Also known as the "ghost airport" of Athens, Hellenikon has been abandoned since 2001. What was once a bustling airport now sits in disarray as it awaits the new plans for demolition. The order was approved back in May of this year, and the goal is to build a shopping center, hotels, and even a marina in the place the empty airport stands now. What has been an eerie spot, somewhat of a ghost town, to poke around for locals has become a memory of the airport that once was, with plenty of photos to show just how eerie and ab abandoned hub can be.
The airport formerly known as Hellenikon was first built in 1938 and saw roughly 12 million passengers yearly. For decades it served as a major point of transportation for those flying in and out of Athens before it fell into disuse. Over the years, the only thing that collected inside this dismal space was dust and rust, and all the airport equipment - including planes - was left to sit. Every sign, and even paperwork from the airport's offices, were left in the wake of its closing.
Once A Busy Help Desk Now Sits, Untouched
Once a place where customers could get answers to their questions, this desk in Hellenikon now sits abandoned. Everything is still as it was when it was in use, even down to the phone and computer. It's surprising that none of these things have disappeared over the years, but that just goes to show how infrequently the building was visited post-shutdown.
While the interior remains wholly untouched, the exterior of the building features artwork from local graffiti artists. What was once the entrance to a busy airport is now a landmark that shows off just how empty the building inside is. With deteriorating features and an empty parking lot, it's easy to see how nature has started to reclaim this eerie structure.
The Spot Was Well-Known To The Locals And Will Now Be Turned Into A Multi-Million Dollar Affair
Rather than leave the building to sit in an area that could bring in high tourism rates, the airport will be demolished in its entirety and rebuilt as something new/. The new owners hope that this will bring in substantial revenue and will relieve the area of an abandoned eyesore.
Even the airport's records have been left behind, stacked atop one another without any efforts to retrieve them. While the escalator has likely been out of working order for some time, anyone would be hard-pressed to climb these stairs to get to the second floor.
Its Outdated Interior Reflects How Relevant The Airport Once Was
The Acropolis Lounge, once full of passengers awaiting flights and people awaiting their family and friends, now sits completely empty. Its doors remain open, welcoming people in an eerie way to walk through its once-full hallway and once-crowded lounge room seating.
Even the hallways of Hellenikon seem damaged and forgotten, as they sit empty without any visitors for nearly two decades.
Nothing Will Be Salvageable, As Demolition Is Set To Take Place In 2020
Many will likely be disappointed when this abandoned airport is left to a metropolitan paradise, and only those who have been there will know how popular it once was.
A final look at the airport that once was, Hellenikon will soon cease to exist in the glory it once was.