Visiting Ancient Olympia is a journey to the birthplace of the Olympic Games that awaits you to explore the Greek ancient culture and narrate to you stories from antiquity.
The hospitable city with the beautiful railway station, the narrow streets, the Olympic Games Museum, the Archaeological Museum and, of course, the Unesco’s World Heritage Archaeological Site, welcomes you to the most mythical place in Greece. It is considered mythical because it was the place of worship to the greatest Greek god, Zeus, to whom the sanctuary was dedicated as well as where the torch is lit for the modern Olympics.
The location of Ancient Olympia was not at all accidental. Specifically, the Unesco’s World Heritage Archaeological Site is built on the northern side of the Alfei River which helped livestock farming, agriculture as well as construction, since there were abundant materials for the origination of settlements, temples, etc.
The Chryselephantine Statue of Zeus was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World and it was constructed in Ancient Olympia, dedicated to the greater Ancient Greek god of all. It was twelve meters in height and consisted of wood inside, but gold, ivory, silver, crystal and semi-precious stones outside. The oldest building in the archaeological site is the temple of Hera and the newest building in the nymphaeum.
At the time of the Roman period, the Roman conquerors, respecting the history of Greece and its Gods, continued the Games. In 393 AD the last Ancient Olympic Games took place since Emperor Theodosius II had definitively abolished them. By banning the Games, the Emperor destroyed the sanctuary because it considered it pagan.
It should be mentioned that at the time of the Olympic Games there was a ceasefire throughout the entire Greek territory.
You will enjoy a walk in the cobbled streets where you will find local souvenir-filled shops as well as many shops with local Mediterranean cuisine. In spring you’ll be amazed by the most beautiful wildflowers and in the summer you will be surprised by the suntan that you will gain!
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