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30-528: The stadium is named after the historic club's president, official and athlete Apostolos Nikolaidis . It is situated in the Ampelokipoi district of Athens , east of the Lycabettus Hill and on Alexandras Avenue 160, by which name it is most commonly known ( Leoforos Alexandras or simply Leoforos , Leoforos meaning Avenue). The stadium's record attendance was recorded in 1967, when 29,665 spectators watched

60-470: A claustrophobic feeling for the opponents, something that reminded him of the "Indian tomb" pictured on the namesake film by Fritz Lang , that was featured in cinemas during the same time. The comparison was so successful that the nickname "The Indian's Tomb" (pronounced "Tafos tou Indou" in Greek) was immediately adopted and is used until today to informally distinguish the indoor hall from the other facilities of

90-567: A few clubs running. In 1976, during the event for Gate 13's 10 year anniversary, Panathinaikos 's fans honoured the fans that had died by keeping a minutes silence in their memory. Gate 13 remains until today the loudest part of the stadium, with many flags and banners giving colour and character to the stand. Gate 13 holds a very strong brotherhood with Rapid Wien 's fans Ultras Rapid since 2001 when Panathinaikos played Sturm Graz for UEFA Champions League . Since then there have been many actions to promote this friendship such as flags from one to

120-602: A successful racing driver . He was a member of the Greek team at the 1920 Summer Olympics , both as a football player and as a track athlete. He played football for more than ten years and contributed to all sports departments of PAO . He also became manager of the Greece national football team . In 1926–27 he was elected president of the Hellenic Football Federation and for a period of more than twenty years president of

150-554: Is located under the East curve of the stadium, below Gates 6 and 7. When it was constructed in 1959, it was the first indoor hall in Greece. It has a capacity of 1,500 and it is famous for the hot atmosphere Panathinaikos fans create in it. During its inauguration ceremony, Tasos Stefanou who was the curator of the Panathinaikos basketball department at the time, mentioned that the gym would create

180-404: Is where the most enthusiastic supporters of Panathinaikos FC sit in the stadium. Gate 13 is known for creating one of the best atmospheres throughout Europe as the stadium has the fans seated directly next to the field and the endless singing even during negative results continuously pushes players to give their maximum. Gate 13 was also a place for the poorest fans and supporters of the team, with

210-542: The Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association (1945–67). Moreover, he was president of the Automobile and Touring Club of Greece . For many decades, he was a board member of Panathinaikos A.C. and in 1974 he became president of the club. His contribution was significant to the transformation of Panathinaikos to a successful multi-sports club, apart from football. From 1974 to 1976 he was also president of

240-494: The Hellenic Olympic Committee . He was also a businessman and owner of Softex . Upon his death, as an honour, his coffin was carried on the shoulders of eight athletes from different departments of Panathinaikos : Ikonomopoulos , Kamaras , Antoniadis (football), Zacharopoulos (track), Georgantis, Iliopoulos (volleyball), Garos, Kalogeropoulos (basketball). The home stadium of Panathinaikos at Alexandras Avenue

270-561: The economic crisis , didn’t allow the construction of the new stadium. President Giannis Alafouzos decided to move the team back from the Athens Olympic Stadium to the historical Leoforos Alexandras for the 2013-14 season. As of October 2013, the plans for the construction of the Votanikos complex have been put on hold. For the season 2024 - 2025 the stadium is being used by Athens Kallithea F.C. Former Tenants : An indoor hall

300-515: The 2007/2008 Greek Super League season. Due to the stadium's old construction, dearth of space and dense urbanization of the area, the club sought to move. Negotiations were under way between the Greek government, the Municipality of Athens, and the football, basketball, volleyball and amateur divisions of the club in order to facilitate the building of a new, comprehensive sports complex to house all of

330-415: The 21 departments of Panathinaikos elsewhere. Eventually, the industrial Votanikos district was selected among others to house the complex and there were plans for construction to begin in 2008. Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni stated that such a project would revitalise the area as well as benefit the club. In 2012, bureaucracy problems, such as Panathinaikos' and the country's bad financial situation due to

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360-475: The Cup Winners Cup game between Panathinaikos and FC Bayern Munich . It also houses several other facilities under its stands, including an indoor hall, a small swimming pool, a boxing ring, an indoor shooting range, the club's offices as well as various other facilities. Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium holds a very important place in the history of Greek football. The first stand

390-459: The curva of the other. In June 2016, Ultras Rapid were present at the 50-year celebration of Gate 13 in Athens. Beyond the friendship with Ultras Rapid Wien, the closest active relations parts of Gate 13 share are with GNK Dinamo Zagreb , Bad Blue Boys and Roma , Curva Sud (Fedayn). Over the years parts of Gate 13, had also friendships with groups from Real Madrid (Orgullo Vikingo) mainly during

420-506: The end of the 50s, supporters started getting organized as far as the home and away match support. They started attending the matches regularly and always met at the 13th gate of the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium . Gate 13 was also a place for the poorest fans and supporters of the team, with the seats not being numbered, unlike the rest of the stadium and the vip seats. In order to organize trips for away matches and other events,

450-457: The founding members of Gate 13. In 1967 the supporters' clubs of Panathinaikos were increasing in number in Athens and rest of Greece . In 1967, the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 was established and closed many of them. So did Gate 13, only to reopen in 1968 with new offices on 39, Sokratous Srt in the center of Athens . Many other clubs followed shortly. At that time, the situation inside

480-420: The home ground of the most sport departments of Panathinaikos, such as the rugby , boxing, fencing , archery, table-tennis , wrestling, weightlifting and shooting departments. There are training rooms, boxing ring, swimming pool, such as an official shop of the football team, pressroom and various cafés. Fan seating in Greece is segregated by team allegiance. Gate 13 , the subject of much graffiti in Athens ,

510-408: The lack of a universal name, the clubs would often meet to discuss various things including the team's performance and management, various trips for away matches and securing tickets for the home matches. Since 1962–63 there had been thoughts of founding a universal club under the name of the stadium's gate where the team's most devoted supporters met, but at the time there were many difficulties. Slowly

540-614: The most famous new clubs were in Nikaia and Vyronas in 1972. Immediately after its foundation, the club would attend many away games with its own leaders and would very often criticize Panathinaikos 's management and owners. By 1974, most supporters' clubs had their own leaders and would be present in all away matches. After the fall of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 supporters' clubs started reappearing all over Greece . By 1978 there were 52 Panathinaikos supporters clubs operating all over Greece , when arch rivals Olympiakos only had

570-405: The name Gate 13 was starting to get recognized and respected from players and fans. Then, in 1966, after much effort, the "Syndesmos Filon Panathinaikou Athlitikou Omilou "I Thyra 13"" (Σύνδεσμος Φίλων Παναθηναϊκού Αθλητικού Ομίλου "Η Θύρα 13", Fan Club of Panathinaikos Athletic Club "Gate 13" ) first operated on November 19, 1966, on 68, Kolonos Str in Athens . At the time, it was a club like all

600-409: The rest, but the difference was that its name would become a major part of Panathinaikos ' history. On November 27, 1966, a few days after the foundation of Gate 13, a bus carrying Panathinaikos fans from Athens to Veroia crashed, resulting in the death of two Panathinaikos fans, Giorgos Koskoros ( Greek : Γιώργος Κόσκορος ) and Dimitris Sarantakos ( Greek : Δημήτρης Σαραντάκος ) who was one of

630-466: The seats not being numbered, unlike the rest of the stadium and the VIP seats. It was officially established on 19 November 1966, although its presence preexisted that date. It is the oldest supporters organization in Greece. Apostolos Nikolaidis (athlete) Apostolos Nikolaidis ( Greek : Απόστολος Νικολαΐδης ; 19 April 1896 – 15 October 1980) was a Greek athlete, football manager and businessman. He

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660-406: The stadium. In 2015, the official name of the indoor hall became " Pavlos Giannakopoulos ", in honor of the historic former President of Panathinaikos B.C. In 2017, the hall's name was changed to "Pavlos and Thanasis Giannakopoulos", paying tribute to both of the former Presidents of Panathinaikos B.C. and Panathinaikos A.O. Apart from the football field and the indoor hall, the stadium is also

690-561: The stadiums in Greece was very calm with fights only occasionally breaking out. In the following years Gate 13 expanded and flags with its name and logos started to appear in European stadiums, as well as Greek ones, while the Leoforos stadium was overflowing with people in the vast majority of games. Plus, the interest for basketball was growing among Panathinaikos 's fans. In addition, Gate 13 would attend also non sport related activities like

720-470: The team's elections. At the same time they would often express their opinion on various issues that they thought negatively influenced the club, like ticket prices etc. 1971 was a key year in the history of Panathinaikos . The football team reached the 1971 European Cup Final and is the first Greek football team ever to reach the final in a major European competition. Because of this success, Panathinaikos fans increased in numbers all over Greece. Gate 13

750-532: The various fan clubs used to write in the two newspapers most read by Panathinaikos fans of the time, Athlitiki Iho ( Greek : Αθλητική Ηχώ , Athletic Echo ) and Panathinaika Nea ( Greek : Παναθηναϊκά Νέα , Panathenaic News ). By 1966, there were a number of supporters' clubs, all named by the area where they were based. Notable clubs included: Ampelokipi , Zografou , Patissia , Gizi , Petralona , Cholargos , Peristeri , Nikaia - Koridallos , Patras and many more, most of which are still active today. Despite

780-546: The years it has become a part of the club by affecting club decisions and by following the club on all possible occasions. Before the foundation of Gate 13 there were various football supporters' clubs all around Greece. The first of these clubs was founded in October 1952 and was called S.F.O.P. ( Greek : Σ .Φ.Ο.Π., Σύλλογος Φιλάθλων Οπαδών Παναθηναϊκού, Syllogos Filathlon Opadon Panathinaikou , Panathinaikos Supporters Club ) and stayed active for an unknown amount of time. Towards

810-638: Was a leading board member and president of Panathinaikos A.O. Nikolaidis was born in Plovdiv , Bulgaria , a member of the Greek community. After his graduation from the Robert College in Istanbul , he moved first to Thessaloniki (where he competed as an athlete of Aris ) and later to Athens in 1917 and joined the family of Panathinaikos. He was an athletic phenomenon, as he successfully competed in decathlon , football , basketball and volleyball and also

840-579: Was built in 1928, and for almost 50 years it hosted the majority of big matches in domestic and international competitions. It was the first to have floodlights installed (1938) and the first with a grass pitch (1958). It was the home of Greece for many years until 2005. Panathinaikos FC left Leoforos in 1984 and moved to the Olympic Stadium . The club returned to their home ground in 2001, following an upgrading that cost €7 million. In 2007, Panathinaikos FC decided to reuse Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium for

870-496: Was named after him in 1981, at a ceremony presided by the then Prime Minister Georgios Rallis . Gate 13 Gate 13 ( Greek : Θύρα 13), is the name of the ultras group of the Greek multi-sports club Panathinaikos A.O. Officially founded on November 19, 1966, Gate 13 is the oldest supporters' union in Greece . Gate 13 is one of the most powerful ultras group in Europe and has members from all over Greece and Europe, while over

900-596: Was present in all the games of the team in the European Cup with memorable trips. 15,000 fans went to Belgrade to see Panathinaikos against the then very strong Red Star Belgrade while 20,000 traveled to London 's Wembley Stadium for the final against AFC Ajax . Because of the success of Panathinaikos 's football team in European Competitions, a number of supporters' clubs started reopening while other fans decided to found their own supporters' clubs. Some of

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