This
popular port in the northwest portion of the Peloponnese serves not only as the
current harbor for the capital city of Pyrgo, but also provides the gateway to
Olympia, birthplace of the modern Olympic Games in 776 BC. However, many of the structures that can
still be seen today date back as far as the 9th century BC. The
Olympic games were integral in the society of ancient Greece. Every four years men from every city state
would travel to Olympia to compete and to honor the king of the gods, Zeus. Due to natural disasters and the destruction
of the site by Theodosius, Ancient Olympia is mostly comprised of foundations,
columns, and steps. However, its sheer
size symbolizes the importance of the archaeological site, built as a shrine to
the gods. Also impressive is the Temple
of Zeus which was built around 470 BC and was one of the greatest temples in
all of Ancient Greece. The stadium
itself had a capacity of 40,000 spectators and was the largest of its
kind. The Archaeological Museum of
Olympia is one of the most important museums in Greece.
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Archaeological digs still in progress
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Tom in the Gymnasium 2C BC
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Temple of Hera, wife of Zeus, 7th C BC
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Zeus abducting Ganymedes 475 BC
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Hermes of Praxiteles (340-330 BC) Marble
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Stadium, 600 ft, 40,000 people sat on the grass, 3d C BC
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