Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre
The Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre hosted the Equestrian Games at the 2004 Olympic Games and today operates mainly as a racetrack.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
2003 Completed. Operated in August.
2004 Hosted the equestrian games of the Athens Olympics and Paralympics.
Ottoman era (1453- 1821)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
In eastern Attica, and on an area of 946,000 sq.m, the Olympic Equestrian Center of Markopoulo is located. The main entrance is to the west, the racecourse to the east, the equestrian centre to the north and the cross country area to the south and south-west. There are two separate entrance buildings leading to the racecourse and the equestrian centre. The hippodrome consists of a double track and the building of the spectators has additional uses. Main buildings of the equestrian centre are the show jumping and equestrian arenas, veterinary clinic, indoor arena, official area, stables (280 horses), storerooms, training rooms and other auxiliary areas. Despite the different functional needs of the buildings, their “architectural language” is the same. The buildings have been optimally adapted to the terrain, their lines are simple and the colours respect the natural landscape.
What I can't see
The challenge that architect Mina Vlaikidou was asked to face was the equestrian centre itself. Beyond the hippodrome, all the facilities surrounding such a complex must combine functionality and respect for the natural landscape, whether they were temporary for the Athens Olympics or not.
Bibliography
Hellenic Equestrian Federation, (d.u.), Ολυμπιακό Ιππικό Κέντρο Μαρκόπουλου, [Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre] in
https://hef.gr/index.php/el/omospondia/o-i-k-markopoulou
Last visit 22/9/2022
