Archaeological site of Olympia Αρχαία Ολυμπία
Artist's impression of ancient Olympia
Location
Coordinates	37°38′N 21°37′E / 37.633, 21.617Coordinates: 37°38′N 21°37′E / 37.633, 21.617
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (center):	63 m (207 ft)
Government
Country:	Greece
Periphery:	West Greece
Prefecture:	Elis
Districts:	5
Population statistics (as of 2001[1])
City Proper
- Population:	11,069
Codes
Postal:	271 65
Area:	26240
Auto:	HA
Website
www.dimospirgou.gr

Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympí'a or Ολύμπια Olýmpia, older transliterations, Olimpia, Olimbia), a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Eastern European Time ( EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Eastern European Summer Time ( EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 Time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time UTC+3 is used in the following locations Moscow Time Eastern European Summer Time West Asian Summer Time The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The peripheries ( Περιφέρειες) are the official regional Administrative divisions of Greece. West Greece is one of the thirteen Peripheries of Greece. It is divided into the prefectures of Achaea, Aetolia-Acarnania and Elis Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as Peripheries of Greece, which are further subdivided into 3 super-prefectures and 54 prefectures or nomes Ilia (Modern Greek Ηλεία - Ileía, also Elia) is a prefecture in the Western Peloponnese and in Western portion of Greece Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The Greek Postal code system is is administered by ELTA (Ελληνικά Ταχυδρομεία Hellenic Post) This is a list of dialing codes in Greece. The first digit represents type of service Greek Vehicle registration plates are composed of three letters and four digits per plate (e Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Elis, or Eleia ( Greek, Modern Ήλιδα Ilida, Ancient Ēlis, Doric: Alis, Elean: Walis) is an ancient The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The Pythian Games (Delphic Games were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, a forerunner of the modern Olympic Games, held every four Delphi ( Greek,) ( pronounce and dialectal forms) is an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western Both games were held every Olympiad (i. An Olympiad is a period of four years associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. e. every four years), the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Events and trends 778 BC — Agamestor King of Athens, dies after a reign of 17 years and is succeeded by his son Aeschylus In 394 emperor Theodosius I abolished them because they were reminiscent of paganism. Events By Place Roman Empire September 6 — Battle of the Frigidus: Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the usurper Flavius Theodosius (January 11 347 – January 17 395 also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great ( Greek: Θεοδόσιος Α΄ Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world

Ancient Site

Olympia among the main Greek sanctuaries

The sanctuary, known as the Altis, consists of an unordered arrangement of various buildings. Sanctuary has multiple meanings A sanctuary is the consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar Sanctuary has multiple meanings A sanctuary is the consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar Altis was a location in what is today Peloponnese, Greece, on a little plain in the Elis Prefecture, on the right shore of the Alfeios River near the city Enclosed within the temenos (sacred enclosure) are the Temple of Hera (or Heraion/Heraeum) and Temple of Zeus, the Pelopion and the area of the altar, where the sacrifices were made. Temenos ( from the Greek verb "to cut" plural temene is a piece of land cut off and assigned as an official domain especially to kings The Temple of Hera, or the Heraion, at Olympia, Greece, is an important monument of the ruins of Doric Architecture. The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is an ancient Greek pagan temple dedicated to the chief of the gods Zeus. For the current name of Pelopion see Pelopio, a town west of Ancient Olympia in Greece The Pelopion was a structure at the ancient site of Olympia The hippodrome and later stadium were also to the east

To the north of the sanctuary can be found the Prytaneion and the Philippeion, as well as the array of treasuries representing the various city states. A Hippodrome (Gr from hippos, horse and dromos, race course was a course provided by the Greeks for Horse racing and Chariot racing A modern stadium (plural stadiums or stadia in English is a place or venue for (mostly outdoor Sports Concerts or other events consisting A Prytaneion (Πρυτανεῖον was seat of the Prytaneis ( executive) and so the Seat of government in Ancient Greece. The Philippeion in the Altis of Olympia was an Ionic circular memorial of ivory and gold which contained statues of Philip 's family Alexander The Treasuries at Olympia were a series of small temple-shaped buildings located to the north side of the Altis or sanctuary at the site of Olympia in Greece The Metroon lies to the south of these treasuries, with the Echo Stoa to the East. Metroon (metrôon was the name given to a building dedicated to the Mother goddess, Cybele, Rhea, or Demeter, in Ancient Greece. To the south of the sanctuary is the South Stoa and the Bouleuterion, whereas the West side houses the Palaestra, the workshop of Pheidias, the Gymnasion and the Leonidaion. A bouleuterion was a building which housed the council of citizens ( Boule) in Ancient Greece. The palaestra at Olympia is part of the gymnasium at the sanctuary. Phidias (or Pheidias; in Ancient Greek,; c[[ 80 BC]] c 430 BC) son of Charmides was an ancient Greek The gymnasium in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public Games It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual The Leonidaion was the lodging place for athletes taking part in the Olympic Games at Olympia.

Olympia is also known for the gigantic ivory and gold statue of Zeus that used to stand there, sculpted by Pheidias, which was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Antipater of Sidon. Ivory is formed from Dentine and constitutes the bulk of the Teeth and Tusks of animals such as the Elephant, Hippopotamus, Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Phidias (or Pheidias; in Ancient Greek,; c[[ 80 BC]] c 430 BC) son of Charmides was an ancient Greek The Seven Wonders of the World (or the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) is a well known list of seven remarkable constructions of Classical antiquity. Antipater of Sidon (in Greek, Ἀντίπατρος) Antipatros or Antipatros Sidonios in the Anthologies was an Greek Very close to the Temple of Zeus which housed this statue, the studio of Pheidias was excavated in the 1950s. The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is an ancient Greek pagan temple dedicated to the chief of the gods Zeus. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Evidence found there, such as sculptor's tools, corroborates this opinion. The ancient ruins sit north of the Alfeios River and Mount Kronos (named after the Greek deity Kronos). Alfeiós ( Greek: Αλφειός also romanized as Alpheus, Alpheios, Alfiós) is a river in Peloponnese, Greece. The Kladeos, a tributary of the Alfeios, flows around the area. Kladeos (Κλάδεος or Latin: Cladeus was a river god in Greek mythology, one of the sons of Oceanus and Tethys. Its located in the part of Greece which is called Peloponesse.

Site plan

1: North-East propylon – 2: Prytaneion – 3: Philippeion – 4: Temple of Hera – 5: Pelopion – 6: Nymhi of Herodes Atticus – 7: Metroon – 8: Zanes – 9: Crypt (arched way to the stadium) – 10: Stadium – 11: Echo stoa – 12: Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe – 13: Hestia stoa – 14: Hellenistic building – 15: Temple of Zeus – 16: Altar of Zeus – 17: Ex-voto of Achaeans – 18: Ex-voto of Mikythos – 19: Nike of Paionios – 20: Gymnasion – 21: Palaestra – 22: Theokoleon – 23: Heroon – 24: Phidias' workshop and paleochristian basilica – 25: Baths of Kladeos – 26: Greek baths – 27 and 28: Hostels – 29: Leonidaion – 30: South baths – 31: Bouleuterion – 32: South stoa – 33: Villa of Nero
Treasuries. A Prytaneion (Πρυτανεῖον was seat of the Prytaneis ( executive) and so the Seat of government in Ancient Greece. The Philippeion in the Altis of Olympia was an Ionic circular memorial of ivory and gold which contained statues of Philip 's family Alexander The Temple of Hera, or the Heraion, at Olympia, Greece, is an important monument of the ruins of Doric Architecture. For the current name of Pelopion see Pelopio, a town west of Ancient Olympia in Greece The Pelopion was a structure at the ancient site of Olympia Metroon (metrôon was the name given to a building dedicated to the Mother goddess, Cybele, Rhea, or Demeter, in Ancient Greece. A modern stadium (plural stadiums or stadia in English is a place or venue for (mostly outdoor Sports Concerts or other events consisting Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is an ancient Greek pagan temple dedicated to the chief of the gods Zeus. The gymnasium in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public Games It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual The palaestra at Olympia is part of the gymnasium at the sanctuary. A heroon - ἡρῷον (plural heroa - ἡρῷα also called heroum, was a shrine dedicated to an ancient Greek or Roman hero and was Phidias (or Pheidias; in Ancient Greek,; c[[ 80 BC]] c 430 BC) son of Charmides was an ancient Greek Kladeos (Κλάδεος or Latin: Cladeus was a river god in Greek mythology, one of the sons of Oceanus and Tethys. The Leonidaion was the lodging place for athletes taking part in the Olympic Games at Olympia. A bouleuterion was a building which housed the council of citizens ( Boule) in Ancient Greece. The Villa of Nero is a 1st century villa built for the Roman Emperor Nero and situated south-east of the ancient site of Olympia Greece. I: Sicyon – II: Syracuse – III: Epidamnus ? – IV: Byzantium ? – V: Sybaris ? – VI: Cyrene ? – VII: Unindentified – VIII: Altar ? – IX: Selinunte – X: Metapontum – XI: Megara – XII: Gela

History

For a history of the Olympic Games, see Olympic Games or Ancient Olympic Games. For the modern municipality see Sikyona. Sicyon (Σικυών was an ancient Greek city situated in the northern Peloponnesus Syracuse (Siracusa Sicilian: Sarausa, Classical Greek: / transliterated Syrakousai) is a historic City in This article is about the city See also Byzantine Empire. Byzantium ( Greek: Βυζάντιον Latin: la BYZANTIVM Sybaris ( Greek:) was a celebrated city of Magna Graecia on the western shore of the Gulf of Taranto. Selinunte ( Greek:; Latin: Selinus) is an ancient Greek archaeological site situated on the south coast of Sicily between Metapontum or Metapontium ( Greek:: Thuc Strab and all Greek writers have this form the Latins almost universally Metapontum was an important city Megara ( Greek:, "Big Houses" is an ancient city (pop for the village in Tibet China see Gela Tibet Gela is a town in the Province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The Ancient Olympic Games, originally referred to as simply the Olympic Games (Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες Olympiakoi Agones) were a series of Athletic

Prehistory

Remains food and burnt offerings dating back to the 10th century BCE give evidence of a long history of religious activity at the site. No buildings have survived from this earliest period of use. ^[2]

Geometric and Archaic periods

The first Olympic festival was organized on the site by the authorities of Elis in the 8th century BCE - with tradition dating the first games at 776 BCE. Elis, or Eleia ( Greek, Modern Ήλιδα Ilida, Ancient Ēlis, Doric: Alis, Elean: Walis) is an ancient The 8th century BC started the first day of 800 BC and ended the last day of 701 BC. Major changes were made to the site around 700 BCE, including levelling land and digging new wells. Elis' power diminished and at the beginning of the 7th century BCE the sanctuary fell into the hands of the Pisatans in 676 BCE. The 7th century BC started the first day of 700 BC and ended the last day of 601 BC. Pisa, or Pisatis was the name of an ancient Greek town or district in Elis, famous for containing Olympia, the site of the Ancient Olympic Games. The Pisatans organized the games until the late 7th century BCE. ^[2]

The earliest evidence of building activity on the site dates from around 600 BCE. At this time the Skiloudians, allies of the Pistans, built the Temple of Hera. The Temple of Hera, or the Heraion, at Olympia, Greece, is an important monument of the ruins of Doric Architecture. The Treasuries and the Pelopion were built during the course of the 6th century BCE. The Treasuries at Olympia were a series of small temple-shaped buildings located to the north side of the Altis or sanctuary at the site of Olympia in Greece For the current name of Pelopion see Pelopio, a town west of Ancient Olympia in Greece The Pelopion was a structure at the ancient site of Olympia The 6th century BC started the first day of 600 BC and ended the last day of 501 BC. The secular structures and athletic arenas were also under construction during this period including the Bouleuterion. A bouleuterion was a building which housed the council of citizens ( Boule) in Ancient Greece. The first stadium was constructed around 560 BCE, it consisted of just a simple track. The stadium was remodelled around 500 BCE with sloping sides for spectators and shifted slightly to the east. Over the course of the 6th century BCE a range of sports was added to the Olympic festival. In 580 BC, Elis, in alliance with Sparta, occupied Pisa and regained the control over the sanctuary. ^[2]

Classical period

The classical period, between the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, was the golden age of the site at Olympia. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca A wide range of new religious and secular buildings and structures were constructed. ^[3]

The Temple of Zeus was built in the middle of the 5th century BCE, its size, scale and ornamentation was beyond anything previously constructed on the site. The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is an ancient Greek pagan temple dedicated to the chief of the gods Zeus. The 5th century BC started the first day of 500 BC and ended the last day of 401 BC. Further sporting facilities, including the final iteration of the stadium, and the hippodrome (for chariot-racing) were constructed. A Hippodrome (Gr from hippos, horse and dromos, race course was a course provided by the Greeks for Horse racing and Chariot racing The Prytaneion was built at the north west side of the site in 470 BCE. A Prytaneion (Πρυτανεῖον was seat of the Prytaneis ( executive) and so the Seat of government in Ancient Greece. ^[3]

In the late classical period further structures were added to the site. The Metroon was constructed near the Treasuries c. 400 BCE. The erection of the Echo Stoa, around 350 BCE, separated off the sanctuary from the area of the games and stadium. The South Stoa was built at the southern edge of the sanctuary at approximately the same time. ^[3]

Hellenistic period

The late 4th century BCE saw the erection of the Philippeion. The 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 301 BC. The Philippeion in the Altis of Olympia was an Ionic circular memorial of ivory and gold which contained statues of Philip 's family Alexander Around 300 BCE the largest building on the site, the Leonidaion, was constructed to house important visitors. The Leonidaion was the lodging place for athletes taking part in the Olympic Games at Olympia. Due to the increasing importance of the games, further athletic buildings were constructed including the Palaestra (3rd century BCE), Gymnasion (2nd century BCE) and bath houses (c. For the sports arena in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania see Palestra. The 3rd century BC started the first day of 300 BC and ended the last day of 201 BC The gymnasium in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public Games It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual The 2nd century BC started the first day of 200 BC and ended the last day of 101 BC. 300 BCE). Finally, in 200 BCE, a vaulted archway was erected linking the entrance to the stadium to the sanctuary. ^[4]

Roman period

During the Roman period the games were opened up to all citizens of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial A programme of extensive repairs - including to the Temple of Zeus - and new building took place. In 150 CE the Nympheum (or Exedra) was built. For a Greek colony in the Crimea see Nymphaion. A nymphaeum, in Ancient Greece and Rome, was a Monument consecrated In Architecture, an exedra is a semicircular recess often crowned by a half- Dome, which is usually set into a building's facade New baths replaced the older Greek examples in 100 CE and an aqueduct constructed in 160 CE. ^[5]

The 3rd century saw the site suffer heavy damage from a series of earthquakes. The 3rd century is the period from 201 to 300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Invading tribes in 267 CE led to the centre of site being fortified with robbed material from the site's monuments. Despite the destruction the Olympic festival continued to be held at the site until the last Olympiad in 393 CE, after which a decree from the Christian emperor, Theodosius I implemented a ban. Flavius Theodosius (January 11 347 – January 17 395 also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great ( Greek: Θεοδόσιος Α΄ The workshop of Pheidias was turned into a Basilica and the site was inhabited by a Christian community until the late 6th century. The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. ^[5]

After this point the site was buried under the alluvial deposits of two rivers until its discovery by archaeologists in the 19th century. Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, "to wash against" is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other running ^[5]

Excavation

Discovery and early excavations

The exact site was re-discovered in 1766 by the English antiquarian Richard Chandler. Richard Chandler ( 1738 - 9 February 1810) English Antiquary, was born at Elson in Hampshire, and educated at ^[6] The first excavation of the sanctuary at Olympia was not carried out until 1829, by the French "Expedition Scientifique de Moree". The Morea expedition (Expédition de Morée is the name given in France to the land intervention of the French Army in the Peloponnese, between 1828 and 1833 at

1875-1881

Archaeological Site of Olympia*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Greece
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii, iv, vi
Reference	517
Region†	Europe and North America
Coordinates	37°38′17″N 21°37′50″E / 37.63806, 21.63056
Inscription history
Inscription	1989  (13th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Since the 1870s, the excavation and preservation of Ancient Olympia has been the responsibility of the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The German Archaeological Institute at Athens ( German: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI Abteilung Athen; Greek: Γερμανικό Αρχαιολογικό The first major excavation of Olympia began in 1875, funded by the German government after negotiation of exclusive access by Ernst Curtius. You may be looking for Ernst Robert Curtius (1886&ndash1956 Ernst Curtius ( September 2, 1814 &ndash July 11, 1896 Other archaeologists responsible for the dig were Gustav Hirschfeld, George Treu, and Adolf Furtwängler who worked alongside architects A. Adolf Furtwängler ( June 30, 1853 - October 10, 1907) was a famous German Archaeologist, teacher Art historian Boetticher, Wilhelm Dörpfeld, and Richard Borrmann. Wilhelm Dörpfeld (or Doerpfeld) ( 26 December 1853 &ndash 25 April 1940) was a German Architect, best known They excavated the central part of the sanctuary including the Temple of Zeus, Temple of Hera, Metroon, Bouleuterion, Philipeion, Echo Stoa, Treasuries and Palaestra. Important finds included sculptures from the Temple of Zeus, the Nike of Paeonius, the Hermes of Praxiteles and many bronzes. ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. Paeonius (or Paionios) of Mende in Macedonia was a Greek sculptor of the late 5th century BC. Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and Praxiteles ( Ancient Greek: Πραξιτέλης English prækˈsɪtɨliːz of Athens, the son of Cephisodotus the Elder, was the most renowned of the In total 14,000 objects were recorded. The finds were displayed in a museum on the site. ^[7]

1900-1950

Excavation was continued in a more limited way by Dörpfeld between 1908 and 1929 but a new systematic excavation was begun in 1936 on the occasion of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin under Emil Kunze and Hans Schleif. The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, an International Multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Their excavation focus was on the area to the south of the stadium, the South stoa, bath complex and gymnasion. ^[7]

1950 to present

Between 1952 and 1966, Kunze and Schleif continued the excavation joined by architect Alfred Mallwitz. They excavated Pheidias' workshop, the Leonidaion and the north wall of the stadium. They also excavated the southeast section of the sanctuary and out of approximately 140 debris pits found many bronze and ceramic objects along with terracotta roof tiles. ^[7]

Mallwitz took charge of the excavations between 1972 and 1984 revealing important dating evidence for the stadium, graves, and the location of the Prytaneion. From 1984 to 1996, Helmut Kyrieleis took over the site and the focus shifted to the earlier history of the sanctuary with excavation of the Prytaneion and Pelopion. ^[7]

Modern Olympia

The Olympic flame of the modern-day Olympic Games is lit by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror at the restored Olympia stadium and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are held. The Olympic Flame or Olympic Torch is a Symbol of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games A parabolic reflector (or dish or mirror) is a Parabola -shaped reflective device used to collect or distribute Energy such as When the modern Olympics came to Athens in 2004, the men's and women's shot put competition was held at the restored stadium. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated The shot put is an Athletics (track and field event involving "putting" (throwing in a pushing motion a heavy

The town has a train station and is the easternmost terminus of the line of Olympia-Pyrgos (Ilia). Pyrgos (Πύργος is the capital of the Prefecture of Ilia in Greece. The train station with the freight yard to its west is located about 300 m east of the town centre. It is linked by GR-74, and the new road was opened in the 1980s; the next stretch N and NE of Olympia will open in around 2005. Greek National Road 74 is a highway linking Pyrgos Olympia Tripoli and GR-7 / E65. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. The distance from Pyrgos is 20 km, about 50 km SW of Lampeia, W of Tripoli and Arcadia and 4 km north of Krestena and N of Kyparissia and Messenia. Pyrgos (Πύργος is the capital of the Prefecture of Ilia in Greece. Lampeia ( Greek: Λαμπεία Romanization before the 1990s Lambia) also Lambeia and Lampia as well as Labeia, is a Tripoli (Τρίπολη Trípoli, formerly Τρίπολις Trípolis; rarely Tripolitsa, Tripolitza and Tripolizza Arcadia or Arkadía ( Greek Αρκαδία is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. Skillounta is a municipality in the Prefecture of Elis, Greece. Kyparissia or Kiparissia, rarely Cyparissia (Κυπαρισσία is a town of around 5 Messenia or Messinia (Μεσσηνία is a prefecture in the Peloponnese, a region of Greece. The highway passes north of the ancient ruins. A reservoir is located 2 km southwest, damming up the Alfeios River. A road from Olympia and Krestena was closed in the late-1990s. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 The area is hilly and mountainous; most of the area within Olympia is forested.

A view from the Altar of Zeus facing the Leonidaion.

Panagiotis Kondylis, one of the most prominent modern Greek thinkers and philosophers, was born and raised in Olympia. Panagiotis Kondylis ( Παναγιώτης Κονδύλης, Panajotis Kondylis Panagiotes Kondylis ( 17 August 1943 — 11 July 1998 When Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee, died in 1937, a monument to him was erected at ancient Olympia. Pierre de Frédy Baron de Coubertin (1 January 1863 &ndash 2 September 1937 was a French Pedagogue and historian who is best known as the founder of the Emulating Evangelis Zappas, whose head is buried under a statue in front of the Zappeion, his heart was buried at the monument. Evangelis Zappas (1800&ndash1865 aka Evangelos Zappas, was a Greek businessman Philanthropist, and founder of the The Zappeion is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens Greece. ^[8]

Geography

Nearest places

• Varvasena (west)

Subdivisions

• Drouva

Communes

Historical Population

See also

• Communities of Ilia
• Olympia Archaeological Museum
• German Archaeological Institute at Athens

References

External links

• Very thorough photo tour of the entire site of Olympia
• Harry Thurston Peck, Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, (1898): "Olympic Games"
• Olympia - extensive black and white photo-essays of the site and related artifacts
• Collection of colour photos of the monuments and sculpture of Olympia
• Ancient Olympia museum