If there is one place in Greece where one can find all the knowledge, culture and aesthetics of antiquity, then it is definitely the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia. The invaluable archaeological treasures of Ancient Olympia remained buried under the earth until 1875. Today, visitors have the opportunity to walk on the soil on which the greatest games of ancient and modern times were born. The ancient stadium, the Temples of Zeus and Hera and the workshop of Pheidias are only some of the site’s attractions.
The tour starts at the remains of the Gymnasium and the palaestra, where athletes trained shortly before the games, which in classical antiquity had come to last five days. Next, behind the temple of Zeus, visitors will come across the place where the wild olive tree grew; every year, a child whose parents were both alive, was called upon to cut the branches from which the wreaths for the winners were made. Directly in front of it, in a prominent position inside the sacred site, stands the Temple of Zeus, the epitome of the classic Doric architectural style, an impressive temple that housed one of the seven wonders of antiquity, the gold and ivory Statue of Zeus, sculpted by the sculptor Pheidias.
The statue was 13 meters tall, and was made of gold, ivory and precious stones. As it was constructed in stages, Pheidias was provided with a workshop, which had the same dimensions as the cella of the Temple of Zeus, and visitors can see directly across from it. Much later, it became a Christian church, but it is preserved almost as it was in antiquity. Right next to it is the Leonidaion, one of the largest buildings in the sanctuary. During the Olympic Games, it housed with all the comforts the illustrious personalities who came to watch the Games. Outside the southern enclosure of Altis, there is still the Bouleuterion, the South Stoa, the Greek baths with the swimming pool, the roman thermal baths, and, north of Pheidias’ workshop, the Theokoleon, a building that housed the priests of Olympia.
North of the Temple of Zeus is the Temple of Hera, while on the same side, there was the Metroon, a temple dedicated to the mother of the gods, Rhea-Cybele. Behind this temple, the treasures of the sanctuary of Olympia dedicated to Zeus by various Greek cities, mainly the colonies, were gathered at the foot of Kronios hill. To the west is the Nymphaeon, or the aqueduct of Herodes Atticus, one of the most opulent and most impressive structures that adorned sacred Altis.
Inside Altis, there were also the Pelopion, a funerary monument dedicated to the hero Pelops, the Prytaneion, which was the seat of the sanctuary officials, the Philippeion, the elegant circular structure dedicated by Philip II, king of Macedonia, and at its eastern border the Echo Hall, also known as Poikili Stoa.
East of Altis is the stadium, which connects to the sacred site through a sacred vaulted stone passage, also referred to as Krypte. It was where the Olympic Games were held in antiquity, as well as the Heraia, the games in honor of the goddess Hera, in which only unmarried women of Elis participated. In the same area, there is the famous mansion that Nero built when he stayed in Olympia, in order to participate in the games.
