Here's some info on the Hellenikon complex and its history.

The Hellenikon complex as it is called is built on the site of the old Athens airport which was in operation on the south-east coast of Attica (the prefecture that Athens belongs), before the new Athens airport was completed in the area of Spata (North-East Attica), by the German contractor Hochtief GMBH :)

Here's the location of the complex:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/maps/HellinikoComplexEN.jpg

...and here's the location with an aerial of the outdated airport (which was romantic in its primitivism though... :() prior to its shutdown. The upper side of the pic points to the north.

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/VenHCO1.jpg

...now the complex we are talking about is located to the south of the main runway, and consists of two main areas:

Main Hellenikon complex, and the Aghios Kosmas Olympic Training centre. For the latter, I can say that it was inaugurated a few days ago and this will allow the Hellenic Olympic Team (and any other visitor) to train in some of the most modern installations in Europe. It is located to the south of the coastal avenue which is (visible in the low end of the previous pic), which means that the athletes are free to swim if they so wish...

Now, the Main Hellenikon Olympic Complex, is located between the runway and the coastal highway (visible in the low end of the pic). Here's the a small pic of the plan of the installations:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/VenHCO2.jpg

...and here's the rendering of the complex:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/Helliniko_Masterplan_3d.jpg

...and if you want the detailed plan (or any other picture of many that we will se here in BIG size, click here (http://www.athens2004.com/page/default.asp?id=8893&la=2) and follow the instructions for more.


The Hellenikon Complex consists of the following facilities:
(Description follows with comments from http://www.athens2004.com in italics

1. The Olympic Baseball Centre

The Olympic Baseball Centre, part of the Helliniko Olympic Complex, in the south of Athens, is a new construction which will host the sport of baseball, a less familiar sport for Greece but not for the rest of the sports world. It will include two main courts, one of 9,000 and another of 4,000 seats that will accommodate the fans of baseball from all nations. The Ministry of Environment, Public Welfare and Public Works will complete this project by January 2004.

2. The Olympic Softball Stadium

One main softball field of 5,000 seats and two warm-up fields will be constructed by the Ministry of Environment, Public Welfare and Public Works by the beginning of 2004.

3. The Olympic Hockey Centre

The Olympic Hockey Centre is a new construction, in the south of Athens, with one large pitch of 8,000 seats and a smaller one of 2,000 seats. It will also include a warm-up pitch for the training of all athletes that will take part in the competition of Hockey. The Ministry of Environment, Public Welfare and Public Works will complete the project by January 2004.

4. The Indoor Arena and Fencing Hall

Three worldwide sporting events will be hosted at the Indoor Arena and the Fencing Hall of the Helliniko Olympic Complex (a southern suburb of Athens). The preliminaries of basketball and the finals of handball will take place at the Indoor Arena and the preliminaries and final of fencing, at the Fencing Hall. The Indoor Arena includes a 15,000-seated capacity area, whereas the Fencing Hall has two rooms: one of 3,500 seats for the preliminaries and a 5,000 seated room for the finals of fencing. Both will result from the existing facility but with additions and overlays according to those sports Olympic requirements. The Ministry of Environment, Public Welfare and Public Works will complete this project by January 2004.

Renderings:

Outdoor view:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/3_0152_Hellinikon_Indoor_Hall_Situation.jpg

(Note: This is where the site of the old Olympic Airways big hangar used to be in the old airport)

Indoor view:

http://www.athens2004.com/files/venusfull/3_0153_Hellinikon_Indoor_Hall.jpg

...and here is an aerial pic of the complex as per September 2003:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08214.jpg
(C) Nikos Daniilidis

...and some interesting notes:

Most of the installations of the Hellenikon Complex will be usable after the Olympics although the uses may change (I am not sure for instance that baseball will ever be popular in Greece).

A very important part of the story is what will it become of the rest of the installations of the Athens airport. As most Greeks and foreign visitors know, the old Athens airport had two terminals, namely the west terminal (:puke: -ugly and primitive, now under total reconstruction in order to hosting most of the stadia of the Hellenikon Olympic complex), which was used exclusively by Olympic Airways, and the East air terminal which was completed in 1969 and was the design of the famous Finnish-American Architect Eero Saarinen.

Here are some pics of this terminal:

http://www.hcaa-eleng.gr/atheast.jpg

...and most importantly this one which shows the true architect's vision:

http://www.culture2000.tee.gr/ATHENS/COMMON/BUILD_PHOTOS/75a.jpg

Notably, the terminal was completed long after the architect's death. Anyway, the terminal and its extensions (including another hall of equal size next to it) will be used as a convention centre while the rest of the airport's area will be used a huge park which, upon completion will definitely be one of the biggest in Europe, but all that after the Olympics. For the time being, the old airport halls are used for exhibitions, while the aircraft tarmacs host cart races and other similar events.

I hope I have enlightened you with all the above. Guys, as I am typing I hear the distant sounds of progressive trance coming through my window from the University campus (located some 5 minutes driving from my house) and I think I may go there take a look

:guns1: :cheers:
:rock: :rock:
Talk tomorrow

Thanks gm2263,

no problem at all - I´m glad about the detailed "report" - I will read it tomorrow carefully, because I´m a little bit tired after my birthday family celebration today.

:) :D

Yes - let us talk tomorrow.

I am not sure for instance that baseball will ever be popular in Greece.

:rofl::laugh: Lol, Gregory, that's a good one! :laugh::rofl: I'm sure they'll find some use for it. :)

You're really excellent at showing and explaining all the preparations for the Olympics that are going on in Athens, thank you! :okay:

And of course it's great to see the other Greek forumers back! :wave:

Yeah - it is a great job gm2263,

thanks very much.

U/C Motorway Service Stations – Mixed Use Motopolis

REDS.gr claims that the largest MSS in Europe, are to be found on the Attiki Odos, in the Mesogeia Region, and Aspropirgos, respectively.So lets see the projects one by one.


MOTOPOLIS MESOGEIA

Motopolis Mesogeia can be found in between junctions 17 and 18 of the Attiki Odos Ringroad. In addition to leading national chains, Motopolis Mesogeia will include international companies such as Ericsson (12.000 m2 head offices) and a 4 star Holiday Inn Hotel, there will be a connecting bridge, allowing its users to return without passing a second set of tolls.
The project is due to be complete in 2003, however the petrol stations are functioning and open from the summer of 2002

TOTAL SURFACE AREA : 67.422 m2
GBA : 33.710 m2
COMPLETION : FEBRUARY 2002 : ÅÊÏ PETROL STATION
JUNE 2003 : OFFICES, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, RETAILS, SUPER MARKET, PARKING
The date must be wrong,because in june hasn’t completed yet

Photos

http://www.reds.gr/images/mss/mesogeiwn_big.jpg

http://www.reds.gr/images/mss/sea_mes_big.jpg

http://www.reds.gr/images/mss/sea_mes_big2.jpg

http://www.reds.gr/images/mss/thumbnails_1_big.jpg

aodos.gr
http://www.aodos.gr/newsite/road/high/83.jpg



MOTOPOLIS ASPROPIRGOS

Motopolis Aspropirgos is located at junction 4 of the Attki Odos Motorway. It is as an exit and entrance point for those travelling to and from Peloponissos (W.Hellas) as well as for business users travelling to the industrial zone. Users will be able to avoid paying tolls on their return, via the use of an underpass which connects drivers to the opposite side of the motorway.
Motopolis Asprorirgos will be complete in 2004, with the petrol stations opening by December 2002.

TOTAL SURFACE AREA : 80.711 m2.
GBA : 40.356 m2.
RENOVATION COMPLETION : DECEMBER 2002 : ÅÊÏ PETROL STATION
JUNE 2004 : RESATURANTS, CAFES, RETAIL

aodos.gr
http://www.aodos.gr/newsite/road/high/86.jpg

The best Motopolis(until they get build the above projects) is <Sirios> in the national motorway Athina-lamia

Pics from goodys.gr
http://www.attikat.gr/edImages/sirios.JPG

http://www.goodys.com/15-24/main/1.3/photos/outbig/syrios.jpg

I am not sure for instance that baseball will ever be popular in Greece

Greek baseball team is currently second best in Europe! :eek: (After Netherlands) It was the biggest surprise in the latest European Baseball Cup, the Greek team won the silver medal.
There is a high possibility of winning a medal in Athens, after the games, baseball will definetely be more popular

@Konstantinoupolis, thanks for the pics. I haven't ever heard of motopolis projects, looks very intresting.

Here are pics of other Calatrava works for Athens 2004:


Olympic Velodrome:

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL85/949935/2682391/35435442.jpg


Agora Promenade Arcade:

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL85/949935/2682391/35435439.jpg


Entrance Canopies at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex:

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL85/949935/2682391/35435436.jpg


Neratziotissa transport hub:

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL85/949935/2682391/35435434.jpg

Guys, I can see that this thread is full of activity and that's encouraging!!!

First of all, congrats to Konstantinoupolis for the Attiki Odos pics. True, those motorway service stations are worthwhile additions and practically needed because both Messogeia and Aspropyrgos are not part of what we might call "Athens urban fabric", even if we outstretch the concept of "metro area". In the station in Messogeia, (seen in the pic below), one of these two buildings will be the Athens Airport Holiday Inn (well, it's some 5 or so km away from the airport... anyway, I like this complex)

http://www.reds.gr/images/mss/sea_mes_big2.jpg

Also @ Monkey:

One additional work of Kalatrava for which unfortunately I haven't yet seen any visible progress towards its completion will be a footbridge with a giant mast which will be located in the intersection of Messogeion and Katehaki avenues, where there is also a station of the Athens Metro (underground) rail, as per the following picture:

http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/data/D2001/D0829/2kn20a.jpg

We have seen this before, but it's good not to forget it... :):):)

Also, the Neratziotissa hub if I remember correctly, will serve the transferring passenders from the Athens metro (line 1, Green) to the Athens suburban rail which will be in the middle of the (famous after reading this post) Attiki Odos (Attica Road) :).

Still, we haven;t talked that much about this suburban rail which will expand in the periphery of Athens soon, with one of its branches being in the middle of Attiki Odos. However, I can tell you (on a very sketchy basis) that with the Athens metro (lines 1, 2 and 3), the two initial branches of the suburban rail (two lines) nd the two tram lines (Actually they will serve three itineraries but in the map they look like two lines), Athens starts to show a metropolitan image which will hopefully be improved in the future...

All of you, have a hapy weekend!

...and here is a photo of the Athens Olympic Stadium works in progress as they look from the top of a wheel in an entertainment park in Maroussi, the "Olympic Suburb", where the main Athens Olympic Complex is located. The pic was taken by myself late September and is posted somewhere in http://www.stadia.gr, thanks to the admin of this site.

http://www.stadia.gr/oakaworksgregory.jpg

PS (I went up there with my mother so that I would not run the risk of being taken as a child molester as there were many kids there and with my size and goaty beard, people may assume a lot these days... :lol:

Originally posted by Paris
Although I had in my plans to post many Athens 2004 Update threads in various topics I think that this cosi corner would also be good :)

@Gregory

I didn't know that of Iridanos river! Thanks for your information
Also the red line station at Heliopolis (Suncity :D ) is due to be finished by the end of the summer. And the metro is currently expanding to the north and east

Btw whats your opinion about the tram? It's a very important project but many residents of the coastal zone are protesting against it (mainly at Faliron). Works have already been started though.

Me as a coastal resident I don't want it in my neighborhood distrincts (Voula - Vouliagmeni) :mad:
It is said though that it will end at Glyfada, so we are ok
I believe that the main problem is at the Faliron and mainly at Flesvos area. I hope for a solution to be found for both sides because many people need the tram but it would be a crime to destroy the wonderful pedestrial coastal street of Flesvos :(

Also the Attica road it will certainly give a big breath to the tortured civilians
And from my place I'll be at Kifissia in 20 mins :eek:

Anyway, I'll be back with news from the almost finished Pancretian stadium in beautiful Crete :cool:

The tram must be the most poorly planned, visionLESS project in Athens right now and its a damn shame that the pleas of the Faliro mayor werent heard by the YPEXODE which were for the tram to bypass Flisvos through Pikrodafnis street.
But anyway, what stands for Faliro also stands for Alimos and Glyfada (where i live).
As if it werent enough that the tram takes away space from already limited pedestrian walks and parking space... the cherry on the cake...the coast will be filled with BEAUTIFUL power lines along the way for electrification purposes. Oh, not to mention the also BEAUTIFUL, non descript, boxy transformer buildings every kilometer or so..

Well, this project does nothing but prove the lack of vision those idiots in high offices have for Athens.
And until they realise that one of Athens' greatest attributes is the fact it is the only European metropolis of its kind dotted with a such a spectacular coastline, I can guarantee all of you this city will never realise its full potential..

Gm2263

"Notably, the terminal was completed long after the architect's death. Anyway, the terminal and its extensions (including another hall of equal size next to it) will be used as a convention centre while the rest of the airport's area will be used a huge park which, upon completion will definitely be one of the biggest in Europe, but all that after the Olympics. For the time being, the old airport halls are used for exhibitions, while the aircraft tarmacs host cart races and other similar events. "

According to the latest news, there will not be a "huge" park in the site of the former airport. When that was first announed by Simitis, and specifically ...the "biggest metropolitan park in Europe", I know alot of people around here who just laughed at him. And now it appears what everyone predicted will happen.
According to Eleftherotypia, the government striked a deal with the construction companies that are building for the Olympics to grant them construction rights on a bit less than half of the site in exchange to paying the skyrocketing costs of the Olympic preps.

@ Athenian:

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your remarks.

Between us, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about... I believe what we will need is good luck since brains seems to be a scarce commodity in our precious country...

As for Mr Simitis's works, exw polla ramata gia th gouna tou, kai aytou alla kai toy 'megalou igeti' prokatohou tou, kai ton proigoumenon pou gl;ifontai mipos kai xanakivernisoun. Apla den thelo na vgalw ta aplyta mas sti fora...

kalos orises sto forum.

S'efxaristw gm2263,

Diavazw polla apo ta threads sou poly kairo twra kai ta vriskw ola fantastika.
Prepei na leme ta kala, opws ta les esy, alla ..giati na krivoume ta asxima?

Tin Ellada tin agapw kai tin Athina perissotero alla an einai kati se afti tin xwra pou misw einai to gegonos anysixoume synexeia gia ta matia twn ksenwn enw tha eprepe na exoume aksioprepeia gia ton eafto mas prota.

Oi Olympiakoi pou mas eferan erga pou eprepe na exoun ginei 20 xronia tora (kai afta oute ta misa den einai), mas lene oti tha anevasoun to goitro tis xwras sto ekswteriko kai tha anevei i ethniki perifania. Ti goitro mporei na exei mia xwra me ena toso anikano kratos kai ti perifania mporei na anaptyksei enas laos pou prospathei sinexeia na kryvei ta elatwmata tou?

Giati prepei diladi emeis oi aploi polites na anysixoume gia tin diafimisi tis xwra, otan i provoli tis prepei na einai apotelesma swstis leitourgias kai swstwn politikwn tou idiou tou kratous?

Kai egw etsi imoun paliotera gm2263 ews otou katalava oti oso perissotero kryvoume ta aplyta mas stous eksw toso perissotero ypostirizoume to politiko katestimeno pou mas kyverna alla den mas ekfrazei.
As ta leme loipon kai ayta, kai as dysfimizomaste stous ksenous giati mono etsi tha katalavei ayto to kratos, pou anysixei gia ta matia tous kai mono, tin anikanotita tou kai as papsoume na parousiazoume tous eaytous mas san kati pou den eimaste kai na diogkwnoume tin ethniki pseydesthisi oti kati aksizoume (einai skliro ayto pou lew alla i pikri, poly pikri, alithia einai oti to mono gia to opoio eimaste gnwstoi einai o ilios, i thalassa kai enas politismos pou esvise dyo xiliades xronia prin, pragmata gia ta opoia den eimaste kan ypeythinoi)

Tespa, den thelw na xalasw tin atmosfera.

Keep up the good work :)

Gia sou Athenian kai apo emena
Gia na doume ta legomena sou

Les:
Tin Ellada tin agapw kai tin Athina perissotero alla an einai kati se afti tin xwra pou misw einai to gegonos anysixoume synexeia gia ta matia twn ksenwn enw tha eprepe na exoume aksioprepeia gia ton eafto mas prota.

Gia to oti prepi na ehoume aksioprepia simfono APOLITA.Oso giati to anisihoume sinehos gia ta matia ton ksenon boris na mas to eksigisis kalitera pos to siberenis auto?.Giati ego vlepo mia megali merida tou neoellinikou laou na kinitai metaksi poustias kai douloprepias.Poustias giati opote vri tin efkeria tha tin kani gia na konomisi I gia na glitosi tis sinepies apo tis malakies pou kani.Ehontas metatrepsi mia hora gemati Kalos kai Armonia se ena neolliniko ektroma kakogoustias kai vromias(mehri kai sto telefteo horio na pas tha dis -esto kai ligo- skoupidia ston dromo)Douleprepia giati eno oi progonoi mas itan laos geneos pou den afine ANAPANTITI KAMIA PROKLISI kai iperaspizotane tin patrida me tin zoy tou tin idia kai itan YPERIFANOS gia afto emis oi oi neollines anti gia na paradigmatistoume apo enan Platona ena Themistokli ena Leonida ehoume entrifisi mia eshri ksenomania,ohaderfismo kai anohi stis voules ton politikon toses dekaeties tora.
Kai mou les oti aftos o laos endiaferete giati tin ikona tis Elladas sto eksoteriko ?
Ama isouna touristas kai erhosouna edo gia diakopes tetio syberasma tha evgazes?Oti oi katikoi aftis tis horas endiaferonte gia tin provoli tou topou tous sto eksoteriko?

Oi Olympiakoi pou mas eferan erga pou eprepe na exoun ginei 20 xronia tora (kai afta oute ta misa den einai), mas lene oti tha anevasoun to goitro tis xwras sto ekswteriko kai tha anevei i ethniki perifania. Ti goitro mporei na exei mia xwra me ena toso anikano kratos kai ti perifania mporei na anaptyksei enas laos pou prospathei sinexeia na kryvei ta elatwmata tou?

Diladi gia na katalavo kala I aksioprepia kai I perifania pou les ehi na kani me ta olymbiaka erga?To oti olos o kosmos(akoma kai edomesa) ley ta Skopia Macedonia den se apasholi katholou?Gia to oti ipoferoun ta adefia mas stin B.ypiro,Imvro kai Tenedo?I katohi tis Kiprou kai kai...Ayta den se endiaferoun?Diladi tha prepi na niosoume ethniki iperifania otan doume to oaka me tin stegi calatrava olokliromeno?

Giati prepei diladi emeis oi aploi polites na anysixoume gia tin diafimisi tis xwra, otan i provoli tis prepei na einai apotelesma swstis leitourgias kai swstwn politikwn tou idiou tou kratous?

Giati oi politikoi apodedigmena ehoun diksi oti den theloun to kalo kai tin proodo tis Elladas.Kapoios epitelous prepi na voithisi afti tin rimadohora.Kai pera apo aftous tous ligous pou kanoun ta adinata dinata enantia sto sistima(M.M.E,kratos) kai tin maza ton neollinon pou ehoun galouhithi me big brother,Tatiana stefanidou klp kai molis akousi esto kai mia anaphora gia Ellada to poromeno kai prokatelimeno mialo(I leksi dialogos ine agnosti leksi) tous tha ksestomisi katefthian "ethnikisti" "fasista"

Kai egw etsi imoun paliotera gm2263 ews otou katalava oti oso perissotero kryvoume ta aplyta mas stous eksw toso perissotero ypostirizoume to politiko katestimeno pou mas kyverna alla den mas ekfrazei.

Poli orea alla episis na grapsoume to poso MI katharos(gia na min po tipote varitero) kai asevis laos imaste apenanti stin fisi kai stous sinanthropous mas,mia volta se mia opiadipote poli I eksohi tha tous pisi katefthian,episis gia oti katalamvanoume tis protes thesis se ektrosis,aftokinistika distihimata,diazigia,katanalosi alkool kai tsigaron,diafthoras...Ine mono merika,kai telos na tous poume to poso ipoferoume apo to kratos tosa hronia pou EMEIS eklegoume,bas kai mas lipithoune oi evropeoi I h amerikanoi oste na erthoun na mas sosoun mias kai apo oti fenetai den imaste pleon ikanoi na sosoume oute tous idious mas tous eaftous.

As ta leme loipon kai ayta, kai as dysfimizomaste stous ksenous giati mono etsi tha katalavei ayto to kratos, pou anysixei gia ta matia tous kai mono, tin anikanotita tou kai as papsoume na parousiazoume tous eaytous mas san kati pou den eimaste kai na diogkwnoume tin ethniki pseydesthisi oti kati aksizoume (einai skliro ayto pou lew alla i pikri, poly pikri, alithia einai oti to mono gia to opoio eimaste gnwstoi einai o ilios, i thalassa kai enas politismos pou esvise dyo xiliades xronia prin, pragmata gia ta opoia den eimaste kan ypeythinoi)

Esi aderfe den ksero pos erminevis tin leksi “Aksia”(mipos ton idio orismo pou dinis kai ston oro "iperifania") kai oti an niothis oti den aksizis epidi paradigma den ehi I athina ouranoksistes I sostous dromous ine dikeoma sou.Ego ime perifanos gia tin patrida mou,tous progonous mou,otan ta legomena simvadizoun me tis praksis mou,to mantio ton Delfon kai ohi ta calatravia erga,Areti.dikeosini,isonomia k.a.Oso gia ton ilio,thallasa kai politismo pou les boris na mou pis ti theoris simantikotero? mia hora pou diatheti fisiki omorfia kai enan spoudeo politismo I mia hora pou den diatheti tipota apo afta ta 2 alla ehi poli kales ipodomes?Kai min ksehnas tous politikous aftous opos sou ipa kai parapano EMIS tous psifisame kai psifizoume kai ipo tin eglimatiki anohi MAS aselgoun stin Ellada tosa hronia,ite prokete gia ipodemes,ethnika themata,kinonia.

Perimeno tis apantisis sou file ***

Gia kai se sena KONSTANTINOUPOLIS,

Originally posted by KONSTANTINOUPOLIS

"Gia to oti prepi na ehoume aksioprepia simfono APOLITA.Oso giati to anisihoume sinehos gia ta matia ton ksenon boris na mas to eksigisis kalitera pos to siberenis auto?.Giati ego vlepo mia megali merida tou neoellinikou laou na kinitai metaksi poustias kai douloprepias.Poustias giati opote vri tin efkeria tha tin kani gia na konomisi I gia na glitosi tis sinepies apo tis malakies pou kani.Ehontas metatrepsi mia hora gemati Kalos kai Armonia se ena neolliniko ektroma kakogoustias kai vromias(mehri kai sto telefteo horio na pas tha dis -esto kai ligo- skoupidia ston dromo)Douleprepia giati eno oi progonoi mas itan laos geneos pou den afine ANAPANTITI KAMIA PROKLISI kai iperaspizotane tin patrida me tin zoy tou tin idia kai itan YPERIFANOS gia afto emis oi oi neollines anti gia na paradigmatistoume apo enan Platona ena Themistokli ena Leonida ehoume entrifisi mia eshri ksenomania,ohaderfismo kai anohi stis voules ton politikon toses dekaeties tora.
Kai mou les oti aftos o laos endiaferete giati tin ikona tis Elladas sto eksoteriko ?
Ama isouna touristas kai erhosouna edo gia diakopes tetio syberasma tha evgazes?Oti oi katikoi aftis tis horas endiaferonte gia tin provoli tou topou tous sto eksoteriko?"

Ayta ta xalia gia ta opoia milas, kai pou tha dei o touristas pou erxetai stin ellada, einai aporoia aytis tis eleipsis aksioprepias pou exei o Ellinas gia ton eayto tou kai gia ta opoia i gkrinia exei ginei ethniko spor. Otan omws erthei i stigmi na pei kati o ksenos gia afta, stin kaliteri periptwsi tha prospathisoume na ton peisoume gia to antitheto, stin xeiroteri, tha ton vgaloume psefti, trelo i "anthellina".

"Diladi gia na katalavo kala I aksioprepia kai I perifania pou les ehi na kani me ta olymbiaka erga?To oti olos o kosmos(akoma kai edomesa) ley ta Skopia Macedonia den se apasholi katholou?Gia to oti ipoferoun ta adefia mas stin B.ypiro,Imvro kai Tenedo?I katohi tis Kiprou kai kai...Ayta den se endiaferoun?Diladi tha prepi na niosoume ethniki iperifania otan doume to oaka me tin stegi calatrava olokliromeno?"


Kaneis lathos. I Olympiaki proetoimasia den einai toso apli ypothesi. Exei para poly liga na kanei me mia olokliromeni stegi Calatrava kai polla me tin idia tin leitourgia tou kratous, twn koinwnikwn kai sindikalistikwn forewn, to syntonismo, tin apofasistikotita, to nomiko kathestos, ton vathmo diafthoras kai diaplokis, tis symmetoxis twn MME kai tou poio aplou politi aytis tis xwras.
Tha mporousa na epektathw se kathena apo ayta gia na sou apodeiksw pws i simerini katantia twn Olympiakwn ergwn enexei ola ta arnitika xaraktiristika tis neoellinikis psyxosynthesis gia ta opoia milouses prin, alla nomizw oti ta ksereis.

Oso gia ta ypoloipa, ennoountai, alla to na anaferomaste se afta einai atopo dedomenis tis thematologias aytou edw tou forum.


"Poli orea alla episis na grapsoume to poso MI katharos(gia na min po tipote varitero) kai asevis laos imaste apenanti stin fisi kai stous sinanthropous mas,mia volta se mia opiadipote poli I eksohi tha tous pisi katefthian,episis gia oti katalamvanoume tis protes thesis se ektrosis,aftokinistika distihimata,diazigia,katanalosi alkool kai tsigaron,diafthoras...Ine mono merika,kai telos na tous poume to poso ipoferoume apo to kratos tosa hronia pou EMEIS eklegoume,bas kai mas lipithoune oi evropeoi I h amerikanoi oste na erthoun na mas sosoun mias kai apo oti fenetai den imaste pleon ikanoi na sosoume oute tous idious mas tous eaftous."

"Esi aderfe den ksero pos erminevis tin leksi “Aksia”(mipos ton idio orismo pou dinis kai ston oro "iperifania") kai oti an niothis oti den aksizis epidi paradigma den ehi I athina ouranoksistes I sostous dromous ine dikeoma sou.Ego ime perifanos gia tin patrida mou,tous progonous mou,otan ta legomena simvadizoun me tis praksis mou,to mantio ton Delfon kai ohi ta calatravia erga,Areti.dikeosini,isonomia k.a.Oso gia ton ilio,thallasa kai politismo pou les boris na mou pis ti theoris simantikotero? mia hora pou diatheti fisiki omorfia kai enan spoudeo politismo I mia hora pou den diatheti tipota apo afta ta 2 alla ehi poli kales ipodomes?Kai min ksehnas tous politikous aftous opos sou ipa kai parapano EMIS tous psifisame kai psifizoume kai ipo tin eglimatiki anohi MAS aselgoun stin Ellada tosa hronia,ite prokete gia ipodemes,ethnika themata,kinonia.

Perimeno tis apantisis sou file apo tin "Athens"

Min ise apolytos.
Giati H to ena H to allo?
Giati oxi kai ta dyo..

Ayti sou i akrivws i prosseggisi filtate, tou na arkeisai diladi se pragmata pou sou exoun apla dothei einai apodeiksi eleipsis aksioprepeias pros ton eayto sou. Nai, i "aksia" sou metratai kai sto pws ta syntireis ayta. Alla oxi mono ekei dioti ena pragma kai isws to simantikotero pou mas diaxwrizei apo ta ypoloipa onta se ayto to planiti einai i enstiktwdis anagki tis aytodimiourgias (self-fulfilment) kai tis proodou twn anthropinwn dynatotitwn.
An den se endiaferei na epizitiseis ayta kai se ena swsto dromo, mia swsta domimeni poli kai mia kali ypodomi tote, kala kaneis alla mporeis na ta epizitiseis se allo forum pou endeiknoitai sta endiaferonta sou.

Ean omws se endiaferei kai i thematologia tou forum aytou tote as laveis ypospi sou oti i koinwniki, filosofiki kai epistimoniki proodos gia tin opoia milas einai apotelesmata aytis akrivws tis anagkis tis aytodimiourgias kai ta vlepeis akomi kai sto poio aplo pragma , apo tin arxitektoniki enos stadiou ews tin poiotita kataskevis enos dromou.
Min ypotimas loipon tin aksia aytwn twn pragmatwn dioti, oso apla kai an sou fenontai, einai kai ayta endikseis pollwn oswn gnorizoume gia ton arxaio politismo pou noiazesai toso, gia tin koinwnia kai tin proodo tou. Kai opws tote, etsi kai tora einai kai ayta mia morfi ekfrasis tou ekastote anthropinou politismou.

Synehizoume ton epikodomitiko mas dialogo file Athenian

Les:
''Ayta ta xalia gia ta opoia milas, kai pou tha dei o touristas pou erxetai stin ellada, einai aporoia aytis tis eleipsis aksioprepias pou exei o Ellinas gia ton eayto tou kai gia ta opoia i gkrinia exei ginei ethniko spor. Otan omws erthei i stigmi na pei kati o ksenos gia afta, stin kaliteri periptwsi tha prospathisoume na ton peisoume gia to antitheto, stin xeiroteri, tha ton vgaloume psefti, trelo i "anthellina".

Tha sou apantiso kai pali me ta idia logia,isos tora ta diavvasis kalitera
«Gia to oti prepi na ehoume aksioprepia simfono APOLITA.Oso giati to anisihoume sinehos gia ta matia ton ksenon boris na mas to eksigisis kalitera pos to siberenis auto?.Giati ego vlepo mia megali merida tou neoellinikou laou na kinitai metaksi poustias kai douloprepias.Poustias giati opote vri tin efkeria tha tin kani gia na konomisi I gia na glitosi tis sinepies apo tis malakies pou kani. »

Sta parapano pou diafonis?kai se ksanarotao me pion tropo autos o laos anisihi sinehia gia ta matia ton ksenon?

''Kaneis lathos. I Olympiaki proetoimasia den einai toso apli ypothesi. Exei para poly liga na kanei me mia olokliromeni stegi Calatrava kai polla me tin idia tin leitourgia tou kratous, twn koinwnikwn kai sindikalistikwn forewn, to syntonismo, tin apofasistikotita, to nomiko kathestos, ton vathmo diafthoras kai diaplokis, tis symmetoxis twn MME kai tou poio aplou politi aytis tis xwras.
Tha mporousa na epektathw se kathena apo ayta gia na sou apodeiksw pws i simerini katantia twn Olympiakwn ergwn enexei ola ta arnitika xaraktiristika tis neoellinikis psyxosynthesis gia ta opoia milouses prin, alla nomizw oti ta ksereis.
Edw pou ftasame, kai i stegi na oloklirothei, kai Olympiakoi na einai oi kalyteroi pou eginan pote, na ta tripsw sti mouri tous. As min pefteis kai esy sti pagida pou thelei na se riksei ayti i anikani kyvernisi. »

Katarhin simfono oti i olibiaki proetimasia den ine katholou apli ipothesi.Alla gia mena aytoi oi olibiakoi ton poliethnikon kai stin entelia na ginoun den iparhi periptosi oute kata diania na me kani « ethnika iperifano ».Na se rotiso lipon oi oloibiakoi agones athina2004 ton iperogon misthon,ton apefthias anatheseon,ton oikonomikon skandalon kai ton disvastahton danismon is varos(mantepse piou),an lipon oloklirothoun ola ta provlepomena erga kai ginoun stin entelia oi agones esi tha niosis iperifanos?

«Oso gia ta ypoloipa, ennoountai, alla to na anaferomaste se afta einai atopo dedomenis tis morfis aytou edw tou forum. »

Ta ipolipa ta anafera giati esi arhises na milas gia Ellada,Ellines kratos kai pai legontas

''Min ise apolytos.
Giati H to ena H to allo?
Giati oxi kai ta dyo..''

Apolitos?Katholou apla sou apantao.Anaferes me mia apaksiosi sto oti ehoume enan ilio mia thallasa kai enan politismo kai sou efera afto to paradigma,ontos ehoume provlima stis ipodomes(kai fteme emis giafto an katalaves afta pou sou leo parapano) alla min mas les « enan ilio mia thalassa kai ena politismo » les kai prokete gia kati to efteles kai tou mi aksiou sovaris anaforas.Kai sou epanalmvano oli aftin tin sizitisi pou ligo ehi na kani me tis kataskeves esi tin prokaleses kai ohi ego.
Opos vlepis ego apantao se ola ta legomena sou horis na ta kano souma gia na ta po opos pithanon me volevoun is varos tou kalou dialogou.To idio tha kano kai stin sinehia paralo pou ehis arhisi tous haraktirismous(kai to astio ine oti den me kseris kan)

''Ayti sou i akrivws i prosseggisi filtate, tou na arkeisai diladi se pragmata pou sou exoun apla dothei einai apodeiksi eleipsis aksioprepeias pros ton eayto sou.''

Sou edosa ego na katalavis apo afta pou ehoume pi metaksi mas alla kai tin olli parousia mou sto forum oti arkoume mono se afta pou mou ehoun ''dothi'' opos harakthristika anaferis ?

''Nai, i "aksia" sou metratai kai sto pws ta syntireis ayta''

Pos sintiro pia?

Alla oxi mono ekei

Alla k pou allou metrate I ''aksia'' mou?

''Ena pragma pou mas diaxwrizei apo ta ypoloipa onta se ayto to planiti einai i enstiktwdis anagki tis aytodimiourgias (self-fulfilment) kai tis proodou twn anthropinwn dynatotitwn.''

Simfono

An den se endiaferei na epizitiseis ayta kai se ena swsto dromo, mia swsta domimeni poli kai mia kali ypodomi tote, oxi oti kaneis lathos alla mporeis na ta epizitiseis se allo forum pou endeiknoitai sta endiaferonta sou.''

Aderfe esi poso kero parakolouthis to sigekrimeno forum?Ego to parakoloutho giro sta 1,5 me 2 hronia apo tote pou anike se kati Ollandous kai legotane hoogbouw.nl(pithanon na kano kai lathos den ime kai sigouros).Kai ehis tin entiposi oti to parakoloutho toso kero (me tous telefteous mines na eho kai energo simetohi) na min ine ena apo ta endiaferonta mou?

’’Ean omws se endiaferei kai afto gia to opoio yparxei ayto to edw to forum tote as laveis ypospi sou oti i koinwniki, filosofiki kai epistimoniki proodos gia tin opoia milas einai apotelesmata aytis akrivws tis anagkis tis aytodimiourgias kai ta vlepeis akomi kai sto poio aplo pragma , apo tin arxitektoniki enos stadiou ews tin poiotita kataskevis enos dromou.
Min ypotimas loipon tin aksia aytwn twn pragmatwn dioti, oso apla kai an sou fenontai, einai kai ayta endikseis pollwn oswn gnorizoume gia ton arxaio politismo pou noiazesai toso, gia tin koinwnia kai tin proodo tou. Kai opws tote, etsi kai tora einai kai ayta mia morfi ekfrasis tou ekastote anthropinou politismou.''

Den ipotimo tipota kai simfono oti ta panta pezoun ton rolo tous.Esi omos giati ta eksisonis ola kai ta vazis ola sto idio tsouvali.An o laos den ine igiys,diikoumenos apo enan episis igies politico sistima pos tha epelthi I proodos.Kai se rotao tora,paradigma an emis ihame tin apetoumenoi evesthisia kai paidia tha borousan oi megalokataskevastikes na kanoun ta orgia pou kanoun.?To oti imaste ohaderfistes oi politikoi ftene?

Tetios laos pou imaste aytoi oi politikoi mas aksizoun
Giafto min les tous halia politikous pou ehoun kani tis ipodomes tis horas *** alla na milas prota gia ton halia lao pou ekselekse kai eklegi tous halia politikous

Ayta kai kalo sou vradi

Synehizoume ton epikodomitiko mas dialogo file Athenian

Les:
''Ayta ta xalia gia ta opoia milas, kai pou tha dei o touristas pou erxetai stin ellada, einai aporoia aytis tis eleipsis aksioprepias pou exei o Ellinas gia ton eayto tou kai gia ta opoia i gkrinia exei ginei ethniko spor. Otan omws erthei i stigmi na pei kati o ksenos gia afta, stin kaliteri periptwsi tha prospathisoume na ton peisoume gia to antitheto, stin xeiroteri, tha ton vgaloume psefti, trelo i "anthellina".

Tha sou apantiso kai pali me ta idia logia,isos tora ta diavvasis kalitera
«Gia to oti prepi na ehoume aksioprepia simfono APOLITA.Oso giati to anisihoume sinehos gia ta matia ton ksenon boris na mas to eksigisis kalitera pos to siberenis auto?.Giati ego vlepo mia megali merida tou neoellinikou laou na kinitai metaksi poustias kai douloprepias.Poustias giati opote vri tin efkeria tha tin kani gia na konomisi I gia na glitosi tis sinepies apo tis malakies pou kani. »

Sta parapano pou diafonis?kai se ksanarotao me pion tropo autos o laos anisihi sinehia gia ta matia ton ksenon?

---Den diafwnisa, simplirosa kai apantisa stin defteri sou erwtisi kai i apantisi einai "otan omws erthei i stigmi na pei kati o ksenos gia afta, stin kaliteri periptwsi tha prospathisoume na ton peisoume gia to antitheto, stin xeiroteri, tha ton vgaloume psefti, trelo i "anthellina".

[b]''Kaneis lathos. I Olympiaki proetoimasia den einai toso apli ypothesi. Exei para poly liga na kanei me mia olokliromeni stegi Calatrava kai polla me tin idia tin leitourgia tou kratous, twn koinwnikwn kai sindikalistikwn forewn, to syntonismo, tin apofasistikotita, to nomiko kathestos, ton vathmo diafthoras kai diaplokis, tis symmetoxis twn MME kai tou poio aplou politi aytis tis xwras.
Tha mporousa na epektathw se kathena apo ayta gia na sou apodeiksw pws i simerini katantia twn Olympiakwn ergwn enexei ola ta arnitika xaraktiristika tis neoellinikis psyxosynthesis gia ta opoia milouses prin, alla nomizw oti ta ksereis.
Edw pou ftasame, kai i stegi na oloklirothei, kai Olympiakoi na einai oi kalyteroi pou eginan pote, na ta tripsw sti mouri tous. As min pefteis kai esy sti pagida pou thelei na se riksei ayti i anikani kyvernisi. »

Katarhin simfono oti i olibiaki proetimasia den ine katholou apli ipothesi.Alla gia mena aytoi oi olibiakoi ton poliethnikon kai stin entelia na ginoun den iparhi periptosi oute kata diania na me kani « ethnika iperifano ».Na se rotiso lipon oi oloibiakoi agones athina2004 ton iperogon misthon,ton apefthias anatheseon,ton oikonomikon skandalon kai ton disvastahton danismon is varos(mantepse piou),an lipon oloklirothoun ola ta provlepomena erga kai ginoun stin entelia oi agones esi tha niosis iperifanos?

--- Kai pali, sou apantisa idi : "Edw pou ftasame, kai i stegi na oloklirothei, kai Olympiakoi na einai oi kalyteroi pou eginan pote, na ta tripsw sti mouri tous."
Gia tous idious akrivws logous pou ipes.

Anaferes me mia apaksiosi sto oti ehoume enan ilio mia thallasa kai enan politismo kai sou efera afto to paradigma,ontos ehoume provlima stis ipodomes(kai fteme emis giafto an katalaves afta pou sou leo parapano) alla min mas les « enan ilio mia thalassa kai ena politismo » les kai prokete gia kati to efteles kai tou mi aksiou sovaris anaforas.

Den ipotimo tipota kai simfono oti ta panta pezoun ton rolo tous.Esi omos giati ta eksisonis ola kai ta vazis ola sto idio tsouvali.An o laos den ine igiys,diikoumenos apo enan episis igies politico sistima pos tha epelthi I proodos.Kai se rotao tora,paradigma an emis ihame tin apetoumenoi evesthisia kai paidia tha borousan oi megalokataskevastikes na kanoun ta orgia pou kanoun.?To oti imaste ohaderfistes oi politikoi ftene?

Tetios laos pou imaste aytoi oi politikoi mas aksizoun
Giafto min les tous halia politikous pou ehoun kani tis ipodomes tis horas san ta moutra tous alla na milas prota gia ton halia lao pou ekselekse kai eklegi tous halia politikous

--- Den anefera me apaksiwsi ton ilio tin thalassa kai ton arxaio elliniko politismo alla tin tasi tou na arkeitai kapoios se afta.
Mou zitises na dialeksw metaksy aftwn kai poly kalwn ypodomwn. To ena den apokleiei to allo omws, kai ta dyo ta thewrw eksisou simantika.

O laos panta tha gkriniazei kai pote den tha arkeitai se ayto pou ton taizoun. Opote tha elega to antitheto, oti diladi an eimaste "xalia" laos einai logw twn "xalia" politikwn pou den eixan pote to tharos na analavoun protovoulies me politiko kostos.

Ipes:
"Diladi tha prepi na niosoume ethniki iperifania otan doume to oaka me tin stegi calatrava olokliromeno?"

"Ego ime perifanos gia tin patrida mou,tous progonous mou,otan ta legomena simvadizoun me tis praksis mou,to mantio ton Delfon kai ohi ta calatravia erga. Areti.dikeosini,isonomia k.a."

--- Ta "Calatravia" erga ine apo tis poly liges eykeries gia tin Athina na apoktisei mia sygxroni arxitektoniki klironomia ikana na allaksoun tin arnitiki antilipsi tou mesou ellina gia tin sygxroni arxitektoniki. Den katalavenw akrivws giati den theoreis mia tetoia klironomia eksisou simantiki oso kai ayti twn progonwn sou.
I arxitektoniki panta itan mia morfi ekfrasis twn koinwnikwn aksiwn ("areti" "dikeosyni", "isonomia" ktl) kai tis texnologikis proodou kathe epoxis, alote ws pigi empnefsis kai alote ws kathreftis aytwn.
Stin Ellada, dystyxws exoume mono kathreftes tis anaretis, adikis kai anisonomis neoellinikis koinwnias kai ayto giati to kratos den einai tipote allo apo ena teratourgima pou to mono pou kanei einai na diaxeirizetai, kai asxima malista, ton ethniko plouto tis xwras kai oxi na empneei kai ara na leitourgei ws protypo gia ton kathe politi.
Giafto kai o mesos Ellinas koitaei mono tin parti tou, den exei esthisi tis koinwnikis eythinis, thelei mono na parei tin miza kai to fakelaki kai meta na xtizei opou thelei kai oti thelei. Ti kai an einai paranomo ti kai an einai teratourgima.
Ftanei mono na einai "ftino" kai "leitourgiko"...opws ta dimosia erga, kai na arkeitai sto na thavmazei ton "Fideia" tou xtes kai na agnoei ton "Calatrava" tou simera.

----

New picture of the Olympic Stadium as posted in the Greek newspaper "ta nea" on 20 Oct 2003:

http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/data/D2003/D1020/1el12b.jpg

Athenian giati re file sinehizis na apantas epilektika?Boris na mou pis?


''Ayti sou i akrivws i prosseggisi filtate, tou na arkeisai diladi se pragmata pou sou exoun apla dothei einai apodeiksi eleipsis aksioprepeias pros ton eayto sou.''

Sou edosa ego na katalavis apo afta pou ehoume pi metaksi mas alla kai tin olli parousia mou sto forum oti arkoume mono se afta pou mou ehoun ''dothi'' opos harakthristika anaferis ?

DEN APANTISES

''Nai, i "aksia" sou metratai kai sto pws ta syntireis ayta''

Pos sintiro pia?

DEN APANTISES

Alla oxi mono ekei

Alla k pou allou metrate I ''aksia'' mou?

DEN APANTISES

An den se endiaferei na epizitiseis ayta kai se ena swsto dromo, mia swsta domimeni poli kai mia kali ypodomi tote, oxi oti kaneis lathos alla mporeis na ta epizitiseis se allo forum pou endeiknoitai sta endiaferonta sou.''

Aderfe esi poso kero parakolouthis to sigekrimeno forum?Ego to parakoloutho giro sta 1,5 me 2 hronia apo tote pou anike se kati Ollandous kai legotane hoogbouw.nl(pithanon na kano kai lathos den ime kai sigouros).Kai ehis tin entiposi oti to parakoloutho toso kero (me tous telefteous mines na eho kai energo simetohi) na min ine ena apo ta endiaferonta mou?

DEN APANTISES

Kai ola ta parapano ta anafera mono kai mono gia na doune oloi pios apo tous 2 mas theli pragmatika na kani dialogo kai pios theli aplos na pi ta ''dika tou''

Synehizoume
Les:
Den diafwnisa, simplirosa kai apantisa stin defteri sou erwtisi kai i apantisi einai "otan omws erthei i stigmi na pei kati o ksenos gia afta, stin kaliteri periptwsi tha prospathisoume na ton peisoume gia to antitheto, stin xeiroteri, tha ton vgaloume psefti, trelo i "anthellina".

Diladi afto pou les ine oti to parapano ine KANONAS.Sinepos erhetai o touristas kai mas ley re pedia to sistima metaforon sas ine anaksiopsto kai distihos den iparh i apetoumeni kathariotita stous dromous kai ta parka sas Kai o KANONAS ley oti i pliopsifia kai ohi i miopsifia(vasi ton legomenon sou) prospathi na ton vgali psefti kai trelo?I as poume ginete mia erevna apo mia ipiresia tis evropis pou dihni oti i athina ehi mia apo tis pio molismenes atmosferes.Kai emis,i pliopsifia tou laou tous leme pseftes kai anthelines?Auto thes na mou pis ?Min ta isopedonis ola.Iparhoun kai periptosis pou prospathoun na vgaloun tous ksenoun pseftes,trelous kai anthelines alla aftoi DEN INE I PLIOPSIFIA.prosehe otan kanis genikefsis,giati i ebathia sinithos den sou vgeni se kalo.

Les :
Den anefera me apaksiwsi ton ilio tin thalassa kai ton arxaio elliniko politismo alla tin tasi tou na arkeitai kapoios se afta.

Otan les ''alla tin tasi tou na arkeitai kapoios se afta'' anaferese se emena?An nai,sto ksanaleo lipon gia deyteri fora ''Aderfe esi poso kero parakolouthis to sigekrimeno forum?Ego to parakoloutho giro sta 1,5 me 2 hronia apo tote pou anike se kati Ollandous kai legotane hoogbouw.nl(pithanon na kano kai lathos den ime kai sigouros).Kai ehis tin entiposi oti to parakoloutho toso kero (me tous telefteous mines na eho kai energo simetohi)horis na ine ena apo ta endiaferonta mou?''Les lipon na min me endiaferi i anaptiksi tis Elladas(stin sigekrimeni periptosi se oti ehi na kani me ypodomes kai astiki anaptiksi)?
An den anaferese idika se emena alla genika ston Elliniko lao, mou les oti o laos ine afieromenos stin labroi klironomia pou mas ehoun afisi oi progonoi mas kai den ton endiaferi i toulahiston se mikrotero vathmo to oti ehi halia siginonies,halia dromous-pezodromia,elipis simansi kai fotismo,anarhi domisi,afthereta kai pai legontas.Afto mou les ?
Ma agapite an i pliopsifia tou laou meletouse ta arhaia kimena kai genika ihe mia stenoteri epafi me ton arhaio elliniko politismo nomizis oti tha ihame afta ta halia pou ehoume os anthropoi os laos kai os kratos ?Gia vges ekso ston dromo kai rota 10 perastikous na sou poune pote egine i navmahia tis salaminas.To kseris vasi erevnon oti i Ellada ine katalamvani tin teleftea thesi stin Evropaiki Enosi se oti ehi na kani me anagnosi vivlion ?Kseris posa antitipa arhaion Ellinon filosofon pouliountai stin Ellada kai kseris posa se hores tou eksoterikou ?Ta noumera ine i mera me tin nihta

Les :
Mou zitises na dialeksw metaksy aftwn kai poly kalwn ypodomwn. To ena den apokleiei to allo omws, kai ta dyo ta thewrw eksisou simantika.

Sou efera ena paradigma,mono kai mono gia na sou dikso oti afta ta dio megethi den ine kan sigrisima.

Les :
O laos panta tha gkriniazei kai pote den tha arkeitai se ayto pou ton taizoun. Opote tha elega to antitheto, oti diladi an eimaste "xalia" laos einai logw twn "xalia" politikwn pou den eixan pote to tharos na analavoun protovoulies me politiko kostos.

Ma file mou tous politikous pios tous eklegi ?Oi katikoi tis afroditis i eklegonte monoi tous ?Emis den tous eklegoume ?An emis den psifizame san provata oi politikoi tha kanan afta pou kanoun ?.Den ehis akousi ta peri laikis entolis ?Esi me tin psifo sou kai ego me tin dikia mou tous dinoume tin ''eksousia'' vasi tous sintagmatos na mas ANTIPROSOPEVOUN stin vouli kai katepektasi stin esoteriki kai eksoteriki politiki tis horas.Toso diskolo ine telospanton na to katalavis ?To oti paradigma toses DEKAETIES tora ehoume halia dromous ftene prota oi politikoi kai meta o laos ?An to pistivis afto sinehize na tous psifizis dikeoma sou ine.Alla meta mi vgis na paraponiese pali gia tous halia politikous pou den pernoun ''protovoulies'' kai kanoun kakotehnies sta dimosia erga giati ola afta tha ine to apotelesma tis ‘’eksousias’’ pou tous edoses esi meso tis psifo sou.

Les :
Ta "Calatravia" erga ine apo tis poly liges eykeries gia tin Athina na apoktisei mia sygxroni arxitektoniki klironomia ikana na allaksoun tin arnitiki antilipsi tou mesou ellina gia tin sygxroni arxitektoniki. Den katalavenw akrivws giati den theoreis mia tetoia klironomia eksisou simantiki oso kai ayti twn progonwn sou.

Os pros to proto skelos simfono.Os pros to deftero skelos gine pio sigekrimenos.Dose ena paradigma gia na sou apantiso.p.h,ena ergo tou calatrava se sigrisi me ena apo tin arhea Ellada.Etiologise mou giati ta theoris isaksia kai ego en sinehia tha sou apantiso.

Les :
I arxitektoniki panta itan mia morfi ekfrasis twn koinwnikwn aksiwn ("areti" "dikeosyni", "isonomia" ktl) kai tis texnologikis proodou kathe epoxis, alote ws pigi empnefsis kai alote ws kathreftis aytwn.

Simfono,KAI i arhektoniki itan mia morfi ekfrasis ton kinonikon aksion kai malista ohi i spoudeoteri.Den nomizo na ehis tin psevdesthisi oti paradigma ena agalma tha borouse na ekfrazi perisotero tin "areti" "dikeosyni", "isonomia" apo enan Olybioniki.Oso gia tin tehnologiko proodo to ido ishie kai gia tin agioplastiki,zografiki,mihaniki kai pai legontas.

Les :
Stin Ellada, dystyxws exoume mono kathreftes tis anaretis, adikis kai anisonomis neoellinikis koinwnias kai ayto giati to kratos den einai tipote allo apo ena teratourgima pou to mono pou kanei einai na diaxeirizetai, kai asxima malista, ton ethniko plouto tis xwras kai oxi na empneei kai ara na leitourgei ws protypo gia ton kathe politi.

Sto opio kratos edoses esi afto to dikeoma.

Les:
Giafto kai o mesos Ellinas koitaei mono tin parti tou

Simfono oti etsi skeftete I pliospifia

Les:
den exei esthisi tis koinwnikis eythinis

oraia

Les:
thelei mono na parei tin miza kai to fakelaki kai meta na xtizei opou thelei kai oti thelei. Ti kai an einai paranomo ti kai an einai teratourgima

simfono kai pali

Les:
Ftanei mono na einai "ftino" kai "leitourgiko"...opws ta dimosia erga

To ''ftino'' kai ''litourgiko'' giati to theoris kako?Ama den iparhi hrima to ''ftino'' kai ''litourgiko'' tha kitaksis.Ehis epignosi se ti ikonomiki katastasi vrisketai i hora?

Les:
kai na arkeitai sto na thavmazei ton "Fideia" tou xtes kai na agnoei ton "Calatrava" tou simera.

Afto tora pou kolai stin parapano paragrafo sou?I mipos topes etsi gia na kanis mia entiposiaki apofonisi ?Na dimiourgisis entiposis?
Se rotao episis giati den boro na katalavo apo pou evgales afto to siberasma.Afou mehri kai se afto to mynhma sou paratheto ta epihirimata mou pano sto thema kai esi ehis vgali IDI siberasma?
Kai malista ohi mono vgazis sibersma apo to pouthena alla den to tekmirionis kiolas.

ATTIKO METRO

Part of the extensions(ametro.gr)

-Egaleo-
http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/egaleo/ags1.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/egaleo/ags2.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/egaleo/eg3.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/egaleo/eg4.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/egaleo/eg5.jpg

-Peristeri-
http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/peristeri/aga1.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/peristeri/aga2.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/peristeri/aga3.jpg

-Plakentia-
http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/stavros/hal1.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/stavros/hal2.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/stavros/plak3.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/stavros/plak4.jpg

-illioupoli-
http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/ilioupoli/ilioupoli.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/ilioupoli/1.jpg

-Argyroupoli-
http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/extensions/ilioupoli/argyroupoli.jpg

-New Trains-
http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/train/7.jpg

http://www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/train/8.jpg

...and another image from the works in the Athens Olympic stadium as posted by AP news. Gotta be a few days old.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031023/capt.ath10310231710.greece_olympics_athens_2004_ath103.jpg

I've found these pics on the web
http://www.keytogreece.com/images/photoalbum/athens7.jpg

http://www.keytogreece.com/images/photoalbum/athens8.jpg

http://www.dolphin-hellas.gr/Fly&Drive/images/PanathinaikonStadium.jpg

http://pic.templetons.com/brad/photo/europe/athens/036.jpg

http://pic.templetons.com/brad/photo/europe/athens/017.jpg

http://www.worldsurface.com/images/library.asp?40000244068

http://www.muellerworld.com/photos2000/athens_11.2.jpg

Panpeloponesian Stadium
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_06834.jpg

PanCretion Stadium
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_07117.jpg

Amygdaleza Police Academy
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_04633.jpg

Weightlifting "Home" (Nicea)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_04721.jpg

Works on Pireaus Port
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08003.jpg

Beach Volley
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_07510.jpg

Tae-Kwon-Do
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08122.jpg

Faliron Installations
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08208.jpg

Faliron Installations (2)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08125.jpg

Athens Tram
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08336.jpg

Hellenikon Constructions
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08214.jpg

Aghios Cosmas Sailing Center
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08324.jpg

All pictures Sep. 2003, daniilidis.gr

Nikea Indoor Hall Completed

http://www.stadia.gr/nikaia2.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/files/press/nikaia_pop.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/nikaia3.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworks72/nikaia3_low.jpg

pics 1,3 from stadia.gr
pics 2,4 from athens2004.gr


Galatsi Arena

http://www.stadia.gr/galatsi.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05220.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/03926_041p.jpg

http://www.galatsinews.gr/echogala/03_08/palai1.jpg

pic 1 from stadia.gr
pic 2 from daniilidis.gr
pic 3 from athens2004.gr
pic 4 from galatsinews.gr


Peristeri Indoor Hall

http://www.stadia.gr/peristerinew2.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/peristerinew1.jpg

After the Olympics
http://www.stadia.gr/peristerinew3.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/peristerinewworks1.jpg

http://www.stadia.gr/peristerinewworks2.jpg

all pics from stadia.gr

Copied directly from Athens News newspaper site in http://www.athensnews.gr/athweb/nathens.prnt_article?e=C&f=13038&t=01&m=A03&aa=1

__________________________________________

Games timetable tightens

Despite the IOC's latest guarantees that deadlines on Olympic venues willbe met, the 'Athens News' reveals seven projects facing serious completion delays

JOHN HADOULIS


http://www.athensnews.gr/data/D2003/D1031/1ng3b.jpg
The Olympic Stadium in Athens, where a glass roof designed by Spanish architect Calatrava is currently being added to the venue. Picture is depicting the Olympic stadium with the first elements of the steel canopy designed by Santiago Calatrava being placed above the Athens Olympic Stadium.
Picture is a few weeks older that current post



AN INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee (IOC) inspection team on October 24 left Athens sated with fresh Greek guarantees that tight preparation deadlines for the 2004 Games will be successfully met. But the announcement came in the face of major construction slippage on seven Olympic venues, revealed in official progress data obtained by the Athens News.

"The [construction] timetable is tight for several venues, but the work achieved in recent months indicates that there is no additional slippage," Denis Oswald, chief IOC inspector for Athens, told an October 24 press conference.

"In some cases, it's a question of a few days [of delay], which is not really worrying," Oswald said following a three-day inspection of Games preparation.


IOC silent on slippage

http://www.athensnews.gr/data/D2003/D1031/1ng3d.gif

But according to Greek government data, the Main Press Centre, the historic Panathenaic Stadium and the Ano Liossia wrestling hall are among seven projects facing serious completion delays (see table). Official deadlines by the relevant state secretariat for sport - dated June 2003 - have already been pushed forward by as much as seven months, as evidenced by an Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC) progress report to the IOC.

The Athens News asked Oswald to comment on this discrepancy. "I don't know where your dates come from, I don't have the same information," he said. There was no response to this paper's request for any alternative dates known to the IOC.


'Shocking' progress

http://www.athensnews.gr/data/D2003/D1031/1ng3c.jpg
Head of the IOC Coordination Commission, Denis Oswald (R) and ATHOC president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki address an October 24 press conference in Athens on the results of the IOC's three-day inspection tour

Earlier in the press conference, Oswald said that an October 23 tour of Athens' stadium worksites gave some IOC officials "nearly a shock to see how much work has been achieved in [the past] three to four months". According to the ATHOC progress report, the delivery of the Peace and Friendship Stadium has been brought ahead by about two weeks.

"Time is getting short, but I think the IOC, ATHOC and the government will have the necessary stamina to make the sprint in the last lap," Oswald said.

The IOC's main fears ahead of the Athens visit concerned the timely completion of makeover works at the Olympic stadium - which includes the installation of a 13,000-tonne steel canopy designed by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava - and the delivery of two vital elements of transportation infrastructure - a 24km tramline to coastal Olympic venues and a 32km suburban rail connection to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.

A convincing sell

After three days of talks with Greek government officials, the IOC inspectors expressed satisfaction with the pledges they received. "[We've received] assurances that things will progress in the same pace in the remaining months, and that in spite of the elections, nothing regarding the Games will be affected by this political evolution," Oswald said.

A general election is scheduled for early May at the latest, and the opposition conservatives are heavily tipped to return to power for the first time in a decade.

While in Athens, Oswald met both Prime Minister Costas Simitis and main opposition leader Costas Karamanlis. The IOC official's meeting with Simitis was described by Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos as "the shortest in recent years".

"It is a sign that problems are finally isolated, almost eliminated," said Venizelos, who oversees state preparation for the Olympics.

Progress noted

"The IOC acknowledged the immense work done by ATHOC, the government, and the [relevant] agencies over the past 3-1/2 years," said ATHOC president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki. "All of Greece is making progress... This is a tribute to every agency involved and every person."

Angelopoulos-Daskalaki noted that ATHOC has so far received over 121,000 volunteer applications and has sold 1.7 million tickets, boosting revenue by 126 million euros. She indicated that ATHOC's operational readiness is at a level that enables her to take a back seat on occasion.

"It's not proper for me to give answers on everything," said Angelopoulos-Daskalaki. "ATHOC operates very well... We have full confidence in our staff and are very proud of them."

Hierarchy spat?

But according to To Vima daily, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki indicated otherwise in an October 22 IOC briefing when informed that ATHOC executive director Yiannis Pyrgiotis had apparently approved a timetable without her knowledge. "There is no Pyrgiotis. I am ATHOC," she reportedly retorted in English, stunning IOC officials.

"That was a distortion of my statement," Angelopoulos-Daskalaki told the press. "I said that in case of a divergence of opinion, I represent ATHOC's [final] position. [But] I honour all those who work in this organisation."


ATHENS NEWS , 31/10/2003, page: A03
Article code: C13038A031

-Catch the Light - 7 Routes through Athens-


A sequence of routes through the historic centre of Athens – a total of 13,5 kilometres of roads, squares and pedestrian walkways – will be ‘dressed’ in light and images belonging to the Catch the Light Programme of City Imaging. The Programme will complement the city’s Olympic Look, intensifying the atmosphere of celebration of the 2004 Olympic Games.

All seven routes will pass close to major Athenian landmarks and cross the most exciting neighbourhoods of the centre of the Greek capital, connecting 15 areas of cultural activities run by the Athens Municipality, sponsors and other organisations. The public will discover one of the most exciting cities in the world by walking through it.

Each route will be marked by a different name, theme and characteristic itinerary:

1. Athens Reflections
2. Landscapes below Athens
3. Athens Scripts
4. Athens Colours
5. Athens Faces
6. Athens Windows
7. Listen to Athens

Seven Olympic Landmarks (9 metre-tall towers visible throughout the city) will be placed at the routes’ starting points, offering directions to the public. 20 large inflatable spheres, hovering above the routes, will complete the spectacular setting.

The aim of the Catch the Light Programme is to capture the attention of the visitor, inhabitant and broadcast public in original ways, using exciting and spectacular images and public participation. The routes will feature and produce an image of Athens as never seen before.

Some of the pics below are very small but they can give you a first impression of how Athens will look like during the Games


http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route2DecoErmouSyntagPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route2AdrianouTheseionPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route2SyntagmaPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route3UniversityPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route3DecoPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route4VictoriaPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route4PanepistKoraiPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route4DecoPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route5VasSofiasRizariPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route5DecoPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route6DecoVasSofiasPop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/cityolympicimage/Route7DecoApPavlPop.jpg

New Image (November 2003) of the Olympic Stadium with the works in progress as posted in http:www.stadia.gr with the photo taken by the site admin personally:


http://www.stadia.gr/oakaworks9.jpg

(Message in Greek: A re Giorgo, theo se exoume kanei edo pera!!! :))

Originally posted by gm2263

(Message in Greek: A re Giorgo, theo se exoume kanei edo pera!!! :))
Eeeetsi! Eeeetsi! :cheers:
Afou oi typoi stin Athina2004 den kanoun ti douleia tous :mad: , tin kanw egw gi'aftous!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/default.stm

Aquatic Centre

Athens is hoping to make a splash when it hosts the 2004 Olympic Games.

Work is underway to construct several new venues in the Greek capital.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/1.jpg

------------

Rowing Centre

Archaelogical finds at the waterside centre led environmental campaigners to protest over its use for the Olympics.

But the venue was ready in early August 2003 for the testing of rowing and canoeing events.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/2.jpg

---------------

Olympic Stadium

Organisers hope the Olympic Stadium will provide a fitting focal point as the Games return to their birthplace.

A total of more than 10,000 athletes are expected to compete over 16 days from 13 to 29 August, 2004.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/3.jpg

-------------------

Hockey Centre

Construction of a new hockey grandstand is taking place as Athens prepares for the Olympics.

IOC president Jacques Rogge had initially been concerned about the general lack of progress on facilities.

But in the summer of 2003, he declared himself satisfied with the preparations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/4.jpg

------------------------

Tennis Centre

Some of the world's best tennis players are expected to fight for gold.

Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov and American Venus Williams claimed the singles titles at Sydney in 2000.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/5.jpg
-------------------
Velodrome

Five-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will be in Athens - but out on the road, not in the new velodrome.

Britain's cyclists will be hoping for a repeat of the golden heroics of Jason Queally, who took the 1km time trial title in Sydney.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/6.jpg

--------------------

Sports Complex

Athens will play host to a total of 28 sports.

An estimated £1.2 billion has been set aside for spending on the city's infrastructure in preparation for the Games.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/other_sport_athens_2004_olympic_venues/img/7.jpg

This thread has become the number 1 thread at €scrapers !

I would like to thank those for posting great pictures and lots of information about the impressive changes over at Athens :eek:

Thank you guys :okay:

...and keep us posted ;)

@ De Snor

We thank you too for providing Athens 2004 such a prominent place in this forum to post the relevant developments. Without you this typr of coverage wouldn't have been possible.

@ LDN Europe,

Thanks for the very interesting link and the visit to this thread mate. Very informative and with excellent layout (BBC is no less than #1 in Europe as far as news coverage is concerned).

@ Mitsubishi

Giorgo mou etsi itan panta. A few good men, it always was about a few good men... To site sou tha to zilevan kratikoi organismoi alla vlepeis stin Ellada to vraki tis Vissi (pou kala kanei i gynaika) exei perissotero coverage apo tin Olympiada

@ All

Thanks for the contributions. This includes Marko Bruno too.

Please keep visiting guys. As the Olympics approach, we will expect a cataclysmic delivery of public infrastructure works being completed, as well as athletic instalations and sports venues.

THE FUN BEGINS NOW!!!

(no pics, sorry, this is a quick one. . Please refer to the map to locate the sites in question, wherever possible or applicable)

http://www.athens2004.com/files/maps/AthensOlympicSportsCompEN.jpg


Overall Athletic Installations Update and completion dates

The construction works for most of the Olympic sites are at the final stage while in others continue with feverish intensity. The weekly Greek financial newspaper Investor's World in an inset booklet had a report on the games about one week ago. According to the newspaper, the following are the completion dates for the major athletic installations:


Athens Olympic Complex (OAKA) complete with the S. Calatrava works: 30/6/2004
Athens Olympic Complex surrounding grounds and estates aesthetic renovation: 30/6/2004
Anti-doping Centre: 31/12/2003
Indoor Swimming Centre, OAKA: 30/11/2003
Tennis OAKA: 21/11/2003
International Broadcasting Centre: Completed
Media Press Centre: Last completion stage, Expected completion date: December 2003
Peace and Frendship Stadium, Neon Phaleron Complex: 30/11/2003
Weightlifting Sports Hall in Nikea: Completed, pending works on surrounding grounds
Galatsi Indoor Stadium: End of 2003
Wrestling Stadium: 31/12/2003
Equestrian Centre, Markopoulo: 31/12/2003
Kaftantzoglion Stadium, Thessaloniki: 20/2/2004
Pan-Pelloponesian Stadium: 21/12/1003
Pan-Cretan Stadium: 31/12/2003
Pan-Thessalic Stadium: 5/1/2004
Schinias Rowing Centre: Full completion (now partly completed): 31/1/2004
Aghis Kosmas Sailing Centre: 31/1/2004
Beach Volley Stadium in Palaion Faliron: 31/1/2004
Faliron Marina: 31/1/2004
Olympic Complex of Faliron: 31/1/2004
Indoor Stadiums in Hellenikon: 31/5/2004
Openair Stadiums Hellenikon: 29/2/2004
Canoe-Kayak Centre Hellenikon: 31/3/2004
Olympic Gymnasium, Goudi (close to where I live): 31/3/2004
Olympic Village: 30/11/2003


My comments:

Although some of these days appear to be tentative, my understanding is that they are also the dates that the Greek and International Olympic Committees will be given the respective installations for use.

I am happy to hear that Dennis Oswald and Jacques Rogge appear to be "relaxed" with the Calatrava works in the main Athens Olympic Complex. However, in order for this particular project to come into successful and most of all timely completion, lots of site workers will have to work their fingers to the bone day and night... The problem here is that we have many projects being constructed simultaneously and this means that the works have to be fully synchronised for complete synergy and better time management. I also hope that quakes and snow will notvisit Athens this year...

Other Olympics related works

The major ancillary infrastructure works appear to be in a good state of progress. The Attica road will be completed in its full length (70km) in early December. In fact, the road IS ready, they only test the control systems, install the signs and probably complete some last-minute works. There is a small branch which will be delivered in spring 2004 and which unfortunately is one of the most spectacular since it consists of some very long airbridges and constitutes a shortcut between the Hymettus Ring (the southern branch of the road) with a huge transport hub where the Attica road, two other avenues AND the suburban rail and a metro line (blue) will converge. Guys, I can't wait untill I show you the full Monty, when it will be completed.

Another very interesting junction is the Kifissos (not Kifissias which I've mentioned many times) -Posseidonos junction. Kifissos was actually a river, along with Ilissos, that were flowing in Athens from north to South. In fact, the northern suburb of Kifissia took its name from Kifissos river. Also, Kiffisias Avenue's extension to the north crosses the national road Athens-north which is also an extension of Kifissos Avenue.

So, Kifissos Avenue was built ON the old river. In the beginning (up to some 12 years ago), the Kifissos river was wide open with only three lanes each side and no overpasses or bridges. During the last 12 years, there has been a HUGE undertaking to cover the river whilst rearranging the whole sewage system for an area of some 1,000,000 million inhabitants!!! No kidding guys THIS was a huge thing.

Now, this 8-10 lane highway with many elevated parts will cross the coastal avenue, close to the Peace and Friendship Stadium in a gigantic 3 (or 4, I don't remember) level junction. Again, apart from the spagetti style bridges and all that, you will also have the new coastal tram and metro linew (line1, Green) converging there. Also, very close to the site, there is the new Karaiskaki football stadium (the old was demolished) which is a dream project that will be served by two highways, and two surface rail lines. The stadium belongs to Olympiakos FC, the Greek champion football team for the last 7 (or 8, sorry, I'm not a football fan) years.

I wish I can find pics of this highway, looks cool especially from the air.

But I gotta go. talk later to all of you...

gm2263 - not a problem.
---------
I visited Athens the summer before last with my (then) girlfriend. It has become a great city and has improved imeasurably since previous stop offs there.

The Olympics will be great in its original home.
----------

The remodeling of Vassilissis Olgas Avenue for Pedestrians is ready to start
The project will be ready before the Olympics

http://www.astynet.gr/photos/b_olimpio1.jpg

http://assets.in.gr/dGenesis/assets/Content5/Photo/496382_b.jpg

pic 1 from astynet.gr
pic 2 from in.gr


++One of the biggest Planetarions in the world open last week in south Athina

http://www.enet.gr/online/dspphoto?id=66585

http://www.enet.gr/online/dspphoto?id=66587

pics 1,2 from enet.gr
More pics and info soon


++21st of November is opening the "escape center" in illion-Athina

http://www.reds.gr/images/ilion/ilion2_big.jpg

http://www.reds.gr/images/ilion/ilion1_big.jpg

including
7 screens and 1 open air cinema(Ster century cinemas)
restaurants,cafe,bar,bowling,health club etc
pics from reds.gr


Other entertaiment centers

++Commercial and leisure center in maroussi-Athina

This very big center among the others it will include a 12 screen (+ 1 open air) multiplex(Village roadshow)
Opening:Summer 2004

Also Village roadshow during the next months is going to build a village theme park in west Athina


++Winter and spring of 2005 Odeon is going to open 2 multiplex in Athina

Odeon Cineplex 10 cinemas-Sygrou

And the other Odeon Cineplex 12 cinemas(part of Odeon 's entertaiment center in Marousi


++Aegean Park by Charagionis and Sonae in south Athina
Opening:2006


++Kambas retail and entertaiment park
Opening:2006

http://www.reds.gr/images/kampas/kambas_big2.jpg

pic from reds.gr

info for other projects like City Plaza cinemas-Ambelokipi,Ster Century cinemas-Acharnon,Anavisos Theme Park in the near future

This is an unbelieveable thread re paida... :eek:


I am new to this forum, and once I get the time I will try to help out here and help represent our countries big task that is the Olympics! :cool:

Christo, welcome. You'll find many fellow Greeks and quite a few non-Greek friends and well-wishers here. :)

Feel free to browse around and use the 'search' option to get yourself up to speed on the works in Greece, and Europe as a whole.

Kosta, the 'Escape Center' looks beautiful. Very spacious.

http://www.reds.gr/images/ilion/ilion1_big.jpg
This picture makes me smile. Large modern area to gather and socialize. Ahhhh. :cheers: :cheers:

P.S Watch out for Christo, he's a gavro. :rant: :rant:

Welcome to the forums Christos7 :cheers: :cheers:

Thanks guys. :D


Watch out for Christo, he's a gavro.


Yep!! :angel1: Maybe Kokkalis will build the first skyscrapers in Greece!! :colgate:


I have some Pancretan updates, i'll share them in a minute.

PanCretan stadium:


http://www.athens2004.com/files/press/04505_001_m.jpg

The other 2 are links to the pic:

http://www.ana.gr/cgi-bin/hgetimgwww.jpg?-h661313 (must see)

http://www.ana.gr/cgi-bin/hgetimgwww.jpg?-h661309



The baseball stadium :colgate:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08236.jpg

Olympic Villiage:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_04619.jpg

Works on Piraeus port:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_08003.jpg

Getting to work already Christos? :D

Thanks for the pics :okay:

As long as Kokkalis doesn't put a gavro flag in his skyscraper he is welcomed to built as many as he wants :D :guns1:

He did a nice start though with the brilliant new Karaiskaki :okay:

Well, I don't remember seeing anything on this important part of Athens, so I figured I would share. Your first destination arriving in Athens, would be the new Eleftherios Venizelos Airport. One of the newest, most modern airports in Europe. So, here's a little taste of what to expect:


http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/2.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/3.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/1.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/end/4.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/end/5.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/end/2.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/4.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/9.jpg

Inside:


http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/end/7.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/end/8.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/end/9.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/14.jpg

Main Terminal Building Main entrance
http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/17.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/12.jpg

http://www.aia.gr/EN/business/media/photo_gallery/images/now/15.jpg

I love it. :yes:


btw, All pictures from www.aia.gr

@ Christos 7:

I have already welcomed you in my thread about Maroussi (click HERE (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1092667#post1092667) to see reply and I would like to also do it here. You're welcome buddy to be with us and share the fun in here.

Now, here's a copy of my latest addition to the Maroussi thread about the International Broadcasting centre and the Main (or is it Media?) Press Centre, two Gigantic constructions in the final stage of completion on the left side of Kifissias Avenue, direction Kifissia (north), just a breath away from the main Athens Olympic Complex:

_____________________________________________

New pictures of Maroussi, the Olympic suburb and site of the main Olympic complex of Athens, some 12km distance from Athens city centre. All pics (C) Athens 2004 Organising Committee

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/04219_012p.jpg

The above depicts the new International Broadcasting Centre (usable floor area 100,000 m2) to the left centre, and the new Media Press centre (Total usable area, phases 1 and 2: 40,000 m2). Together, they constitute a multi-purpose conference complex with some 150,000 m2 space available for all types of conferencing avtivities (and one of the biggest in Europe, I reckon).

On the previous pic, watch the beginning of the works for the new roof of the Athens Olympic Stadium, designed by the famous Spanish Architect, Santiago Calatrava. Now the main arches are nearing completion and soon the glass tiles of the roof will start to be placed ibto position. The tallest of the structures holding the arches are some 80m tall.

next: Athens Onternational Broadcasting Centre, front view from Kifissias Avenue

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/IBCMay03pop1.jpg

next: the Media Press Centre as it looked last February.

http://www.athens2004.com/files/imggalworkspopups/MPC1feb03pop.jpg

aaaaaaand wait for more in Maroussi as the Press Village is nearing completion, with a new shopping centre and a new cinema multiplex under construction with some 12 new theatres in it. The project is built by the Charagionis Group in collaboration with the Portugese Sonae-Immobilaria Constructions.

Thanks for the info/pics Gregory!!


It's great to see these projects coming into focus, really getting done. Makes me happy... I think we are going to do a wonderful job hosting the Olympics. We have really stepped up to the plate. (in the typical late Greek way, but we did :lol: )

Geia soy, ti kaneis?
Sto skyscrapers.com leei oti o pyrgos tou peiraia einai se reconstruction... alithevei??? Euxaristo. Tha ta ksanapoume. to e-mail mou einai batze@in.gr

@ Batze

According to the latest info I got, the Piraeus Tower (http://www.emporis.info/en/wm/bu/?id=130986) will be completed (while fully restored in its already completed but abandoned parts for decades) by J&P-AVAX, a prominent contractors group who are already very active in the construction of infrastructure works, as well as the completion of many high quality buildings in Athens.

I need to go to Piraeus to see what's going on with this, although I think that they may complete it after the Olympics too. When finished, this building will be the tallest completed in Athens after the Atrina Centre Tower (1980).

Also, there may be more on tall buildings, initially for Athens, but still, they want to "throw" this one after the Olympics too...

We 'll see...

Originally posted by gm2263

http://www.stadia.gr/oakaworks9.jpgGo Athens!! They are making good progress though I have to say
I am still a little concerned as to whether they can complete
Calatrava's centrepiece on time.

it's about time for a greek local forum on ssc! ;)

wow, I found some sketches/pics of the new Olympic Stadium, that I have not seen before. Much better than what I have seen thus far. I thought I would share:



http://users.auth.gr/~lvorgias/Stadium%203D.jpg

http://users.auth.gr/~lvorgias/Stadium%203.jpg

http://users.auth.gr/~lvorgias/OAKA%20General.jpg

http://users.auth.gr/~lvorgias/Agora%20(first%20model).jpg



Is that really how it's all suppose to look at the end?? If they are barely going to get the 2 stadiums roofs built on time, they surely don't have time for all this extra do they?


Have you heard anything Gregory?

@Christos7

from what I've seen the four arches are almost completed. The next phase is to move them to their original position and place the cables and glasses (I'm not sure though if that is the correct procedure, cause I saw and a few cables hanging over from the big arches). The project is ahead of schedule and they claim that the stadium will be completed and tested by june 2004.

Time is pressing..

I am still very interested in how the new seats will look.

@Christos7


you're welcome, by the way!:)

Thanks file. :wave:

First of all...

Hello everybody! I m a newbie in this forum and just wanted my first post to be in this thread.

Keep up the good work!

I ll be around....

Gia sas paidia!!!

I am new as well and I gotta say that I am so pumped up for next summer!

I live in Toronto, Canada and I am from Athens. I will be there for the Olympics next summer. I know we will do well!

Anyway, there are new updated pics of the venues at this link:

http://www.athens2004.gr/page/default.asp?id=8847&la=2

Yia sas Hermes and Leafs Fan. Welcome to the forum. :) :)

It seems the Attiki Odos motorway is nearing total completion.


Road cuts across Attica
Almost complete, Attiki Odos expected to change capital region


ANA
http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/photos/01-12-03/01-12-03_36907_1.gif
Seated in a tunnel through which cars began speeding at 5.30 p.m. yesterday when the last major section of the Attiki Odos highway was opened, PM Costas Simitis (center, next to empty chair) and other officials listen to a speech at the inauguration ceremony. The highway is expected to save 270,000 hours in driving time and 2 million liters of fuel daily while cutting Attica’s traffic by 8-10 percent, said Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou.

The last major section of highway linking eastern and western Attica was opened to the public yesterday, allowing drivers to travel in just 35 minutes the 61 kilometers (38 miles) from Athens’s airport in the east to the industrial port of Elefsina in the west on the highway to Corinth. The new section of the Attiki Odos is 23 kilometers (14 miles) long and links Elefsina with the Athens-Thessaloniki highway.

The last bit, due in the spring, is the Doukissis Plakentias interchange, to join the Hymettus ring road with Attiki Odos, which is now expected to save 270,000 hours in driving time and 2 million liters of fuel daily while reducing Attica’s traffic by 8-10 percent. The opening of the new section prompted a rise in tolls from midnight. Regardless of the distance traveled, cars will now pay 2 euros (from 1.80), motorcycles 1 euro (from 0.90), buses and two- or three-axled trucks 5 euros (from 4.50) and bigger trucks, 8 euros (from 7.20).

“The Attiki Odos is the first self-financed highway in Greece and this is an achievement, as we showed that we can overcome the tradition that existed,” PM Costas Simitis said, inaugurating the new section. “With the projects being constructed, the tram, the interchanges, the metro, the new Olympic infrastructure and especially with the Attiki Odos, the quality of life in Athens is improving decisively,” he said. “The Attiki Odos constitutes the internal, regional ring road of the capital’s greater metropolitan area.

It offers a way out for the city’s traffic problem; it is a lever for development and contributes to the integrated urban planning of Attica,” Simitis said. He pointed out an added advantage of the large number of major construction projects in Greece. “There is a great improvement in quality... because we have gained in know-how; we have gained in experience; we have changed the procedures,” he said. “That is why we have improvement in quality, in schedules, in cost controls.” Though Simitis took the rare step of praising a New Democracy government’s minister, Stephanos Manos, for his contribution, ND focused criticism on the issues he mentioned. “It is typical that this most important project... was completed without an institutional framework to protect public interest.

It is being given to the public with a two-year delay, high tolls and is not part of any overall transport plan for the capital,” said ND’s public works spokesman, Savvas Tsitourides.


http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100002_01/12/2003_36907

http://www.aodos.gr/en/index.html

http://www.aodos.gr/en/back/logo.jpg

Hermes and Leafs fan, WELCOME!


Nice to see more Greeks. :D :guns1: We are a small group here. (I just recently joined also).


The Attiki Odos is great, and I think is all but done. With this and the metro, people will be amazed when they go to Athens from previous years. It is a great thing.

Project Update: The new Rio-Antirio bridge

The project is ahead of schedule. The new November pics (from the official site) indicate that it will be THE Bridge :guns1:

http://www.gefyra.gr/english/worksprogress/Images_pages_materials/images/nov03_4.jpg

http://www.gefyra.gr/english/worksprogress/Images_pages_materials/images/nov03_5.jpg

http://www.gefyra.gr/english/worksprogress/Images_pages_materials/images/nov03_1.jpg

http://www.gefyra.gr/english/worksprogress/Images_pages_materials/images/nov03_3.jpg

http://www.gefyra.gr/english/worksprogress/Images_pages_materials/images/nov03_2.jpg

I'm also happy that Attiki Odos has finally finished. Even though we heard many theories about the overall project cost it won't stop it from being one of the most vital projects in the Attica region. Yesterday I came back from Vienna and it took me 15 mins to reach Maroussi (my cousin's place) :guns1:

P.S: Hermes and Leafs Fan welcome to the forums! :)

Thanks for the Welcome guys!

I just booked my ticket for Athens and I will be there for Christmas and New Year's. I plan on going to as many Olympic sites and taking pictures. I will post them all once I return to Toronto for all of you to see.

I only ask that you guys come bail me out of jail if I get arrested for jumping the barriers and construction zones in my effort to get close-up shots!!!:D :D

Updates on the Tennis facilities:


What it should like when finished:
http://www.sportsnet.gr/eyde03/TEN.htm


Works:

(Older pic, I think the roof is completed now)
http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05320.jpg

Inside
http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/27noe03OAKA1p.jpg

Main press centre building:

http://www.sportsnet.gr/eyde03/MPC.htm

http://www.sportsnet.gr/eyde03/MPC.htm

http://www.sportsnet.gr/eyde03/MPC.htm

International Broadcasting Center (already posted I think)

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/yppo_05406.jpg


Olympic village

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/olvill4_pop.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/OlVillageMay03pop2.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/OlVillageMay03pop1.jpg

http://www.athens2004.gr/files/imggalworkspopups/04206_014p.jpg

It's gonna look really nice once the grass and trees are put in. :)

wow men....:eek: :eek: the stadium and the whole Olympic thingz... is just WoW!!! and i like the bridge~ looks cool~;) :D
hope the opening ceremony will be MUCH better then sydney~ :D :D go Athens!!!:okay:

Velodrome:
http://wwwi.reuters.com/images/2003-12-04T142431Z_01_ATH04D_RTRIDSP_2_SPORT-OLYMPICS.jpg

http://wwwi.reuters.com/images/2003-12-04T143625Z_01_ATH05D_RTRIDSP_2_SPORT-OLYMPICS.jpg

http://wwwi.reuters.com/images/2003-12-04T142115Z_01_ATH06D_RTRIDSP_2_SPORT-OLYMPICS.jpg

Olympic Stadium:

http://wwwi.reuters.com/images/2003-12-04T153905Z_01_ATH01D_RTRIDSP_2_SPORT-OLYMPICS.jpg

Wow, the velodrome is all but done. :cheers:


The Olympics stadium doesn't look like it's changed much. :bash:


Thanks for the pics.

WOW guys, we have some MAJOR updates!! :eek:

All courtesy of http://www.daniilidis.gr/index.php?LANG=en (must visit!)


Panpeloponnisiako Stadium:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/191103_13826.jpg

Pancretan Stadium:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/201103_14625.jpg

Panthessaliko Stadium:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/191103_13535.jpg

Kaftanzoglio Stadium:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/021203_181038.jpg

Panathinaiko Marble Stadium:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/301103_17716.jpg

Ano Liosia:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/271103_16110.jpg

Nikea:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/211103_15611.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/301103_17424.jpg

Written Press Centre:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/301103_18020.jpg

International Broadcasting Station

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/301103_17933.jpg

Tennis:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/211103_15719.jpg

Olympic Stadium:

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/211103_15710.jpg

General view of Olympic Complex (OAKA):

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/olympic/images/301103_18010.jpg


And many more, but visit the site! ;) (to give appreciation to the man for all the hard work).


WOW. :eek2:

BRAVO RE FILE!!!

Christara you have outdone yourself!

I will be there in two weeks and will take very close shots of everything.

I will post them in January!!

BRAVO ELLADA!!!:guns1: :rant:

Thank you SOOOOoooo much for the update on the Rio-Antirio Bridge, Paris! :okay:

Greek football club AEK Athens have finally gotton their stadium approved, and will start building. To bad this stadium wasn't meant for the Olympic Games.


http://www.aek.com/news/images/ghpedo/dec03_maketa.jpg

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Next up, Panathinaikos' new stadium.

http://www.stadia.gr/leoforosnew1.jpg

This is PAO simple plan to the new stadium they plan to build..hopefully they plan to make a new design that would perhaps look something like this:

http://www.stadiumguide.com/ashburton1.jpg
Now that would be a dream come true!;)

Ya right. :baaa: :baaa:

Seriously though in all honesty PAO will be limited to designs not far off from that stadium which looks like FC Boavista's new Bessa stadium for the simple fact that constructing a new stadium at their current home of Nikolaidis' stadium will be tough because the area is built up all around the place.

http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/empics/20031117/21/2353638731.jpg
BESSA STADIUM-FC BOAVISTA

Perhaps the solution of moving it to Goudi might be a good one. That would allow PAO alittle more leeway in it's design.

Of course without state aid this will never happen.

http://www.stadia.gr/leoforos7.jpg

This illustrates the above perfectly. Not much one can do in terms of original design with precious little room to work with.

Gregory, can elaborate more on what the simple 'Bessa' design would require in terms of the surrounding buildings/area.

Fact is this is a historic stadium and site for Greek football. And like AEK and Olympiakos before them, Panathinaikos don't want to move from their 'home'. The other 2 teams are building in place of their former stadium's. Panathinaikos wants the same.

It's not that I really dislike the design, as the pitch seems close to the stands which is good (and intimidating), and I'm sure ALL the modern amenities would make the 'Bessa' design hi-tech and such.

Perhaps they should release some better photos for us and the fans of Panathinaikos to judge it better.

Guys I'm watching you, only it's that I am having a hectic weekend in terms of work and thus I am not capable of full participation here at the moment. I like the fact though that we are increasing in numbers here after all. :):):):):)

Can i just say that I am really sick of reading about shit like this............

"The whole world will be watching next Aug. 13-29 as the Olympics come back to the country that spawned them centuries ago, and anarchists and radicals and zealots of all forms know this as well as anyone.” “Greece has long had a vein of radical anti-American sentiment within its borders, and if the United States does not believe the place is safe for its athletes and sports officials and journalists and tourists and allies in just seven months, Greece has a big-time problem. “Greece can boast of being one of the safest countries in the world. But is that true?” “The country is close to the Middle East cauldron and has borders with Bulgaria and Turkey, which itself has borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran."

If the role of a terrorist is to insight fear into the minds of civilians, then the American (and International) press machine is a far more efficient weapon than any Arab the Middle East could produce.

Some are saying that regardless of the Olympics that Athens pulls off, which in my mind there is no doubt will be the best ever, the Olympiad will be permanently marred by the negative publicity that plagued its lead up. Unfortunately, this may be true.

and thats why some of us greeks hate the americans..because of all the bullshit they say...America is like a big cult...they are one big group...remmeber last years oscars,the guy that was goign to say about the soliders dying in Iraq and they closed his microphone...its all a conspiracy..

but no doubt,the Olympics will be the best ever and for that reason all the bad stuff written about them(which if u noticed is written by americans and british) will be forgotten.

NA PANE STO DIALO H KOLOAMERIKANOI KAI H AGGLOI POU TOUS GAMANE APO PISO!!!


ZHTO ELLAS!!!!

The simple fact is, terrorism is everywhere. How can you stop so many people, doing things in secret, and no real place to "hit" them back? It's scary......


The thing that scares me the most is a terrorist attack on Athens, during the Olympics. It is an "ideal" situation, the birthplace of democracy, with all the nations they hate participating.


I am confident Greece, and those helping will do all they can. It will be one of biggest security measures in Olympic history, but can you really stop them?


1 bomb, in a suitcase, a block away from an Olympic venue will send everybody into a huge panic. How can you really stop that? As much money, technology, and police/army people you have, it's almost impossible to stop something like that, and the impact it will have on society after. It scares me. And I think it's naive for people to dismiss that it CAN happen.


As for the Americans, don't even get me started. I live in America, but I am not blind to so much that goes on.... people are brainwashed, and it's pretty easy. They always put blame, and bad emphasis on other countries, as they are doing for security and Greece. Wouldn't it be better to shut up then constantly keep it in the media, so the terrorists can continue to get mad? The Australians are pretty bad also, all the Greeks in Australia say they are so anti-Athens 2004 it's not even funny. They don't want Athens to surpass the Sydney Olympics, which could very well happen.


My biggest concern is the terrorist, because I am of the belief you can't really stop them. I hope they do not attack Greece, because barring anything like that we will host the best Olympics ever.

Originally posted by LEAFS FAN
NA PANE STO DIALO H KOLOAMERIKANOI KAI H AGGLOI POU TOUS GAMANE APO PISO!!!

KAI OI AYSTRALOI POU DONOUN PIPES APO BROSTA :mad:

Christos,

If any of those sand-*****z makes a terrorist attack on Greece during the Olympics, I will personally join the Canadian or Greek army so I can go hunting for those bastards!!!:guns1:

Just look at this sh1t !!!:

GREECE DEEMS THREAT FROM BOSNIAN ARABS


ATHENS [MENL] -- Greece has determined that its national security interests are being threatened by Al Qaida-aligned Arab agents in Bosnia.

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Costas Simitis has convened to discuss what officials termed the threat from an estimated 2,000 Bosnian Arabs to the Olympic Games in August 2004. Officials said Western intelligence agencies have assessed that some of those Arab nationals could be training to carry out attacks on Israeli, U.S. or other targets during the Olympics in Athens.

Officials said the threat of an Al Qaida-related attack will be one of the scenarios in a series of exercises scheduled to take place in February and March 2004. They said the United States has been pressing to revise security arrangements agreed upon a year ago.

"Greece, as well as every other country, has the fundamental obligation to safeguard its internal and external security," Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said. "And it is evident that military planning for the country's security takes into consideration the simple fact that the country is a member-state of NATO and, consequently, our military planning takes NATO planning into consideration."

Leafs Fan, let's all try and keep thos thread for Olympics related works. topics such as the above post probably belong in the Domus forum.

And btw, Leafs suck. :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:

http://www.teamhitchcover.com/redwings3.jpg

I usually don't intervene in the case of this kind of exchanges between forum members but allow me here to express my opinion.

I was planning to give a long answer but I prefer to give a quick reply:

1. All countries around the world that had the Olympics coming had, one way or another, experienced similar problems with biased articles. Don't pay attention, it's no big deal. I believe that the Athens Olympics will be at least classified somewhere between the ones in Sydney and the ones in Atlanta.

2. Prometheus is right. No need to have this thread shut down (and being a member of this thread and its predecessor since May 2002, I can guarantee you that threads do get shut down here :D)

3. We may disagree with the policies of certain countries but there's no need to post imflammatory posts when the vast majority in this forum is treating Greece in a respectful manner (or are simply indifferent). The poison that will be released out of a venomous post or thread will make nobody a better person, let alone a malajusted forum participant while on the other hand, it will be the cause of losing many friends that we already have here. I can assure you that there are many people that have been to Greece in this forum and they can sympathise with our effort to organise the best possible Olympics.

However, those people, having been exposed to the best and the... not so best aspects of Greek reality cannot be fooled if told lies. Athens of today is a much improved city compared to the one it was in the early 1990's, or in the early 1980's and personally, I believe that in the 1970's, Athens was one of the best cities in Europe. We f....ed up during the last 20-25 years and now we're catching up. EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS.

Also, I find it a contradiction in terms to curse the US and the UK and at the same time most of us to be that good users of the English language. And if we think that we're better than the others, then let's organise the best Olympics or better, let's contribute and help our country the best way we can. I agree with the reasons we have to be bitter with the US especially, but there's no need to offend people that they don't even know us and who, under other circumstances, might have been our friends and drinking beer with them on a Greek island or something. Be cool guys! The average John Doe is not your enemy here.

And with all the above I almost forgot to mention that they delivered the new junction in the intersection of Kifissias Avenue with Paradissou street. It is just an underground bypass but it will further alleviate the traffic problems, along with the other junction under construction in Palaio Psychiko

C'mon guys, cheer up it's Christmas time!!!

Amen, Brother Gregory! :angel1: You're simply wonderful, thank you so much for this post! :)

1. All countries around the world that had the Olympics coming had, one way or another, experienced similar problems with biased articles.


Very true...Montreal is still paying for their Olympics:bash:
every country encounters problems...and Montreal wasn't even fuly prepared for Olympics,when it was time they still hadn't finished building the montreal Stadium...

OK, back to schedule:

Here are a couple of rare pics of the developments in the Athens coastal front. The first depicts the beach volley stadium and a large part of the Olympic installations of Neon Phaleron, looking to the east.

http://www.terna.gr/static/images/articles/beachvolley_main.jpg

Next are two views of the stadium which seems to me it's nearing completion. Enjoy:

http://www.terna.gr/static/images/related_images/beachvolley_2big.jpg

http://www.terna.gr/static/images/related_images/beachvolley_3big.jpg

The following picture depicts a fragment of the regeneration works of the coastal front, including the big elevated square also known as "the esplanade", which will connect the coast to the urban fabric of Athens and the suburbs of Palaion Phaliron and Kallithea. The image must be at least one year old FYI since the works, as seen in the first pic (and after what I saw during my inspection, last Sunday), are in a highly advanced stage right now.

http://www.terna.gr/static/images/related_images/beachvolley_1big.jpg

I love that roof , its like floating in the air