Marathonas, GR 🇬🇷 Closed Airport
GR-0099
-
3 ft
GR-I
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 38.148671° N, 24.013084° E
Continent: EU
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: LGMR Marathon Marathon Seaplane Base
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Approximately late 1990s to early 2000s.
The primary reason for the airport's closure was land repurposing for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The site was selected for the construction of the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre. Concurrently, the surrounding area was designated as the Schinias-Marathonas National Park in 2000. The continuation of aviation activities was incompatible with both the construction of a major sports venue and the environmental protection mandates of the new national park.
The airport is permanently closed and in a state of dereliction. The former runway and taxiways are still clearly visible from satellite imagery but are cracked, weathered, and heavily overgrown with vegetation, rendering them unusable. The land is now fully integrated into the Schinias-Marathonas National Park, a protected wetland area of major ecological importance. The site is adjacent to the Olympic Rowing Centre and is used by locals and tourists for recreational activities such as walking, cycling, and birdwatching.
Before its closure, the airport was known as Kato Souli Army Airport. It was a military airfield operated by the Hellenic Army Aviation (Greek Army's air arm). For several decades, it served as a significant base in the Attica region for army helicopters (such as the UH-1 Huey) and light fixed-wing aircraft. Its operations were focused on military transport, training exercises, and support missions. It was not a commercial airport and handled no scheduled passenger traffic.
There are no plans or prospects for reopening Marathonas Airport. Its location within a designated and protected National Park makes any future aviation-related development legally and environmentally prohibitive. The land is permanently zoned for environmental protection and recreation, and its infrastructure is too degraded for restoration without a complete, and highly unlikely, reconstruction.
I would land there if I were you... It is now a rowing center... :)