Inside the crumbling abandoned airport once used by the Nazis Lutwaffe | World News
An eerie airport in Greece has been abandoned for two decades – and has a fascinating history of Nazis, the Olympics and more dark history.
The Ellinikon International Airport once served millions of travelers, but has been left to rot after a newer airport was built for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Just a few miles south of central Athens, the airport was built in 1938, but Greece was invaded by German forces only three years later.
During the Second World War, the airport was used as a base for the German Air Force but was heavily damaged as Allied forces rained bombs down on it.
After the war, Greek authorities allowed Americans to use it for take-off and landing while flying to the Middle East.
But the runway was precarious for planes – perched between the Aegean Sea and the stunning Peloponnese mountains, meaning pilots had a difficult job when it came to landing at the airport.
In 1973, two terrorists affiliated with the Black September Organisation fired into the passenger lounge, killing three and wounding dozens.
The historically convoluted airport was eventually shut down in 2001 to make way for a newer airport in time for the 2004 Olympic Games – but part of the area was remodeled to house some of the competitions.
The canoe slalom, field hockey, baseball, and softball fields were all created in the north portion of the airport.
Since the Olympics, the park has remained empty – only frequented by stray animals and some asylum seekers.
Now crumbling infrastructure, old planes, and empty hangars are dotted along the formerly bustling airport.
But newer plans have been approved to create the airport into an ‘Athens Riviera’, planned to have beach villas, shopping districts, and high-end casinos to entice tourists once again.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Get your need-to-know
latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
