Olympia Museum photo 2

Greece, Peloponnesos, Elis, Olympia Museum, Lapith women
From the west end of the Temple of Zeus, pedimental sculpture, 5th century BC. depicting the fight between the Lapiths and the Centaurs. Here, two Lapith women look on, originally confined by the corner of the pediment.

Other archeological sites near Olympia

The temple of Athena

The temple of Athena and Zeus of Savior constitute the most appreciable monument of ancient Figaleia that is extended in the place of the current community. Figaleia was one of the important Arcadian cities and dedicated the temple of Apollo Epicurius in Basses. The temple of Athena and Zeus is located in the low hill of "Kourdoumpouli", south-western of the ''Agora'' of the ancient city. It is a rectangle temple with ''pronao'' and ''cella'', and orientation from the East to the West. Its period of life extends from the 4th century B.C. until the early Roman period, while probably existed an archaic phase as well. The temple is not reported by Paysania and the identification of worshipped deities was inscribed on the statues bases.

Alifeiras Archaeological Place

Alifeiras Archaeological Place

 The ruins of ancient city Alifeiras are found in the top of the oblong hill (800m length aproximately from  northeast to southwest), that is raised above the current village Alifeira (former Rogkozio). The wall that surrounded the ancient city is very well maintened in certain points, while the more well maintained tower ("Tower of Boybalas") has dimensions 9x3,70 and is saved in height of 6m aproximately.
The ruins of ancient city Alifeiras are found in the top of the oblong hill (800m length aproximately from  northeast to southwest), that is raised above the current village Alifeira (former Rogkozio). The wall that surrounded the ancient city is very well maintened in certain points, while the more well maintained tower ("Tower of Boybalas") has dimensions 9x3,70 and is saved in height of 6m aproximately.

Ancient Olympic Events

Olympia presentation ( e-book & video )

PRESENTATION1 3D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8c7jgxrMUw&feature=related   VIDEO 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yVDR_NAxZs&feature=related  VIDEO 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf1bilWUcG0&feature=related  VIDEO 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoykLSV8oVs&feature=related   PRESENTATION 2

http://www.latsis-foundation.org/gr/elibrary/1/35/book.html  electronic book

Olympic Game

Ancient Olympic Game

The Ancient Olympic Games was a series of competitions held between representatives of several city-states and kingdoms from Ancient Greece, which featured mainly athletic but also combat and chariot racing events. During the Olympic games all struggles against the participating city-states were postponed until the games were finished.The origin of these Olympics is shrouded in mystery and legend. One of the most popular myths identifies Heracles and his father Zeus as the progenitors of the Games. According to legend, it was Heracles who first called the Games "Olympic" and established the custom of holding them every four years.A legend persists that after Heracles completed his twelve labors, he built the Olympic stadium as an honor to Zeus.

Olympia Sanctuary

Ancient Οlympia Μuseum ΙΙ

Ancient Οlympia Μuseum

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, one of the most important museums in Greece, presents the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, the sanctuary of Zeus, father of both gods and men, where the Olympic games were born. The museum's permanent exhibition contains finds from the excavations in the sacred precinct of the Altis dating from prehistoric times to the Early Christian period. Among the many precious exhibits the sculpture collection, for which the museum is most famous, the bronze collection, the richest collection of its type in the world, and the large terracottas collection, are especially noteworthy.

Plan Olympia sanctuary

English: Plan of the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece.

Olympia

Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympí'a, 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. Both games were held every Olympiad (i.e. every four years), the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC. In 394 AD ( after exactly 1170 years ) emperor Theodosius I abolished them as they were then considered reminiscent of paganism. The first olympic games were in Olympia in honor of Zeus.