Olympia

Ancient Olympia was the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece, dedicated to Zeus, the father of gods and men. It was the site of the Olympic Games, held as part of the Olympian festival, the most important celebration for the Greeks throughout much of antiquity. Other major festivals included the Pythian Games in honor of Apollo at Delphi, the Isthmian Games dedicated to Poseidon at the Isthmus of Corinth, and the Nemean Games, also in honor of Zeus at his sanctuary in Nemea.

In Olympia, inside the magnificent temple of the god, stood the chryselephantine statue of Zeus, crafted by Phidias, which was renowned in antiquity as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The first recorded Olympic Games date back to 776 B.C. and were held every four years. During the Hellenistic period, several buildings were constructed, mainly of a secular nature, such as the gymnasium and the palaestra, while in Roman times, modifications were made to the existing structures.