Irlandos at 20:33, June 19, 2006

2006-06-19T20:33:44Z

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2006-06-19T20:28:01Z

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Irlandos at 20:25, June 19, 2006

2006-06-19T20:25:44Z

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'''Olympia''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Ολυμπία ''Olympí'a''), a sanctuary of ancient [[Greece]] in [[Elis]], is known for having been the site of the [[Olympic Games]] in classical times, comparable in importance to the [[Pythian Games]] held in [[Delphi]]. Both games were held every olympiad (i.e. every four years), the [[Olympic Games]] dating back possibly further than [[776 BC]]. In [[394]] emperor [[Theodosius I]], or possibly his grandson [[Theodosius II]] in [[435]], abolished them because they were reminiscent of paganism.

The sanctuary itself consists of an unordered arrangement of various buildings. To the north of the sanctuary can be found the prytaneion and the Philippeion, as well as the array of treasuries representing the various city states. The metroon lies to the south of these treasuries, with the Echo Stoa to the East. To the south of the sanctuary is the South Stoa and the Bouleuterion, whereas the West side houses the palaistra, the workshop of Pheidias, the Gymnasion and the Leonidaion. Enclosed within the temenos are the temples of Hera and Zeus, the Pelopion and the area of the altar, where the sacrifices were made. The hippodrome and later stadium were also to the East.

Olympia is also known for the gigantic ivory and gold [[Statue of Zeus at Olympia|statue of Zeus]] that used to stand there, sculpted by [[Pheidias]], which was named one of the [[Seven Wonders of the Ancient World]] by [[Antipater of Sidon]]. Very close to the temple of Zeus which housed this statue, the studio of Pheidias was excavated in the [[1950s]]. Evidence found there such as sculptor's tools, corroborates this opinion.

Excavation of the Olympia temple district and its surroundings began with a French expedition in [[1829]]. German archaeologists continued the work in the latter part of the [[19th century|19th]] century. The latter group uncovered, intact, the [[Hermes]] of [[Praxiteles]] statue, among other artifacts. In the middle of the [[20th Century]], the stadium where the running contests took place was excavated.

The [[Olympic flame]] of the modern-day [[Olympic Games]] is lit by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror at the restored Olympia stadium and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are held.

When the modern Olympics came to [[Athens]] in [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]], the men's and women's [[shot put]] competition was held at the restored stadium.

The ancient ruins sits north of the [[Alfeios River]] and lies next to [[Cronius]] or [[Kronios]] hill (the hill of [[Kronos]], or Saturn). Kladeos, a tributary of Alfeios, flows around the area.

The town has a school and a square (''plateia''). Tourism is popular throughout the late-[[20th century]]. The city has a train station and is the easternmost terminus of the line of Olympia-[[Pyrgos]]. The train station which the freight yard is west of it is about 300 m east of the town centre.

It is linked by [[Greece Interstate 74|GR-74]] and the new road was opened in the [[1980s]], the next stretch N and NE of Olympia will open in around [[2005]]. Distance from [[Pyrgos]] is 20 km E(old: 21 km), about 50 km SW of [[Lampeia]], W of [[Tripolis]] and [[Arcadia]] and 4 km north of [[Krestena]] and N of [[Kyparissia]] and [[Messenia]]. The highway passed north of the ancient ruins.

A reservoir is located 2 km southwest damming up the Alfeios river and has a road from Olympia and Krestena which in the late-[[1990s]] has been closed.

The area is hilly and mountainous, most of the area within Olympia is forested.

==Nearest Places==
*[[Varvasena]] (west)
==Subdivision:==
*[[Drouva]]
==Communes:==
*[[Pisa (Greece)|Ancient Pisa]] (Miraka)
**International Olympic Academy (pop: 63)
*[[Aspra Spitia]]
**[[Ypsilo]]
*[[Chelidonio]]
*[[Floka]]
*[[Irakleia]]
*[[Kafkonia]]
*[[Kamena]]
**Nea Kamena
*[[Vasilaki]]
*[[Kladeos]]
*[[Koskina (Ilia) |Koskina]]
**[[Fanara]]
*[[Kryonero (Ilia),|Kryonero]]
*[[Linaria (Ilia) |Linaria]]
*[[Louvro]]
**[[Gyros (Ilia) |Gyros]]
*[[Mageira]]
*[[Mouria (Ilia)|Mouria]]
*[[Pefki (Ilia) |Pefko]]
*[[Pelopio]]
**[[Ampari]]
*[[Platanos (Ilia) |Platanos]]
**[[Agios Georgios (Olympia)|Agios Georgios]] (pop: 7)
*[[Pournario]]
*[[Smila]]
**[[Kourouta (Ilia)|Kourouta]]
*[[Strefi]]
**Kato Strefi (Flokeika)
*[[Xirokampos (Ilia) |Xirokampos]]

==Historical population:==

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|----- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Year !! Communal population !! Change !! Municipal population !! Change
|-----
| [[1981]] || 1,125 || - || - || -
|-----
| [[1991]] || 1,742 || -349/-4.87% || 11,229 || -
|-----
| [[2001]] || 1,475 || -267/-15.33% || 11,069 || -160/1.42%
|}

== External links ==

*[http://www.olympia.gr/ The Official Website of Olympia, Greece]
*[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0062%3Aid%3Dolympia Harry Thurston Peck, ''Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities,'' (1898):] "Olympic Games"
*[http://www.traveljournals.net/explore/greece/map/m1214006/olimbia.html traveljournals.net - Olympia]
*[http://www.greek-travel.info/olympia.html Olympia photos and info]
*[http://www traveljournals.net/explore/greece/map/m1214007/olimbia_arkhaia traveljournals.net - Ancient Olympia]
*[http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=4444 GTP - Ancient Olympia]
*[http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=4443 GTP - Municipality of Ancient Olympia]
*[http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=4444 GTP - Ancient Olympia]
*[http://www.hotels-guide-greece.com/index.php?catid=108&subcatid=272 Olympia photo gallery]
*[http://indexmundi.com/z/?lat=37.65=21.633333&t=p&r=1240&p=arkhaia_olimbia&cc=gr&c=greece.htm Indexmundi - Olympia]
*[http://www.losttrails.com/pages/Hproject/Olympia/Olympia.html Olympia] - extensive black and white photo-essays of the site and related artifacts

<table width = 75% border = 2 align="center">
<tr><td width = 35% align="center">
<td width = 30% align="center">'''North:''' [[Foloi]]</td>
<td width = 35% align="center">
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width = 10% align="center">'''West:''' [[Pyrgos, Greece|Pyrgos]] <br/> </td>
<td width = 35% align="center">'''Olympia'''</td>
<td width = 30% align="center">'''East:'''</td>
<tr><td width = 35% align="center"> </td>
<td width = 30% align="center">'''South''':[[Krestena|Skillounta]], [[Kallithea|Alifeira]]</td>
<td width = 35% align="center"> </td>
</tr>
</table>

==See also==

*[[Communities of Ilia]]

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:Ancient Greek cities]]
[[Category:Ancient Olympic Games]]
[[Category:Elis]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Greece]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Greece]]

@@ Line 112: / Line 112: @@
 [[Category:Ancient Greek cities]]
 [[Category:Ancient Olympic Games]]
-[[Category:Elis]]
+[[Category:Elis prefecture]]
 [[Category:Cities and towns in Greece]]
 [[Category:World Heritage Sites in Greece]]

@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 <td width = 30% align="center">'''East:'''</td>
 <tr><td width = 35% align="center"> </td>
-<td width = 30% align="center">'''South''':[[Krestena|Skillounta]], [[Kallithea|Alifeira]]</td>
+<td width = 30% align="center">'''South''':[[Krestena|Skillounta]], [[Kallithea (Ilia)|Alifeira]]</td>
 <td width = 35% align="center"> </td>
 </tr>

Olympia - Revision history

Irlandos at 20:33, June 19, 2006

Irlandos: /* External links */

Irlandos at 20:25, June 19, 2006