Olympia, Greece

Artist's impression of Olympia

Olympia, Greece was a city in Ancient Greece where the ancient Olympic Games were held. The Games were founded in 776 BC, and were held in honor of Zeus for 4 years. His temple at Olympia was one of the most impressive and important buildings in the city. His statue in the temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Olympia was a religious sanctuary, consisting of various buildings. These included a hippodrome, Palaestra, Gymnasium and several temples. The Olympic Games were abolished by the Emperor of Byzantium Theodosius I, in 394 AD. Most of the buildings eventually fell into ruins.

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