The site of Olympia, in a valley in the Peloponnesus, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In the 10th century B.C., Olympia became a centre for the worship of Zeus. The Altis – the sanctuary to the gods – has one of the highest concentrations of masterpieces from the ancient Greek world. In addition to temples, there are the remains of all the sports structures erected for the Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia every four years beginning in 776 B.C.
Olympia bears exceptional testimony to the ancient civilizations of
Peloponnesos, in terms of both duration and quality. The first human
settlements date back to prehistoric times; the Middle Helladic and
Mycenaean periods are represented at the site. Consecrated to Zeus, the
Altis is a major sanctuary from the 10th century BC to the 4th century
AD corresponding to the zenith of Olympia. A Christian settlement
survived for a time at the site of the ruins of the great Pan-Hellenic
sanctuary.
In north-western Peloponnesos the archaeological site of Olympia at the foot of the Kronion Hill stretches over a triangular alluvial terrace at the confluence of the Alpheios and the Kladeos. In this area of very ancient settlement, religious centres of worship succeeded one another during the Hellenic period: those to Kronos, Gala, and other Chtonian divinities, those to Pelops, the hero who gave his name to Peloponnesus, and those to Hippodamia, whose hand Pelops won in a chariot race against Oenomaos, her father. Olympia became a centre of worship to Zeus in the 10th century BC.
To the north stood a row of Archaic Treasuries (6thand 5th centuries
BC), several of which were built by residents of the distant Greek
colonies of Selinus, Cyrene, and Byzantium. More recent structures - the
Metroon and the Echo Colonnade (4th century BC), the Philippeion in
honour of the victory at Chaeronea in 338 BC, and the Exedra of Herodes
Atticus (157-60 AD)- gradually added to the complex topography of the
sanctuary whose precinct overlooks an area of prehistoric settlements.
The density of buildings outside the Altis is even greater: the built-up
zone combines official housing and assembly rooms for the clergy and
administrators, sports structures, thermal baths, and lodgings and
accommodation for guests. To the north-west the Palaestra and the
Gymnasium (3rd century BC), and to the east the old Stadium, rebuilt
during the 1st century AD and remodelled in 1961-62, highlight a
landscape of ruins of majestic beauty. Flooding of the Alpheios carried
the Hippodrome away: only its original location is known.
In north-western Peloponnesos the archaeological site of Olympia at the foot of the Kronion Hill stretches over a triangular alluvial terrace at the confluence of the Alpheios and the Kladeos. In this area of very ancient settlement, religious centres of worship succeeded one another during the Hellenic period: those to Kronos, Gala, and other Chtonian divinities, those to Pelops, the hero who gave his name to Peloponnesus, and those to Hippodamia, whose hand Pelops won in a chariot race against Oenomaos, her father. Olympia became a centre of worship to Zeus in the 10th century BC.
The name Olympia, which described the wooded valley where the site
was located, referred to the sacred mountain of Olympus, the habitual
residence of Zeus. Placed under the protection of the cities of Pisa and
later Elis, the Olympian sanctuary experienced an enormous renown in
the 8th century BC, with the Pan-Hellenic games which were held every
fifth year. Beginning in 776 BC, the games regularly brought together
athletes. Later, orators, poets and musicians also came to celebrate
Zeus.
The Altis (the sanctuary to the gods) includes the ruins of the two
principal temples: the Temple of Hera (6th century BC) and the Temple of
Zeus (5th century BC). The sanctuary contained one of the highest
concentrations of masterpieces of the ancient Mediterranean world. Many
have been lost, such as the Olympian Zeus, a gold-and-ivory cult statue
which was probably executed by Pheidias between 438 and 430 BC. Other
masterpieces have survived: large votive Archaic bronzes, sculptures of
tympanums and metopes from the Temple of Zeus, and the Hermes by
Praxiteles, found along with its base in the Temple of Hera.
History
Description
The archaeological site of Olympia includes the sanctuary of Zeus and
the many buildings erected around it, such as athletic premises used for
the preparation and celebration of the Olympic Games, administrative
buildings and other lay buildings and monuments. The Altis, the sacred
enclosure and core of the sanctuary, with its temples, cult buildings
and treasuries, occupies the centre of the site. It is surrounded by a
peribolos, or enclosure wall, which in the late fourth century BC had
three gates on its west side and two on the south, and is bordered on
the east by the Echo Stoa, which separates the sacred precinct from the
stadium. The enclosure wall was extended in Roman times and two
monumental entrances were created on its west side.
The Classical Temple of Zeus and the earlier Temple of Hera dominate the Altis. East of the Heraion is the Metro?n, a temple dedicated to Cybele, the mother of the gods, and behind this, on the foot of Mount Kronios, a row of treasuries dedicated by Greek cities and colonies. To their west lies the Nymphaion, a splendid fountain dedicated by Herodes Atticus. South of the Heraion and over the remains of the prehistoric settlement of Olympia is the Pelopion, a funerary monument commemorating the hero Pelops. Also within the Altis are the Prytaneion, the see of the sanctuary officials, and the Philippeion, an elegant circular building dedicated by Philip II, king of Macedon. Southeast of the Heraion was the great altar of Zeus, a most important monument entirely made of ashes and therefore now completely lost. The remaining space inside the Altis was filled with numerous altars and statues of gods, heroes and Olympic winners dedicated by Greek cities or wealthy individuals, such as the Nike of Paionios.
Outside the sacred precinct of the Altis, to its south, are the Bouleutherion and the South Stoa, the southernmost building of the greater sanctuary and its main entrance from the south. West of the Altis and separated from it by the Sacred Road is a series of buildings for the sanctuary personnel, the athletes and the distinguished visitors: the gymnasium and palaestra, exercise grounds, the Workshop of Pheidias which in Late Antiquity was transformed into a Christian church, the Greek baths with their swimming pool, the Roman hot baths, the Theokoleion or priests' residence, the Leonidaion or officials' quarters, and the Roman hostels.
East of the Altis lies the stadium where the Olympic Games were held. South of the stadium was the hippodrome, of which no trace remains as it was swept away by the Alpheios. South of the hippodrome is a group of mansions and baths, including the famous House of Nero, built by the emperor for his stay at Olympia during his participation in the games.
.The Classical Temple of Zeus and the earlier Temple of Hera dominate the Altis. East of the Heraion is the Metro?n, a temple dedicated to Cybele, the mother of the gods, and behind this, on the foot of Mount Kronios, a row of treasuries dedicated by Greek cities and colonies. To their west lies the Nymphaion, a splendid fountain dedicated by Herodes Atticus. South of the Heraion and over the remains of the prehistoric settlement of Olympia is the Pelopion, a funerary monument commemorating the hero Pelops. Also within the Altis are the Prytaneion, the see of the sanctuary officials, and the Philippeion, an elegant circular building dedicated by Philip II, king of Macedon. Southeast of the Heraion was the great altar of Zeus, a most important monument entirely made of ashes and therefore now completely lost. The remaining space inside the Altis was filled with numerous altars and statues of gods, heroes and Olympic winners dedicated by Greek cities or wealthy individuals, such as the Nike of Paionios.
Outside the sacred precinct of the Altis, to its south, are the Bouleutherion and the South Stoa, the southernmost building of the greater sanctuary and its main entrance from the south. West of the Altis and separated from it by the Sacred Road is a series of buildings for the sanctuary personnel, the athletes and the distinguished visitors: the gymnasium and palaestra, exercise grounds, the Workshop of Pheidias which in Late Antiquity was transformed into a Christian church, the Greek baths with their swimming pool, the Roman hot baths, the Theokoleion or priests' residence, the Leonidaion or officials' quarters, and the Roman hostels.
East of the Altis lies the stadium where the Olympic Games were held. South of the stadium was the hippodrome, of which no trace remains as it was swept away by the Alpheios. South of the hippodrome is a group of mansions and baths, including the famous House of Nero, built by the emperor for his stay at Olympia during his participation in the games.
Site Monuments
Temple of Zeus
The temple of Hera, one of the oldest monumental temples in Greece,
stands in the north-west corner of the sacred precinct of the Altis, on
the south slopes of Kronios hill, protected by a powerful terrace wall.
It was dedicated to the Olympian sanctuary by the inhabitants of
Skillous, an ancient city of Eleia. Pausanias relates that the temple
was built approximately eight years after Oxylos ascended to the throne
of Elis, that is c. 1096 BC, but in reality it is much later. According
to some scholars, the first Heraion, built around 650 BC, was a small
Doric temple with only a cella and pronaos, to which the opisthodomos
and ptero were added later, around 600 BC. However, the theory that the
entire temple was built around 600 BC prevails today. The temple was
refurbished on many occasions, and the Romans transformed it into a kind
of museum for the sanctuary's choicest treasures, such as the famous
Hermes by Praxiteles.
The bouleuterion, or Council House, one of the most ancient and
important buildings of the sanctuary of Olympia, was the seat both of
the Elean Senate, whose members were responsible for the organisation of
the games, and possibly of the hellanodikai, or umpires. This is where
the athletes registered and drew lots, and where their names and the
program of events were announced. It was also where any offences and
pleas were tried, and where penalties were decided. Situated south of
the temple of Zeus, outside the sacred precinct of the Altis, the
building was begun in the sixth century BC and completed in the fourth
century BC; small additions and changes were made in the Roman period.
The Prytaneion, one of the oldest and most important buildings at
Olympia, was the administrative centre of the sanctuary's political life
and of the Olympic Games. It was the seat of the magistrates, the high
officials who oversaw the sacrifices performed monthly to honour the
gods; Pausanias (V, 15, 8) refers to it as the 'Prytaneion of the
Eleans'. The Prytaneion occupied the north-west corner of the sacred
enclosure, directly opposite the gymnasium. It dates in some form to the
late sixth or early fifth century BC, but was repeatedly remodeled and
enlarged later.
The stadium of Olympia, situated east of the sacred Altis enclosure, was
where the ancient Olympic Games and the Heraia, the women's games in
honour of Hera, were held. Before the sixth century BC the running
events were held on a flat area along the treasuries' terrace, east of
the great altar of Zeus. A first stadium (Stadium I) was formed in the
Archaic period (mid sixth century BC) by leveling the area south of the
Kronios hill inside the Altis. The west short side of the stadium faced
the altar of Zeus, to whom the Games were dedicated. In the late sixth
century BC a new stadium (Stadium II) was created east of its
predecessor, with a racetrack extending beyond the treasuries' terrace;
an artificial bank, three metres high, was formed along the south side,
while the hill side formed a natural seating area along the north. The
stadium received its final form (Stadium III) in the fifth century when
the great temple of Zeus was built. By then the Games had become very
popular, attracting a great number of both visitors and athletes, so a
new stadium was deemed necessary. The new stadium was moved eighty-two
metres to the east and seven metres to the north, and was surrounded by
artificial banks for the spectators. After the construction of the
Echo-hall in the mid-fourth century BC the stadium was isolated from the
Altis, which shows that the Games had lost their purely religious
character and had become more of an athletic and social event.
The ancient gymnasium of Olympia lies north-west of the Altis enclosure
on a flat stretch of land by the Kladeos river bank. It is adjacent to
the palaestra, which extends the gymnasium complex towards the south.
Here athletes practiced track and field and the pentathlon. Before the
construction of the gymnasium in the Hellenistic period, these events
took place outdoors. The surviving structure dates to the second century
BC.
The palaestra is situated west of the Altis enclosure, near the Kladeos
river. Built in the third century BC as part of the gymnasium complex,
it was used to practice boxing, wrestling and jumping.
This almost square building (66.35 x 66.75 metres) stands 0.70 metres lower than the gymnasium. At its centre was an open court, forty one metres square, surrounded by a Doric colonnade of 72 columns and laid with fine sand on which the athletes trained. The columns and lower courses of the walls were of stone, the upper courses of the walls of brick and the entablature of wood. Round the court were rooms of various sizes, most of them with Ionic porches, in which the athletes anointed their bodies with oil (elaiothesion) or powdered them with dust (konisterion), undressed and washed. Some of the rooms retain stone benches, used by orators and philosophers for teaching and social intercourse. An Ionic colonnade lined the elongated space in the south wing. Originally, the palaestra had two entrance doors on its south side, but a Doric propylon with four columns on the fa?ade was added later on the north side. This became the main entrance to the building, while a small doorway also on the north side allowed access to the adjacent gymnasium.
The Leonidaion, situated at the south-west corner of the sanctuary,
outside the sacred precinct of the Altis, was a large and luxurious
hostel for distinguished visitors to the Olympic Games. It was built in
approximately 330 BC and was remodeled twice in Roman times. A
dedicatory inscription partially preserved on the epistyle of the outer
Ionic stoa records that the building was erected by Leonidas son of
Leotas from Naxos, who was both architect and benefactor. His statue
stood at the north east corner of the building where its inscribed
pedestal was found.
West of the sacred enclosure, directly opposite the temple of Zeus, was
the workshop of Pheidias where the great sculptor crafted the gigantic
chryselephantine statue of Zeus, listed as one of the Seven Wonders of
the ancient world. The building was erected in the second half of the
fifth century, when Pheidias, after completing the sculptures for the
Athenian Acropolis, went to Olympia to work on the statue of Zeus.
Excavation finds and pottery date it precisely to 430-420 BC. Later the
workshop became a place of worship containing an altar for sacrifices to
various gods, which Pausanias (V, 15, 1) saw in the second century AD.
In the fifth century AD, a Christian basilica was erected over its
ruins.
West of the sacred
enclosure and north of the workshop of Pheidias lies the Theokoleon.
This was the seat of the theokoloi, the priests of Olympia, but also the
residence of the sanctuary staff, which included soothsayers,
interpreters, bearers of sacrificial animals, musicians and a woodmonger
who provided the wood used in sacrifices.
Immediately outside the Krypte, the entrance to the stadium and along
the treasury terrace is a row of sixteen pedestals, which supported the
Zanes. These were bronze statues of Zeus, none of which has survived,
created from the fines imposed on athletes for cheating at the Olympic
Games. Their prominent position was intended to dissuade other athletes
from cheating. According to Pausanias (V, 21, 2-18), the first of the
Zanes were erected after the ninety-eighth Olympiad in 388 BC, when
Eupolos from Thessaly was fined for bribing three of his opponents in
the boxing event. The remaining six statues were erected after the 112th
Olympiad in 332 BC by the Athenian Kallipos, an athelete of the
pankration who also bribed his opponents. Pausanias mentions in detail
other similar stories, ending with that of Sarapion from Alexandria, an
athlete of the pankration, who fled on the eve of the contest in the
201st Olympiad, in AD 25. He is the only Olympic athlete to have been
punished for cowardice.
The Philippieion, the only circular building inside the Altis, is one of
the finest examples of ancient Greek architecture. Located west of the
temple of Hera, it was dedicated to Zeus by Philip II of Macedon after
his victory at Chaironeia in 338 BC, proving the important political
role of the sanctuary at that time. After Philip's death in 336 BC, the
monument was completed by his son, Alexander the Great, who had the
statues of his family crafted by the famous sculptor Leochares, placed
inside. The monument was also used for the worship of the deified royal
family of Macedon.
The Echo Stoa is located within the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. It is part of an ancient archaeological site excavated and preserved by the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. A stoa is a covered walkway or portico, typically colonnaded and open to the public. In ancient Greece a stoa could be used for a variety of reasons including the selling and display of goods, and religious or public meetings. Aside from Delphi, this sanctuary was the most important one in Greece.
Otherwise known as the Stoa Poikile (meaning painted stoa), because of the paintings that once lined the hall, the stoa later became known as the "Echo Stoa" due to the acoustics of its design. It is said one word uttered, would echo seven times. “Almost 100 meters long, it was probably begun after the mid-fourth century, but not completed for a long time thereafter…” It was lined with inner and outer Doric style columns. The stadium was moved eastwards and a stoa was built to separate it from the sanctuary. “The intention is clear: it was to provide a colonnaded boundary to the sanctuary along the east side." Before the Echo Stoa, the finish line of the stadium was in full view of the temple. The structure also provided a backdrop for the penultimate stages of procession, however, this was less prominent than with the south stoa. During Hellenistic times this type of architectural layout, based heavily on view towards and from important buildings, especially with stoas became more common. “It was one of the most prominent features of the site at the time of Pausanias’ visit.
The Metroon, dedicated to the mother of the gods, Rhea, later re-named
Cybele, stood east of the Heraion, below the terrace of the treasuries.
This site was used for the worship of Mother Earth, to whom the
sanctuary of Gaia was dedicated, and of Eileithyia, a similar deity
connected to maternity, as early as the Prehistoric period.
The so-called south-east building, probably a shrine of the goddess
Hestia, formed the south-east limit of the Altis enclosure together with
the Echo-hall, which was built to its north in the fifth century BC.
Raised in the first half of the fifth century BC, the south-east
building continued to function until the first century BC, when it was
demolished to make way for new buildings. When Pausanias visited Olympia
in the second century AD, the shrine was no longer visible as it had
been replaced by the House of Nero and other buildings.
East of the Heraion and Pelopion stood the great altar of Zeus. No trace
of it has survived, but the large quantities of ash and bronze votives
discovered inside the Pelopion may come from this altar. According to
myth, Zeus himself indicated the building spot of his altar by striking
the ground with a thunderbolt. The altar was destroyed under Theodosius
I, who abolished the Olympic Games, and under his grandson, Theodosius
II.
East of the Heraion, directly in front of the temple, are the
foundations of the altar of Hera. This small oblong structure of poros,
5.80 metres long and 3.50 metres wide, was probably built like the
temple in the sixth century BC to replace an earlier altar formed by the
ashes of the sacrificed animals.
The Olympic flame of the modern Olympic games is lit on this very altar. The ceremony was first held for the 1936 Berlin Olympic games and has been repeated ever since for each Olympiad.
Hundreds of statue bases, many of which are inscribed, are scattered
throughout the Altis. Situated approximately thirty metres east of the
temple of Zeus is a most important example of these, the massive
pedestal of the Nike of Paionios, the remarkable Classical statue. The
votive Doric inscription on the base records that the Messenians and the
Naupaktians dedicated the statue to Olympian Zeus after their victory
against the Lacedaemonians in the Archidamian war (approximately 421
BC), and that the statue was crafted by Paionios from Mende. The text
was carved on the third course of the pedestal, two metres above ground,
and was clearly visible to the visitors.
In the Prehistoric period, Kronos, Rhea, Gaia, Themis, Eileithyia,
Hercules Idaios and other deities were venerated at the foot of the
Kronios hill, at the very site occupied by the Altis in later times.
Here excavations revealed a primitive sanctuary and possibly a
settlement of the Early Helladic III period (2300-2000 BC); the site was
continuously occupied until the Late Helladic III period (1600-1100
BC).
South of the Heraion was the Pelopion, a funerary monument (cenotaph)
dedicated to Pelops, a much venerated Elean hero. According to Pausanias
(V, 13, 1) this monument was dedicated by Hercules, a descendant of
Pelops. Beneath the Pelopion lies a prehistoric tumulus (Early Helladic,
approximately 2500 BC) and its enclosure. The earliest structure inside
the Altis, its top was still visible in the Classical period.
The spring, also known as the Exedra of Herodes Atticus, one of the most
opulent and impressive constructions inside the Altis, was situated
between the temple of Hera and the treasury terrace. It stood at the end
of a much-needed supply of pure drinking water brought to Olympia in AD
160 from springs east of the sanctuary and distributed by a dense
network of pipes. Prior to that, water came from wells and was in short
supply, especially during the Olympic Games when thousands of visitors
flooded the sanctuary.
This large structure, situated at the south-west corner of the Altis,
was built over the Classical sanctuary of Hestia and other buildings
demolished for this purpose. A lead water-pipe inscribed NER. AVG. and
other indications, support the identification of the building as the
House of Nero, built in AD 65-67 for the emperor's visit to the Olympic
Games of AD 67, in which he participated. The building was remodeled and
enlarged several times until the fourth century AD.
The earliest baths of the sanctuary are situated near the bank of the
Kladeos river. They were named Greek baths so as to be distinguished
from the baths of the Roman period. The original structure, which dates
to the fifth century BC, was gradually remodeled and enlarged. The Greek
baths were probably abandoned in the Roman period when several other
bath complexes were built inside the sanctuary.
West of the Altis,
between the Theokoleon and the Greek baths, lies the hero?n. Built in
the second half of the fifth century BC as the sweat room
(ephidroterion) of the baths, it became a hero?n, or monument to a hero,
in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
The Roman hostels are located outside the sacred enclosure of the Altis,
west of the workshop of Pheidias and very near the Roman baths of
Kladeos, the construction of which is probably related to that of the
hostels. The complex was built in approximately 170 BC to meet the
demands of the swelling numbers of visitors to Olympia during the games.
It was part of a large building program which included the remodeling
of several buildings inside the Altis and the construction of others of
more Roman character - grand, with many rooms and opulent decoration.
The so-called Leonidaion baths, situated outside the south-west corner
of the Altis, owe their name to the nearby guesthouse (though the two
buildings were not related). This well-preserved monument is unique in
Olympia in that it preserves its original height and roof. Built in the
third century AD, it remained in use until the sixth century and was
remodeled several times.
The so-called Kladeos baths are situated near the bank of the Kladeos,
at the western limit of the Olympian sanctuary, on the site of the
swimming pool of the fifth century BC Greek baths. They were built in
the Roman period, approximately AD 100, in connection with the nearby
Roman guesthouse to the south.
The so-called Kronios, or north baths, lie to the north of the
Prytaneion, near the foot of Kronios hill. The building was raised in
Imperial times over a Hellenistic building and baths, was remodeled
several times since and remained in use until the fifth to sixth
centuries AD. A small bath complex was added to its north-east side
during this last period.
The hippodrome was
situated at the south-east corner of the sanctuary of Olympia, on the
large flat area south of the stadium and ran almost parallel to the
latter. Its exact location is unknown, since it was washed away
completely by the Alpheios river in the Middle Ages when the river's
west bank dike fell into disrepair. The hippodrome housed the equestrian
contests (horse racing and chariot-racing) of the Olympic Games and was
therefore one of the most important monuments of the site.
It is the oldest regional Museum in Greece and in the general
Mediterranean basin. Until the decade of 1970, the Syngreion housed the
brilliant finds of the Sanctuary, but the building itself had already
been damaged in the eartquake that struck the area in 1954. With the
constructionof the New Archaelogical Museum, the Old Museum remained
closed until it was renovated from the foundations up.
The massive temple of Zeus, the most important building in the Altis,
standing in its very centre, is the largest temple in the Peloponnese,
considered by many to be the perfect example of Doric architecture. It
was built by the Eleans from the spoils of the Triphylian war and
dedicated to Zeus. Construction began c. 470 and was completed before
456 BC, when an inscribed block was let into the east gable to support a
gold shield dedicated by the Spartans in commemoration of their victory
at Tanagra. The architect was Libon of Elis; the sculptor of the
pediments is unknown
Temple of Ηera
Bouleuterion
Prytaneion
Ancient stadium
Ancient gymnasium
Palaestra
This almost square building (66.35 x 66.75 metres) stands 0.70 metres lower than the gymnasium. At its centre was an open court, forty one metres square, surrounded by a Doric colonnade of 72 columns and laid with fine sand on which the athletes trained. The columns and lower courses of the walls were of stone, the upper courses of the walls of brick and the entablature of wood. Round the court were rooms of various sizes, most of them with Ionic porches, in which the athletes anointed their bodies with oil (elaiothesion) or powdered them with dust (konisterion), undressed and washed. Some of the rooms retain stone benches, used by orators and philosophers for teaching and social intercourse. An Ionic colonnade lined the elongated space in the south wing. Originally, the palaestra had two entrance doors on its south side, but a Doric propylon with four columns on the fa?ade was added later on the north side. This became the main entrance to the building, while a small doorway also on the north side allowed access to the adjacent gymnasium.
Leonidaion
Workshop of Pheidias
Theokoleon
Zanes
Philippeion
Echo hall
Otherwise known as the Stoa Poikile (meaning painted stoa), because of the paintings that once lined the hall, the stoa later became known as the "Echo Stoa" due to the acoustics of its design. It is said one word uttered, would echo seven times. “Almost 100 meters long, it was probably begun after the mid-fourth century, but not completed for a long time thereafter…” It was lined with inner and outer Doric style columns. The stadium was moved eastwards and a stoa was built to separate it from the sanctuary. “The intention is clear: it was to provide a colonnaded boundary to the sanctuary along the east side." Before the Echo Stoa, the finish line of the stadium was in full view of the temple. The structure also provided a backdrop for the penultimate stages of procession, however, this was less prominent than with the south stoa. During Hellenistic times this type of architectural layout, based heavily on view towards and from important buildings, especially with stoas became more common. “It was one of the most prominent features of the site at the time of Pausanias’ visit.
The Metroon
South-east building
Altar of Zeus
Altar of Hera
The Olympic flame of the modern Olympic games is lit on this very altar. The ceremony was first held for the 1936 Berlin Olympic games and has been repeated ever since for each Olympiad.
Pedestal of the Nike of Paionios
Prehistoric building
Pelopion
Nymphaeon
South hal
The south hall was both the southern limit of the sanctuary of Olympia
and its main entrance from the south. Situated outside the Altis
enclosure, south of the bouleuterion, it was built at the same time as
the Echo hall c. 360-350 BC, and remained in use for many centuries.
House of Nero
Greek Baths
Heroon
Hostels
Leonidaion baths
Kladeos baths
Kronios baths
Olympia's Treasuries
The treasuries of the sanctuary of Olympia are located at the foot of
the Kronios hill in an area used for worship since Prehistoric times.
They stand on a purpose-built terrace which extends from the Spring to
the stadium, and date from the seventh to the mid-fifth centuries BC. A
poros staircase connecting the terrace with the Altis below was
constructed in the fourth century BC. Later a substantial buttressed
retaining wall which defines the north limit of the sacred enclosure,
was raised behind the treasuries at the foot of the Kronios hill. The
treasuries were small temple-shaped buildings erected by various Greek
cities for storing their precious offerings to Zeus. Pausanias describes
some of these precious votive objects and mentions ten treasuries,
namely those of Sikyon, Syracuse, Epidamnos, Byzantium, Sybaris, Cyrene,
Selinus, Metapontum, Megara and Gela. However, the foundations of
twelve treasuries were uncovered during excavation and only five of
theses are identified with certainty (treasuries of Sikyon, Selinus,
Metapontus, Megara and Gela). Most of the treasuries were dedicated by
Greek cities in Italy, indicating the close ties between the sanctuary
and the West.
Hippodrome
Ancient Olympia Old Museum
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