via Getty

In 2004, Athens, Greece, hosted the XXVIII Olympiad, and those Summer Games cost the country an estimated €9 billion. In the decade since, the nation has experienced economic hardship, and much of what was once the premier athletic showcase in the world now lies in ruins.

The photos, taken on July 31, 2014, are startling.

via Getty

via Getty

via Getty

via Getty

via Getty

You can see more of the modern-day ruins at The Baltimore Sun.

[h/t The Baltimore Sun]