The Greek peninsula Peloponnese is directly connected with the history of the Olympic Games and the worship of God Zeus. It is on it that today there are the ruins of the famous temple, where a huge statue of Zeus was installed. Of course, over time, only stones remained from the religious building, but even in this state, this place causes sacred awe in many who visited it.
Complex at the foot of Kronos
The temple is located 300 km from Athens at the base of Mount Kronos. It was rebuilt by the Greeks between 471 and 456 BC. The project of the Doric temple at that time was developed by the architect Libon.
In 884 BC, the first sports games began to be held in the Peloponnese, dedicating every significant victory to Zeus. When the start of the games was announced in Greece, all internecine conflicts and wars subsided for a while. Kings and leaders could freely be near the arenas, as their safety was guaranteed by the way of life and rules of Ancient Greece. After the end of the competition, everything returned to its place, and the enemies again began to quarrel with each other.
In the 5th century BC, Olympia became the religious center of all of Greece. The Olympic Games were held on a regular basis, firmly entering Greek culture as an important part of it.
Temple of Zeus: description
Scientists and archaeologists were able to accurately restore the parameters of the temple at Olympia. The architecture of the temple was as follows:
- 6 columns are stretched along the width of the perimeter;
- 13 run along the length at the base;
- Roofs and walls made of marble;
- Shell rock foundation;
- Metopes with the exploits of Hercules;
- Gables with sculptures and compositions;
- The figure of Zeus behind the curtain in the center.
The statue of Zeus in the temple was 15 meters high. The sculpture looked like God sitting on an imposing throne. Such a composition evoked admiration and awe. Therefore, it was included in the notorious 7 wonders of the world.
On the territory of the tourist complex today there is an archaeological museum, part of the expositions of which is made up of sculptures and fragments preserved in the temple. Thanks to the meticulous work of historians, the past appearance of the temple and the statue of Zeus was reconstructed with a large number of details and details.
Archaeologists managed to find out that the base of the statue of Zeus was made of wooden shields that covered ivory plates. God's clothes were inlaid with gold, and precious stones served as his eyes.
The throne of Zeus was richly decorated with gold embossing, jewels and figures made of stone. God's right hand was occupied by a miniature sculpture of Nike, and in his left was a scepter with an eagle of gold.
It is believed that 200 kilograms of gold were spent to erect the statue of Zeus. The materials from which the majestic statue was made required special conditions and care. Therefore, the temple priests regularly smeared the ivory with olive oil, and also polished other parts of the statue.
In Greece, there was a tradition according to which every Hellene was simply obliged to see the great statue personally at least once in his life. So his life was considered not lived in vain.
The fate of the statue of Zeus is not known for certain. There are two versions of her further fate:
- Based on one historical version, it can be concluded that the temple and the statue were destroyed by the edict of Theodoric, ordering the destruction of all pagan manifestations on this earth;
- Another version points to 475 BC. It was then that the statue was allegedly exhibited in Constantinople, but then it burned down during a fire in the palace.
The artist and sculptor Phidias is considered the author of the famous sculpture of Zeus on the throne. Thanks to the picture left after him, scientists were able to accurately restore the appearance of the statue, and also learned a lot of other data that accompanied the history of the attraction.
Conditions for visiting Olympia
Entrance to the tourist part of the Peloponnese Olympia for tourists is paid. The main tourist adventure begins at the archaeological museum. Then a beautiful road among cypresses leads to the foot of the mountain, where the ruins of the temple are located.
The entrance fee to Olympia is approximately 6 euros. The same amount will have to be paid for visiting the museum. The price of a combined ticket is 9 euros.
On weekends, the complex is open from 8.30 am to 3 pm. The summer season runs from May to October. During this period, the complex is open from 8 to 19 pm. In winter, the operation of the complex continues until 17 pm.
At the entrance to Olympia there are fountains with water for drinking. Sightseeing can last up to 4 hours, so you need to bring sunscreen. Otherwise, no one can guarantee a safe stay in the sun during the day.
There is a cafe on site where you can enjoy delicious local food. Every year this attraction receives a huge number of tourists.
The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is a combination of architecture and sculpture. His appearance and style were elevated to the rank of classics. Until now, no one has been able to repeat or surpass him in grace or external harmony. UNESCO has included this temple in its famous heritage list for its grandeur and historical significance. A trip to the ruins and a visit to the local museum will help anyone to feel the charm and importance of this place.
How to get to the Temple of Zeus?
On Kifisou Street in Athens there is a bus stop from where they leave for Pyrgos. These buses run on their routes from 7 am to 10 pm. In Pyrgos, you will have to change trains to Olympia.
Olympia can also be reached via Patras. There are also buses running from early morning until late at night. Those travelers who plan to visit Olympia by getting off the cruise ship can do so at the port of Katakolon.
The easiest way to get to the Temple of Zeus is by car or tour bus. So you can do without unnecessary transplants. If the choice nevertheless fell on public transport, then it is worth remembering that on holidays and weekends these buses run much less frequently.
Address:Archea Olimpia 270 65, Greece
Telephone: +30 2624 022517
Working hours: 8-20 (no days off)
When looking for the Temple of Zeus, you will find two different structures built in honor of the lord of the Greek gods. There are ruins of the once great temple of Zeus at Olympia, as well as the remains of the temple of Olympian Zeus at Athens. The abode of Zeus at Olympia was built between 470 BC. and 456 AD, and Zeus in Athens was built much longer - from the sixth century BC to the second century AD. Although they are both practically destroyed, they still speak eloquently of the glory of the ancient.
Myths and facts
The building was erected on the site of a previous, more ancient temple. Construction began in 515 BC, led by the tyrant of Athens, Pisistratus. Pisistratus was the son of Hippocrates and led Athens for a long time. When Hippias, son of Peisistratus, was deposed after 5 years of his possession, work on the building was abandoned. With the advent of the period of Athenian democracy, the temple remained unfinished - the Greeks at that time believed that the construction of such a grand structure was an act of arrogance.
The history of the temple of Zeus continued its development when Alexander the Great took control of Athens and in the 3rd century BC. construction was resumed. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the king of the Hellenistic dynasty, signed a contract with the Roman architect Cossuthius to build the largest. However, in 164 BC. work stopped again when Antiochus died. Only in the second century AD (in 129-131) was the construction of the sanctuary finally completed by Hadrian. It is worth noting that Hadrian also installed two huge statues in the center of the building: one depicted Zeus, the other - Hadrian himself.
Olympia is the site of the first Olympic Games, and the temple of Zeus at Olympia was one of the seven wonders of the world, but was destroyed by an earthquake in the 5th century.
What to see
The building was built in a rectangular shape, with six large columns on the front and back sides and 13 columns on the sides. It was a classical structure with sculptures and stucco by the unknown master Olympia. In the center of the temple was a statue of Zeus, impressive in its size and splendor, by the Greek sculptor, artist and architect Phidias. Seated Zeus occupied almost the entire hall. The Greeks considered unfortunate those who had never seen this statue of Zeus. They say that when Caligula wanted to transfer the statue of Zeus to his place in Rome, the statue burst out laughing and the workers fled in horror. Unfortunately, the statue has not survived to this day.
Athens is also located - the goddess of war, the winged protector of the city. And in Delphi you can see the sanctuary of the son of Zeus -. However, like Zeus, many buildings in Greece are dedicated to Apollo.
The Temple of Zeus in Athens is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.00 to 19.00, on Monday from 11.00 to 19.00 in the summer; in winter - from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.30 to 14.30, on Monday from 11.00 to 14.30.
Cost: a single ticket to visit the Acropolis - 12 €, valid for 7 days.
How to get there: located in the center of Athens, the main entrance near Dionysius Areopagite Street. The nearest metro stations are Acropolis (10 min. walk) and Monastiraki (15 min. walk).
Ancient Greece was the birthplace of two wonders of the world: the statues of Zeus and the Colossus of Rhodes. Both masterpieces have not survived to this day, and a tricky story happened with the statue of the lord of Olympus. Many believe that she was in the temple of the same name in Athens, but in fact the legendary statue of Zeus was located in the village of Olympia in the Peloponnese. In honor of the famous Thunderer, a monumental palace was erected here, known today as the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. Today, only ruins remain of the building, but even the reconstructions show the highest level of skill that the architectural school of that time possessed.
Urban planning and architectural features of ancient Greece served as a kind of ideal of perfection. As the Romanesque and Gothic architecture of Western Europe was famous in the Middle Ages, so in the ancient period the ancient kingdom of the Greeks was a role model.
The influence of the Greek school is found in large and small structures in the states of the Northern Black Sea region, the kingdoms of Arabia, the Sasanian Empire (Iran). Many elements were borrowed from the Romanesque architecture of Western Europe, including the famous basilicas, monasteries and churches of St. Mary (Santa Maria). Even the Gothic architecture of Eastern and Northern Europe did not stand aside.
And the more ancient cities and tombs with artifacts are explored, the stronger the level of development of construction that the early Greek kingdom possessed is felt. The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is one of the unattainable buildings of antiquity, the pinnacle of Doric architecture. Excavations of the ruins left from the Olympic sanctuary made it possible to reconstruct the original appearance of the palace and restore the history of the construction of the temple.
Temple construction
The small settlement of Olympia in the northwest of the Peloponnese was destined to play a significant role in world history.
Since ancient times, a large sanctuary of the goddess Gaia has been laid on these lands. Here, Hercules laid the tradition of holding the Olympic Games, which still exists today. But all this was earlier, and during the heyday of Greek civilization, the cult of Zeus reigned, so the new shrine was dedicated to him.
The Temple of Zeus began to be built in 472 BC. Like the temple of Apollo Epicurius, the palace of the Thunderer is associated with military operations: its construction was preceded by the legendary battle of the Greeks with the Persians. Inspired by the victory, the inhabitants of Hellas did not skimp on donations, and the construction of the time took a little. For the palace, building structures were selected from the best materials, and the most experienced architects of Greece performed the work. The temple was decorated with relief sculptures, monuments and a luxurious statue of Zeus by the great Phidias. The completion of construction dates back to 456 BC.
According to the restored plans of Olympia, the temple was located in the very center of the Sacred Grove (Altis). From the west, it was adjacent to the workshop of Phidias, and from the east and north, the palace was surrounded by sculptures and votive gifts. For the ancient Greeks, the temple of Zeus was the most important shrine. Only the Byzantine Cathedral of Sofia or the most famous palace of Asia, the Taj Mahal, can be compared with it in importance.
The loss of the former grandeur of the ancient palace is associated with the crisis of Greek civilization, and then the decline of the Roman Republic. With the advent of Christianity, the temple was destroyed, and the surviving fragments were hidden under a layer of sand by powerful earthquakes of 520-550. Archaeologists were able to unearth the remains and restore the appearance of the shrine only in the 19th century.
architectural landmarks
Built by the best architects of Greece, the palace became the largest in the Peloponnese: the length of the base was 64 m, and the width was 28 m.
The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is a Doric perimeter, i.e. the building is surrounded on all sides by a colonnade (by the way, later this style was partially adopted by the school of Middle Byzantine architecture). There were 6 columns at the ends of the religious building, and 13 at the sides. Moreover, all of them were of an ideal shape, i.e. this is the very first example of the classical style of Greek architecture.
Of particular interest to researchers is the decor of the temple. On the pediments and metopes there were sculptural groups playing with mythological subjects. The composition of the eastern pediment tells of the competition between Pelops and Oenomaus, which Zeus is vigilantly watching. The western pediment shows scenes from the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs, and 12 Labors of Hercules are inscribed on the metopes. Fragments of these sculptural groups have been found and partially restored.
The main feature of the temple is the monumental statue of Olympian Zeus, which later became one of the wonders of the world. The majestic statue, made of ebony, ivory, gold and precious stones, amazed those who entered the temple. The height of the figure seated on the throne was 10 meters: it seemed that if the Thunderer stood up, he would rise even above the temple itself. The sculpture was located in the center of the hall, and viewing galleries stretched along the sides. Unfortunately, this masterpiece was lost in ancient times.
The reconstruction of the appearance of the palace of Zeus made it possible to understand that the Greek temples were as majestic as the churches and monasteries of the architecture of Western and Eastern Europe built in the Middle Ages. Although in the XI-XIII centuries the development of construction was at a completely different level.
Today, only ruins remain on the site of the sanctuary, but even a small part of the temple is worth the attention of modern tourists, because it carries the grandeur of ancient times.
How to get to the Temple of Zeus at Olympia
To admire the columns of the ancient sanctuary with your own eyes, you need to go to the Peloponnese, to the town of Olympia.
Once again we warn: do not confuse the temple with the statue of Zeus in Olympia and the temple of Olympian Zeus, located near the Acropolis in Athens!
Olympia is a small settlement, the main part of which is an archaeological complex. There is no transport here, travelers are brought by tourist buses or public transport from other cities. If you prefer independent trips to sightseeing tours, then there are three ways to get to the temple of Zeus at Olympia.
Buses from Athens
From the Greek capital, from Kifisou Street, where Terminal A is located, there are direct flights twice a day to Olympia (via Pyrgos). The departure time of the bus from Athens is 09:30 and 13:00, the journey will take 5.5 hours, and the ticket will cost 28 euros.
In addition, buses to Pyrgos run every hour (from 06:30 to 21:30) from the same bus stop. Here you need to transfer to the bus to Olympia, which runs hourly.
Buses from Patras
If you are vacationing in the Peloponnese, then the easiest way to get to Olympia is from Patras. From here to Pyrgos there are 10 bus trips per day (from 05:30 to 20:30). The road will take 1.5 hours + change in Pyrgos and another 30 minutes to the Archaeological complex in Olympia.
car trip
Travelers who prefer a rented car to public transport can easily get to any corner of Greece, they just need to navigate the road map. From Athens to Olympia, they usually travel along the route Corinth-Patras-Olympia. Travel time takes about 6 hours. An alternative route runs through Corinth and Tripoli.
Temple of Zeus at Olympia on the map of Greece
For visual orientation, we bring to your attention a map on which the location of the temple is marked. By the way, be careful when looking for a convenient route, as the same confusion often arises between the temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens and the archaeological complex in Olympia.
Conditions for visiting Olympia
Anyone can visit the ancient sanctuary and view the temple of Zeus and other monuments of the religious cult.
The archaeological park has preserved 21 fragments of the ancient complex, including pediment sculptures and statues. There are 3 museums on the territory: archaeological, historical and the Museum of the Olympic Games. Unlike the Athenian version of the Temple of Zeus, there is no shortage of attractions in Olympia. In order not to miss anything interesting, it is better to plan a stay for 2 days, especially since there are many cozy hotels in the town.
Opening hours
The ruins of ancient buildings and the palace of Zeus in the archaeological complex of Olympia are available for visiting daily.
The opening hours of the establishment are adjusted depending on the season. From May to October the gates of the complex are open from 8:30 to 19:00. In winter (November-April), the working day is reduced by two hours: from 8:30 to 17:00. On weekends, the museum is open until 15:00.
Despite the indicated schedule, usually new visitors are not allowed into the territory already 2-3 hours before closing. This point is especially important to consider for travelers who come for one day from other cities.
Ticket price
Since 2016, in order to be behind the wall enclosing the excavations of the ancient sanctuary, it is necessary to purchase a complex ticket to visit the park. Having paid 12 euros, tourists can see the temple of Zeus and the ruins of ancient altars, walk around the territory and get acquainted with the exhibits of all three museums. For holders of privileges, the price of passage will be reduced exactly by half - to 6 euros.
On special days, admission to the territory is free. You can get acquainted with the heritage of antiquity for free on the following dates:
- May 18 (Museum Day);
- Last weekend of September (European Heritage Days);
- First Sunday of the month (November 1st to March 31st only)
- March 6 (Melin Mercouri Memorial Day)
- April 18 (Monument Day).
The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is one of the finest examples of classical Greek architecture. Even the fragments that have come down to us show the grandeur of the ancient building and the painstaking work of the architect and sculptors.
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Classmates
The Temple of Olympian Zeus was the largest temple in Greece, taking over seven centuries to build. The construction of the Olympeion began in the sixth century BC, during the Archaic period. But the temple was finally completed only in the second century AD, during the period of the Roman era. Construction began in 515 BC on the orders of the tyrant Peisistratus, but stopped only five years later when the tyrant's son was overthrown. In the subsequent democratic period, the temple was considered a symbol of oppression, and work was stopped.
History of the Temple of Zeus
Construction resumed in 175 BC, when King Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled. He hired the Roman architect Cossutius to design the largest temple in the world. Unfortunately, 10 years later (in 164 BC) Antiochus died, and the work stopped again. In 132 AD e., during his second visit to Athens, the emperor Hadrian decided to complete the temple and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus. 
The Temple of Zeus became the center of a new district called Adrianopolis. Olympion was the largest temple in ancient Greece, exceeding even the Parthenon in size. The structure was originally conceived in the Doric style, with two rows of eight wide columns wide and two rows of 21 columns long. Cossutius significantly altered the original design. He added Corinthian pilasters, and also changed the arrangement of the columns, while retaining the original number. Emperor Hadrian decided to choose this design and follow it closely. 
To date, only fifteen of the more than a hundred large columns 17.25 meters high have survived. The sixteenth column was destroyed in a terrible storm in 1852, but its ruins still lie where it fell. The columns, two meters in diameter, were built of marble from the Pentelik quarry. They surrounded a cella in which two large statues were placed: a gold and ivory statue of Zeus and a statue of the Emperor Hadrian. The statue of Zeus was an exact copy of the statue of Zeus, created by the famous Greek sculptor Phidias in Olympia. Unfortunately, none of the statues has survived to this day.
Arch of Hadrian
In 131 AD, the Athenians built a closed arch in honor of Emperor Hadrian. An arch eighteen meters high is located northwest of the temple. It is engraved with two sentences. The inscription from the side of the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus." The other side of the arch overlooks the temple and the part of the city built by Hadrian, and the inscription indicates that "This is the city of Hadrian, not Theseus." The inscriptions refer to the founders of the new and old city of Athens: the arch symbolically separated the old city (founded by the mythical hero Theseus) and the new city of Adrianopolis, founded by the Roman emperor Hadrian. 
Several other structures in the Temple of Zeus complex have been discovered during excavations at the Olympeion, including Roman baths from the 130s and several temples from the same period.
Nome of Elis.
The famous archaeological complex at the foot of Mount Kronos receives tourists all year round who come to see the site of the first Olympic Games and its main attraction - the Temple of Zeus, where once, many centuries ago, an incredible statue of the Thunderer stood, striking the eye.
Temple of Zeus at Olympia, built 471-456 BC e. architect Libon, is an excellent example of an early classical, strict in its architecture, Doric temple.
The first places of worship appeared in this area as early as the third millennium BC, from 884 BC. e. Olympiads in honor of the supreme deity began to be held here.
Olympia reached its heyday by the 5th century BC. e. By this time, the Persian wars had ended with the victory of the Greeks, and interest in holding the Olympic Games had unusually increased. Thanks to the construction of a new temple in honor of Zeus, this area of ancient Greece became a pan-Hellenic religious center, which attracted many pilgrims.
Despite the fact that later the temple of Zeus was completely destroyed, the description of the ancient Greek historian Pausanias and a fairly large number of fragments remained. The work of archaeologists and historians to study them made it possible to reconstruct the appearance of the structure with a high degree of accuracy.
The temple was a Doric peripter: 6 columns in width and 13 in length of the base, built of solid shell rock. Marble was used in the decoration of the walls and roof.
The pediments were decorated with multi-figured sculptural compositions, and the entrance to the inner sanctuary - cella, hidden behind the outer columns of the facades, was decorated with a frieze with metopes dedicated to the exploits of Hercules.
In the cella itself there was a grandiose figure of Zeus, hidden from prying eyes by a curtain, it was revealed to enthusiastic spectators only at special moments of the festivities.
The sculpture of the deity sitting on the throne was at least 15 meters high and evoked in everyone who saw it a sense of reverence for his power.
This magnificent work of ancient Greek art was included in the famous list of 7 wonders of the world.
In the Archaeological Museum on the territory of the park today you can see the main preserved values and sculptural works of the temple.
In total, 21 more or less well-preserved parts have survived to this day, including 3-meter figures from the pediments of the temple, parts of the sanctuaries of other deities.
In the museum you can also see a picture in which the artist tried to recreate the statue of Zeus, some of the works of the great Phidias, which miraculously survived to this day and other finds of archaeologists.
The museum is open from 9.00 to 19.00, but new visitors are usually not allowed in after 15.00.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia - wonder of the world
The figure of Olympian Zeus served as the center of the entire architectural composition of the temple. Made by the great sculptor of antiquity, Phidias, in a complex technique of combining ivory and gold, it was an outstanding work of classical art of ancient Greece.
The remains of the temple were discovered in 1875, and in 1950 the workshop of Phidias was found, built in the image of the temple itself, where the great master created his masterpiece.
The base of the statue of Olympian Zeus was made of wood and covered with polished ivory plates, clothes were made of gold, and precious stones served as eyes.
Zeus sat on a luxurious golden throne, decorated with precious stones and numerous sculptural images.
In his right hand he held a human-sized statue of Nike, and in his left hand a golden scepter with an eagle sitting on it.
It is believed that the creation of this great creation took 200 kg of gold.
According to the reconstruction, the armrests of the throne and the right palm of Zeus were at the level of the capitals of the first tier of the columns.
If Zeus had to stand up to his full height, he would have pierced the ceiling of the temple with his head.
The ivory plates required special care: to protect them from humid air, the priests of the temple smeared them with olive oil, which flowed into the recess, which was in black marble, with which the floor space in front of the statue was lined.
It was believed that every Greek is obliged to see this sculpture once in his life, so as not to consider his life lived in vain.
Not much is known about the fate of the great statue. Some sources believe that according to the edict of Theodoric, who commanded to destroy all evidence of the pagan faith, the statue of Phidias Olympian Zeus in 394 AD. e. was destroyed along with the temple.
Others report that before 475 AD. e. the sculpture was exhibited in one of the palaces of Constantinople and was lost during a fire.
One way or another, this greatest work of human genius, like many others, unfortunately, has disappeared forever.
Today, tourists who come on an excursion to the temple of Zeus first visit the archaeological museum of the complex.
The short road from the museum to Ancient Olympia passes in the shade of cypress, olive, apple and plum trees, as well as flowerbeds covered with bright flowers.
The price of entry to the territory of Olympia is 6 euros, the same is the cost of visiting the museum, but it is possible to purchase a complex ticket for 9 euros.
The entrance gates to the complex are open from 8.00 to 19.00 - in the summer season (May-October) and from 8.00 to 17.00 - in the winter (November-April).
On weekends - from 8.30 to 15.00.
After the tour, you can relax and have a snack in the cafe.
During hot hours, it is advisable to have sun protection and water. You will need 3-4 hours so that the inspection of the ancient structure is not cursory and superficial.
At the entrance there is a fountain with drinking water.
It is one of the most visited historical monuments in Greece..
The pediments of the temple
The upper part of the temple of Zeus, along its narrower side, ends at the top with a triangular pediment, bounded on both sides by roof slopes.
The western pediment is dedicated to the centauromachy: the scene of the battle of lapiths and centaurs.
The mythical tribe of the Latifs, inhabitants of Thessaly, invited the neighboring tribe of centaurs to celebrate the marriage of their king, Pirithous, to Hippodamia.
Having drunk too much, one of the centaurs decided to kidnap the bride, which led to the beginning of a fierce battle.
The Lapiths, not without the help of Theseus, a friend of Pirithous, won.
In the understanding of the ancient inhabitants of Hellas, this myth symbolized the victory of the developed culture of the civilized tribes of man over the wild nature of the centaurs.
The sculptural images of the western pediment are perceived as real, the whole scene is full of violent movement, in which, however, there is no randomness.
The artist balanced both parts of the composition with the central figure of the beautiful young Apollo, who is watching what is happening with a slight smile on his lips.
His imperious figure, full of calm superiority, leaves no doubt on the outcome of the battle to the audience.
The eastern pediment is dedicated to the visualization of the myth of Pelops and King Enomai, to whom the Delphic oracle predicted death at the hands of his son-in-law.
Enomai's father, the god of war Ares, left him a legacy of fabulously fast horses and all applicants for the hand of his daughter Hippodamia, Enomai offered chariot competition.
No one could compare in speed with the horses of Ares, and all the losers were overtaken by death at the hands of the king.
Pelops (from his name came the name of the Peloponnese peninsula) turned out to be the most cunning, he persuaded the driver and he replaced one of the axles of the chariot with wax. During the race, it melted and Enomai died.
Pelops got the girl and the kingdom.
The sculptural composition of the eastern pediment is devoid of violent movement, all images are static and more isolated from each other.
Two groups of courageous figures, in perfect harmony with the rhythm of powerful Doric columns, are symmetrically located relative to the central image of the supreme god Zeus.
Such a noticeable difference in the dynamic solution of the compositions of the two pediments has led historians to believe that they were made by different masters.
The sculptural compositions of both pediments show us two different approaches of the artists of the 5th century BC. e. to an attempt to create a universal monumental image.
It is worth adding that these magnificent works of art, like many ancient Greek sculptures, were polychrome.
The surviving fragments are in the archaeological museum of Olympia.
They are fixed in such a way as to recreate their real position as accurately as possible, as it was on the pediment of the ancient temple.
Metopes
Along the entire length, the upper part of the ancient temple above the columns is decorated with a frieze consisting of alternating stone slabs and triglyphs (three parallel lines).
Such stone slabs are called metopes., they were often decorated with reliefs.
Most of the surviving images from the sanctuary of Zeus are kept in the Louvre, and only a few are in the Olympia Museum.
The twelve metopes of the temple depict the exploits of Hercules.
The choice of plot is due to the fact that in the view of the Hellenes, the image of this hero personified the struggle with the dark forces of chaos surrounding them and symbolized the victory of the rational human mind over the mythical forces of evil, which the ancient Greeks had no explanation for yet.
This theme served as a continuation of the heroic pathos set by the sculptural compositions on the pediments and prepared for the contemplation of the statue of the supreme deity.
Metopes were located in accordance with the movement of pilgrims around the temple.
The first feat: the battle with the Nemean lion, was depicted on the metope of the left western corner, and the last feat, the cleaning of the Augean stables, was dedicated to the metope in the right corner of the east side.
The height of the metope is 1.6 m, the width is 1.5 m.
Some of their elongation in height is consistent with the general plan of the architect, who sought to give the temple maximum majesty.
In the relatively small space of the metope, the artist managed to fill the sculptures with the dynamics of true life, while maintaining their harmony with a clear architectural form.
The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is one of the most significant ancient Greek architectural monuments..
Here, for the first time, the principle of synthesis of architecture and sculpture was most fully embodied, which later became classical and is still considered unsurpassed.
Although only ruins remain of the temple itself, a visit to the museum, thanks to the reconstructions presented there, will allow you to understand the former splendor of this structure, and the opportunity to touch the fragments of the columns, whose age is more than two and a half thousand years, will cause a surge of emotions that are difficult to describe.
The ruins of the city have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
A trip to ancient Olympia is worth it to face eternity.
