Ancient Olympia: in the cradle of sportsmanship

The land that was host to the ancient Olympiads, the games that were held to honor the Olympian Gods, the chief festivities in ancient Greece, Ancient Olympia is home to one of the world’s most important archaeological sites. Thousands of visitors that arrive here from across the globe are able to uncover the true essence of the Games, whose goal and purpose was to bring out the best in each competitor.

At the heart of the site and within the magnificent temple dedicated to Zeus, was the famed gold and ivory statue of the god, a work of the sculptor Phidias and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. From the 9^th century BC, Olympia was a sacred place that attracted worshipers from around the ancient world. And starting from the 8^th century BC, the religious celebrations at Olympia became associated with the Sacred Olympic Truce, honored throughout the Greek world following an agreement between the Spartan Lykourgos and the King of Elis, Iphitos. In the 5^th century BC, Olympia became a place where ideas were spread, with dozens of thinkers and influential individuals coming here to exchange and pass on their knowledge and ideas.

The Byzantine period witnessed the decline of many ancient Greek sites, including that of Ancient Olympia, which was finally completely destroyed by natural disaster around the 9^th century AD, and remained concealed until the rediscovery of the temple of Zeus in 1766. Excavations of the site were later funded by the German state, while finds were made continually even up to 1996. The 45,000 capacity stadium, the gymnasium where ancient athletes trained, the Archaeological Museum with its thousands of exhibits as well as the contemporary Museum of the History of the Olympic Games, are all set within a natural surrounding that persistently regenerates itself, and are the culmination of a journey that will surely remain unforgettable to those who visit.