Olympia, Greece
Ancient sanctuary and birthplace of the Olympic Games.
Olympia (officially Archaia Olympia, meaning "Ancient Olympia") is a small settlement in the region of Elis on the Peloponnese peninsula. It is best known for the archaeological site nearby, which served as a major religious sanctuary in ancient Greece. Every four years from the 8th century BCE through the 4th century CE, this site hosted the ancient Olympic Games. In 1894, the games were revived on a worldwide scale to celebrate the ideal of peaceful competition for excellence.
The sacred area, called the Altis, was mainly devoted to Zeus, though other gods were also honored there. The games held in his name attracted visitors from across the Greek world and were part of a network of "Panhellenic" centers that helped shape a shared Greek identity. Despite the name, Olympia is not near Mount Olympus in northern Greece, where the twelve major Olympian deities were thought to dwell.
Historical records indicate that other local villages—Pisa and Elis—competed with Olympia for control of the sanctuary, and Olympia prevailed, suggesting the village and the sanctuary were not the same. The modern village is thought to be the site of the ancient one, which appears to have been continuously inhabited since antiquity.
The archaeological site contains ruins of over 700 significant buildings. One notable feature is the Pelopion, the tomb of the semi-mythical king Pelops, who gave his name to the Peloponnese and was an ancestor of Agamemnon and Menelaus, the Greek kings of the Trojan War. The tomb hints that Pelops may have been a real historical figure.
Another key spot is the stadium, essentially a field with starting and finishing lines marked by transverse curbing. Athletes entered through a vaulted corridor with an archway, while spectators mostly sat on the sloping sides of the field. The length of this field became the standard stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance used by geographers. The stadium has been reused for modern Olympic events without altering its ancient layout; temporary seating can be set up and removed easily.
The first major games at Olympia are said to have occurred in the 720s BCE. These prestigious events were part of the festival of Zeus. Although Olympia was a sanctuary, it lay within the independent state of Elis, and because the Eleans managed the games, bias sometimes occurred.
- Location
- Elis, Peloponnese peninsula, Greece
- Founded
- 8th century BC (first Olympic festival)
- Field
- Ancient religious sanctuary and athletic games
- Known for
- Ancient Olympic Games, Temple of Zeus, statue of Zeus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World)
- Notable features
- Altis sacred precinct, stadium, Pelopion
Lore & Background
The sacred precinct, named the Altis, was primarily dedicated to Zeus, although other gods were worshipped there. The games conducted in his name drew visitors from all over the Greek world as one of a group of Panhellenic centres, which helped to build the identity of the ancient Greeks as a nation. Despite the name, Olympia is nowhere near Mount Olympus in northern Greece, where the twelve Olympians were believed to live. Ancient history records that Pisa and Elis contended with Olympia for management of the precinct, and that Olympia won, implying the village was not identical to the precinct. The putative location of the ancient village is the modern village, which appears to have been inhabited continuously since ancient times.
Reader's Guide
Olympia's significance lies in its role as the site of the ancient Olympic Games, held every four years from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD, and as a major Panhellenic religious sanctuary. The games were restored globally in 1894, reviving the ideal of peaceful international competition. The archaeological site held over 760 significant buildings, including the Temple of Zeus, which housed the gigantic chryselephantine statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The stadium, with its standard length becoming the ancient Greek unit of distance called the stadion, has been resurrected for Olympic use with no intentional alteration of the ancient topography. The site also includes the Pelopion, tomb of the quasi-mythical king Pelops, and the workshop of Pheidias, where sculptor's tools were found. The Altis, an irregular quadrangular area, contained the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Zeus, and the great altar of Zeus. The games were held during the festival of Zeus, managed by the Eleans, and the famous Olympic truce only mandated safe passage for visitors, not stopping all wars. Today, the village services the adjacent archaeological site, and excavations are often in progress.
Did You Know?
- The name Altis was derived from a corruption of the Elean word meaning 'the grove' because the area was wooded, olive and plane trees in particular.
- The statue of Zeus at Olympia was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Antipater of Sidon.
- The Kladeos River forms the site's western border.
More in World Heritage Sites in Greece 1-24
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