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Ancient Olympia
Your stay with us is the perfect base from which to explore the museums and monuments of the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

Olympia

Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the greatest sporting events, the Olympic Games, is one of the top destinations in the world. Everyone dreams of visiting during their lifetime, the place from where the Olympic flame begins its journey. Thus, every year, many travelers visit Ancient Olympia, where its rich history, as well as its raw beauty, make it a "jewel of antiquity". Already from the early archaic years, Olympia took the name "Altis", i.e. Sacred Mountain. According to mythology, the forest overgrown with wild olives, pines, sycamores, poplars and oaks composed the ideal place for the worship of Zeus, and thus the place was soon transformed from a place of residence to a place of worship. As visitors to Ancient Olympia, you can tour all those impressive ancient buildings that the ancient Greeks used as places of worship, sports, conferences, etc. Also, in the Archaeological site of Olympia you will have the opportunity to admire up close the masterpiece statues of Hermes of Praxiteles and Nike of Paionius as well as the sculptural decoration of the Temple of Zeus, one of the most beautiful ensembles preserved from ancient Greek art. Of course, it is also worth visiting the surviving buildings of the Sacred Altis: the Gymnasium, the Palestra, the Bouleuterion, but also the Temple of Hera and Zeus with the wonderful golden-elephant statue of Olympian Zeus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world during antiquity.
Olympia

The sacred Mystery of the Olympic Games

In 776 BC, the first Olympic Games were held, with an olive branch as a prize, which was a symbol of peace and reconciliation throughout the centuries. The games lasted five days and included: running, chariot races, discus, jumping, javelin, boxing, wrestling and pentathlon. It is also said that women's Olympic Games were held there in honor of the goddess Hera, the so-called Heraia. Of course, this Stadium has seen glorious days of glory as it managed through competition and noble rivalry to transform strife and rivalries, hatred and passions into a wonderful Struggle for Unity, Peace and Reconciliation. Every four years, during the sacred sporting event, there was a truce so that Greeks from the Gates of Herakles, the Caspian Sea and Africa could compete and watch the games, among them philosophers, sages, heroes and famous men. The winners of the Games were considered heroes, the poets and musicians of the time sang of their power and beauty and the sculptors made their statues.
The sacred Mystery of the Olympic Games

Archeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia presents the centuries-long historical development of the sanctuary of Zeus, father of gods and men according to mythology. It is an archaeological wonder, fully in tune with the modern digital age with one of the richest collections of exhibits that will take you centuries back in time. At the same time, it houses the most complete collection of bronze objects in the world, ranking it one of the highest places of archaeological museums worth visiting. The most important exhibits of the museum are the Victory of Paionius, the Hermes of Praxiteles as well as a female griffin, a mythical creature depicted while nursing her young. Furthermore, the impressive god Apollo dominates the museum, on the western pediment of the temple of Zeus, representing the battle of the Lapiths against the mythical Centaurs.
Archeological Museum

Archimedes Museum

For science lovers, but not only, the Archimedes museum is a unique thematic museum of science and technology in Greece. In a two-story imposing building, the most important and interesting inventions of antiquity are housed, drawing the best reviews from its visitors every year. A museum dedicated to the greatest mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer and inventor of antiquity who left a huge legacy in various scientific fields. When you visit the museum, you will discover the remarkable similarity that the first steps of modern technology present to the discoveries of this great scientist in the 3rd century BC. The most important and well-known exhibit is the Antikythera mechanism that functioned as an analog mechanical computer, as well as 24 of his extremely interesting inventions.
Archimedes Museum

Archeological Site

The imposing archaeological site of Olympia is still revealing new hidden treasures even today, while at the same time it has been declared by Unesco as a world cultural heritage site. It is located in a verdant area crossed by the rivers Alfeios and Kladeos creating a magnificent landscape. There, in a prominent position within the sacred space, dominates the gigantic temple of Zeus, the largest in the Peloponnese, which was built by the architect Livonas and is considered the perfect expression, the "canon of Doric church building". Also, other important monuments of the area are the temple of Hera, the Mitroo (dedicated to the goddess Cybele), the Bouleuterion (place of assembly of the parliament during antiquity), the Rectory of Ilion, the Ancient Stadium, the Workshop of Pheidias, the Palestra but also many more.
Archeological Site

Museum of Olympic Games

A museum ode to the greatness of the ceremony of the Olympic games that were held every 4 years and are a symbol of unity and peace from ancient times until today. Being the first provincial museum built in Greece, with a donation from the national benefactor Andreas Syggrou, it creates a journey back in time, reviving this sacred mystery. It hosts 463 ancient works, from the Sanctuary of Zeus and from other Greek Museums which cover a chronological spectrum between the second BC. millennium and 5th c. A.D. Of particular interest is the fact that the old museum of Ancient Olympia has a virtual tour room and provides visitors with a three-dimensional (3D) tour of the archaeological site analyzing the process and rules of the Games. Furthermore, the Olympic Games museum exhibits memorabilia of the modern Olympiads (1896 and after their re-establishment by Baron Pierre de Coubertin & Dimitrios Vikelas), as well as the world's only collection of stamps on the subject of the Olympiads.
Museum of Olympic Games

Theatre of Olympia

The modern theater of Ancient Olympia, in the Floka area, with a wonderful view of the plain, has a capacity of 3700 seats and perfect natural acoustics. Every year it hosts actions that contribute significantly to the cultural and touristic development of the region, giving visitors to the region the opportunity to enjoy high-level artistic events. Thus, every summer in Ancient Olympia, theater performances, concerts and even film screenings are organized.
Theatre of Olympia

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