Since the inaugural edition in 1896, the Olympic Games have grown to become one of the most important sporting events in the world. Every four years, the world’s attention turns to a single city that hosts the best athletes from around the world.

Each edition of the modern Olympics has featured a stadium that is used to host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as much of the athletics program. These venues are often the setting of some the most memorable cultural and sporting moments at each Olympic Games.

From 1896 to 1912, the Olympic Games were hosted by five different cities across Europe and North America. The ceremonies and sporting events at the 1900 games were shared between two venues.

1896 – Panathenaic Stadium, Athens

The stadium was built on land that had hosted several different sporting venues dating back to the 6th century BC. The stadiums initial capacity was 80,000 and is the only stadium in the world built in entirely out of marble.

The venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and four out of nine sports at the 1896 games. The stadium was reused at the 2004 Olympics hosting the archery competition and as the finish line for the men and women’s marathon.

The stadium has featured on one side of all medals awarded since the 2004 Olympics. The stadium is also used as the final stop in Greece during the torch relay before the flame is handed over to the current hosts.

1900 – Vincennes Velodrome and Croix-Catelan Stadium, Paris

The stadium was built in 1894 as a Velodrome and considered to be the main stadium out of the two principal venues that were used at the 1900 Olympics.

The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies as well the cycling, cricket, rugby union, football and gymnastics events. The athletic events, however, were held at the Croix-Catelan Stadium.

The Velodrome was used again at the 1924 Olympics for that edition’s cycling events. The stadium still exists and continues to be used for smaller scale cycling, football and rugby events.

1904 – Francis Field, St. Louis

Opened in 1904, Francis Field was built to host the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and the Olympic Games, both held in the same year. Originally capable of accommodating 19,000 spectators, the stadium now features a more modest 3,300 seating capacity.

During the 1904 games the stadium hosted the archery, athletics, cycling, football, gymnastics, lacrosse, roque, tug of war, weightlifting, and wrestling events.

Since its use during the 1904 Olympics, Francis Field has been used as part of Washington University’s track and field, cross country, football, and association football team programs.

1908 – White City Stadium, London

The stadium was built in 1908 in order to host the fourth Olympic games. The stadium was built on the site of the Franco-British Exhibition, a large public exhibition also held in 1908. The stadium featured a simple, single bowl design that could accommodate 93,000 spectators.

The opening ceremony at the stadium became the first Olympics where participants would march behind their country’s flag, a practice which has since become standard. Thirteen of the games twenty-two sports were held at White City Stadium.

The venue served several purposes post Olympics, hosting motorcycle racing, greyhound racing and football, including a match at the 1966 World Cup between Uruguay and France. Unfortunately, the stadium was demolished in 1985 with the mixed-use White City Place now occupying the site.

1912 – Olympic Stadium, Stockholm

The stadium opened in 1912 and was purpose built to serve as the main stadium for that year’s Olympic Games. Initially intended as a temporary structure, the stadium was built as a permeant venue that features two tall brick towers joined by a series of arches at its northern end. The stadium featured a capacity of 33,000, one of the smallest for an Olympic Stadium.

The stadium hosted seven of the events fourteen sports as well as the opening ceremony. The stadium would once again serve as an Olympic venue in 1956, hosting the equestrian events at that year’s Melbourne Olympics due to the quarantine rules in Australia at the time.

Post Olympics, the stadium has been used for football, athletics and motorcycle racing. The stadium has also been used as a concert venue, hosting some of the world’s most popular musicians.