The Sanctuary of Olympia Greece

In the North West of the Peloponnese, in the Regional Unit of Eleia (Elis), has been established in the valley created by the confluence of the Alpheios and Kladeos rivers in a natural setting of beauty and serenity.

In the valley of Alpheios in the western Peloponnese, the sanctuary of Olympia flourished In the area of the sanctuary there was a settlement from the Early Helladic to the Late Helladic period 2800-1100 BC

The transformation into a religious center took place in the late Mycenaean era Pelops and Hippodamia were worshiped here. Several figurines of horses and eunuchs were found in the tomb of Pelops. At the foot of Kronius rises the temple of Hera in the Doric style, built in 650 BC. The surviving lower part of the church is built of hewn stone, while the upper part of the walls are made of raw bricks and the chancel is basically made of wood with clay tiles on the roof.

A little later, the treasures of mega-shaped nasks with dedications of Greek cities begin to be erected. Pelopion is renovated in the 6th century BC. At the end of the 6th century, the Rectory belonged to the corner of Altis, seat of the rectory officials of the sanctuary. Of the great altar of Dia no trace has been saved.

The ancient stadium extended along the length of the treasury and further east is the Stadium of the 5th century BC with the Stivos at a deeper level. In the 4th century BC the Stoa of Ichos was built. The Stadium has a capacity of 45,000 spectators. The racetrack, total length of 4 stages, has not been excavated. Nearby is the altar of Taraxippos, which was the horses' enclosure.

At the end, towards the south, in the middle of the 6th century, the rectangular Parliament building with an apse on one of its two narrow sides was built.

During the 5th century, the Sanctuary reaches its greatest wealth, and even now the gigantic temple of Dia peripteros, the Doric work of Livonos, is being erected.
The marble one-year compositions represent on the eastern side the chariot race of Pelops-Oinomaus with Zeus in the middle and on the western side the clash of 

Lapiths and Centaurs at the wedding of Peirithos and Deidamea with Apollo in the middle. The twelve metopes represented the marriages of Herakles. As the central end of the eastern pediment, a gilded victory work of Paeonios was erected, and as sides, a gilded levi in the depth of the nave was erected, along with the golden-ivory statue of Dia ergo by Pheidias.

The giant god held in his right hand the chryselephantine Nike and in his left the scepter. The throne and the throne were decorated with mythical representations of gods, demons, and heroes, made of gold, ebony, and precious stones. A special laboratory was built for the construction of the statue.

Other buildings are the Stoa of Ichos, Eptaichos, or Poikilis from the frescoes that adorned its interior.
At the beginning of the 4th century, the Mitroon, the temple of the mother of the gods Cybele, was built. Along the length of the exterior, the bases of 16 bronze statues of Zeus of the Zans are preserved.

The light circular pavilion building south of the rectory, the Philippion, was started to be built by Philip II after the battle of Chaeronea and was completed by Alexander the Great.The twelve metopes represented the marriages of Herakles. As the central end of the eastern pediment a gilded victory work of Paeonios was erected and as sides a gilded levi in the depth of the nave was erected the golden-ivory statue of Dia ergo by Pheidias.

The giant god held in his right hand the chryselephantine Nike and in his left the scepter. The throne and the throne were decorated with mythical representations of gods, demons, heroes, made of gold, ebony, and precious stones. A special laboratory was built for the construction of the statue.

Other buildings are the Stoa of Ichos, Eptaichos, or Poikilis from the frescoes that adorned its interior.
At the beginning of the 4th century, the Mitroon, the temple of the mother of the gods Cybele, was built. Along the length of the exterior, the bases of 16 bronze statues of Zeus of the Zans are preserved. The light circular pavilion building south of the rectory, the Philippion, was started to be built by Philip II after the battle of Chaeronea and was completed by Alexander the Great.

  

Five Hadrians of M. Alexander between his parents and ancestors.

During the 3rd century BC, the Palestra and the Gymnasium were built, an enclosed rectangular building with a spacious courtyard in the middle and arcades on its 4 sides. In 160 BC, Herodes Atticus builds an aqueduct. The waters of the rich pool gathered in Nymphaeum. The first serious destruction of the monuments took place when a wall was hastily built before the threat of the Eruli in 267 AD.

The end of the life of the Sanctuary comes in 393 AD with the decree of Theodosius A which forbade the liturgy of the shrines. In 426 AD, with another decree of Theodosius II, the destruction of Altis was followed by two powerful earthquakes in 522 and 551. The first investigations to uncover the monuments of Olympia took place in 1829. Excavations at the sanctuary were started by the German Institute in 1875.

 

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