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GREECE: PELOPONNESE - ILIA - ANCIENT OLYMPIA

Ancient Olympia, Ilia, Peloponnese, Greece,

In the bright green valley of Alphaeus, in western Peloponnese, prospered the famous religious centre of antiquity, the most ancient sanctum of Greece is located - Olympia.

Olympia and Ancient Olympia situated 20 km from Pyrgos town, aproximately 15 minutes drive.

In Ilia's prefecture, tourism is extremely animated in virtue of Ancient Olympia which constitutes one of the most frequented archaeological centres of the country.

Olympia has been sacred land of worship of the gods since mythical age.
There, Olympian Zeus, the supreme of gods, was worshiped, in honour of whose the celebration of the Olympic Games was sanctioned every four years. In the Olympic Games, all the Greek city-states took place, even the colonies.

The historical place consists of the museum, where in its halls finds of inestimable value are brought together, as well as the remains of the ancient town.

The Sacred Grove of Ancient Olympia was surrounded by the wall which separates the temples and the religious structures from the secular ones.

The temple of Zeus took an eminent place among the structures.
It was built by the architect Livona in 470 BC with the spoils of Ilia's residents from the wars against Pisa and Trifilia.
The frontages and the gabled sculptures were marble. In the temple, sitting on a throne, was situated the gold and ivory statue of Zeus, work of Phidias.

At the foot of the mountain Kronion the temple of Hera rises - Heraion.
It was built in 650 BC. In the interior of the temple, the statue of Hermes of Praxiteles was found in 1877.

In the beginning of the 5th century BC the Prytaneion was built at the north-western nook of the Grove, seat of the Deaus, the sanctum dignitaries. In a particular room was sheltered the inextinguishable fire.

The Stadium, the largest of its age, with seating capacity of 45000 spectators, with track of race 212.54 metres long.

The Stadium was connected, in its north-western nook, with the Sanctum, by a narrow arched corridor, called "the Krypti".

Further structures outside the grove are: the Palaistra, where the athletes used to exercise in wrestling, fist and jump.

Contiguous to it was built the Gymnasion, an open-air area, surrounded by arcades in its four sides.Here, the athletes used to exercise in races when the weather conditions were bad.

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