THE VOYAGE
DISTANCE: 330km
GOD: Zeus
PLACES TO SEE:
Temple of Zeus
Statue of Zeus
Temple of Hera
BEST TIMES TO VISIT
Olympic Games (quadrennial)
GOD: Zeus
PLACES TO SEE:
Temple of Zeus
Statue of Zeus
Temple of Hera
BEST TIMES TO VISIT
Olympic Games (quadrennial)
WHERE TO GO
Temple of Zeus
Come pay homage to Zeus in the grandest of all the temples in the world. The temple is located in the Altis, the sacred precinct within the polis. Once inside the Altis of Olympia, you will find yourself only a short walk away from the temple of Hera as well as the administrative buildings for the Olympic games. Inside the temple, the pediments are adorned with beautiful decorations telling fascinating stories of our country's history. On the west pediment, see what happens when the Centaurs attempt to disrupt the wedding of Peirithoos to Deidameia. To the east, view the elaborately illustrated story about the marriage of Pelops and Hippodameia, in the traditional tale every Greek has learned about the origin of the Olympic games.
The Statue of Zeus
However, the storytelling walls are only a side attraction inside the temple. The sole motive for any Athenian visiting the temple should be to come see the brand new statue of Zeus. The gorgeous statue, made of gold and ivory, was created by a native Athenian, Phidias, only a few years ago. If you love the statue of Athena that proudly stands in our Acropolis, you will not want to miss what is arguably the greatest work of his lifetime so far.
TEMPLE OF HERA
While the Olympic Games or the Temple of Zeus may have motivated you to make the voyage from Athens to Olympia, do not forget to stop by the Temple of Hera to pay homage to the god of marriage. The temple dedicated to Hera is much older compared to the new one created in honor of her husband. Elders from the area have claimed that the temple was built during their father's lifetime about a century ago. The temple also serves as the site for the lighting of the Olympic torch. For those of you unfamiliar with the ceremony, the torch is lit by a priestess. The priestess uses a curved mirror to focus the sun's rays on a single point and the heat from the sun ignites the fuel inside of the torch causing a flame to grow. During the Olympic Games (which, if you plan your vacation to Olympia at the right time you will be able to attend) the torch is carried to the Olympic Stadium.