Olympia

The first thing that strikes a visitor on a crisp spring morning at Olympia is the silence. The ancient sanctuary lies in a valley where the Alfeios and Kladeos rivers meet, surrounded by low, pine-covered hills, and the only sounds are the wind in the trees and the distant bleating of sheep. The entrance of the archaeological site opens onto the ancient stone path that every athlete, every pilgrim, every spectator has walked for over a thousand years. The first structure is the Palaestra, where wrestlers and boxers trained, their bodies oiled and dusted with sand — the grunts and the shouts of the coaches still seem to echo off the Doric columns. Further along the Sacred Way lie the remains of the Temple of Hera, and beside the stadium the small Herakleion, where the Olympic flame is lit today with a parabolic mirror, and the Philippeion, the circular Ionic monument that Philip II of Macedon built to celebrate his victory at the Battle of Chaeronea. Then comes the Temple of Zeus. Only a few columns remain standing, fallen in the earthquakes of the 6th century AD, but the scale of the fallen drums — each one a perfect cylinder of Parian marble — is breathtaking. The temple housed the gold-and-ivory statue of Zeus by Phidias, generally counted among the Seven Wonders since the second century BC — Pausanias describes it at length without listing it among wonders — a seated figure so large that if it stood up, it would have torn through the roof. Beyond the Arch of the Stadion lies the ancient stadium, a simple track of packed earth between two grassy banks that could seat 45,000 spectators. At the starting line, carved into the stone, the sprinters seem to crouch again, with the tension of the crowd, the dust, the roar. The track runs 192.27 metres, one stadion, the distance that gave the stadium its name. What the site gives, and not always what is expected, is a connection not just to ancient Greece, but to every Olympics watched on television, every athlete cheered, every moment of triumph and defeat that the modern Games have produced. Olympia is not a ruin. It is the beginning of a story that has not ended yet.

Olympia was the most important religious and athletic sanctuary in ancient Greece, dedicated to Zeus, the king of the gods. The site had been inhabited since the Neolithic period, but the first major construction began in the 10th century BC, when the cult of Zeus was established on the site. The Olympic Games were traditionally founded in 776 BC, the date from which the ancient Greeks counted their calendar (the "Olympiad"). The games were held every four years in honour of Zeus and were the most important of the four Panhellenic Games (the others were the Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games). During the games, a sacred truce (ekecheiria) was declared across the Greek world, allowing athletes and spectators to travel to Olympia in safety. The early games consisted of a single foot race (the stadion), but over the centuries, the programme expanded to include the diaulos (double foot race), the dolichos (long-distance race), wrestling, boxing, the pankration (a no-holds-barred combination of wrestling and boxing), the pentathlon (discus, javelin, long jump, wrestling, and foot race), chariot racing, and the hoplitodromos (a foot race in full armour). The games were open only to free Greek men, but women had their own games, the Heraea, held in honour of Hera. The sanctuary at Olympia grew over the centuries to include the Temple of Zeus (built 470–456 BC, housing the gold-and-ivory statue by Phidias, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Temple of Hera (the second Heraion, built around 570 BC to replace an earlier eighth-century cella,, one of the earliest Greek temples), the Philippeion (a circular Ionic monument built by Philip II of Macedon), the Palaestra and the Gymnasium (where athletes trained), the Leonidaion (a hotel for VIP visitors), the Bouleuterion (where the Olympic oath was taken), and the Stadium and the Hippodrome (where the events were held). The games continued for over a thousand years, until 393 AD, when the Christian emperor Theodosius I banned all pagan festivals, including the Olympics. The temple of Zeus was destroyed by earthquakes in the 6th century AD, and the site was gradually buried by the silt of the Alfeios and Kladeos rivers. The ancient site of Olympia was rediscovered in the 18th century, and systematic excavations began in 1829 by the French and continued in 1875 by the German Archaeological Institute, which continues to excavate and study the site to this day. The Olympic Games were revived in 1896 in Athens, inspired by the ancient Games of Olympia. Today, the Olympic flame is still lit at the Herakleion in Olympia for every Summer and Winter Olympic Games, carried by a torch relay from the ancient sanctuary to the host city. Olympia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.

The name is recorded by Stephanus of Byzantium in the sixth century AD. His Ethnica is not a book of stories but a dictionary of Greek place-names, and for this one it says: "It was formerly called Pisa, and the Olympic games are named from it because Olympian Zeus is honoured there". "It is also called Arpina, as Nikandros says, after Oinomaos' mother". (Ethnica, s.v. Ὀλυμπία).

That is the whole of what an ancient source has to say about how the place got its name. It is a shorter answer than the guidebooks give, and it is the only one with a source behind it.

The modern village of Olympia and the surrounding region of Elis are part of the Peloponnese's rich culinary tradition. The local cuisine is based on the produce of the fertile valleys of the Alfeios and Peneus rivers, which produce some of the best olive oil in Greece, along with citrus fruits, figs, and wine. The signature dish of the region is the Peloponnesian lamb kleftiko — lamb slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot with potatoes, garlic, olive oil, and wild oregano, a dish that was traditionally prepared by the klephts (mountain bandits) who cooked it in hidden pits to avoid detection by the Ottoman authorities. Another regional speciality is the Elian pastitsio — a rich baked pasta dish with layers of tubular pasta, minced lamb or beef cooked with tomato and cinnamon, and a creamy béchamel sauce, topped with grated kefalograviera cheese. The area is also known for its grilled meats, particularly the kontosouvli (spit-roasted pork seasoned with oregano, thyme, and rosemary) and the paidakia (grilled lamb chops from the local sheep). The olive oil from the region of Elis is some of the finest in the Peloponnese — fruity, peppery, and deep green when freshly pressed. The local wine, from the Mavrodaphne and Roditis grape varieties produced in the nearby Appelation of Peloponnese, pairs beautifully with the grilled meats and the kleftiko. For a proper Elian meal, start with a selection of local cheeses (the creamy feta from the region and the hard, salty kefalograviera), follow with a plate of kontosouvli or a slow-cooked lamb kleftiko, and finish with a slice of galaktoboureko and a glass of Mavrodaphne. The village of Olympia has a handful of excellent tavernas serving traditional Peloponnesian food, and the best time to eat is late in the evening, when the day-trippers have left and the archaeological site is lit up against the night sky.

Olympia is at its best in spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October), when the temperatures are mild (20–28 °C) and the site is not overcrowded. The surrounding hills are green and covered in wildflowers in spring, and the light in autumn has a golden quality that brings out the colour of the marble ruins. Summer (July to August) is hot (30–38 °C) and the site offers almost no shade — bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water, and visit early in the morning (8 am) or late in the afternoon (5 pm) to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds of cruise ship excursions from the port of Katakolo. Winter (November to February) is mild (10–16 °C) and quiet — the site is almost empty, the landscape is green, and the experience is intensely atmospheric.

Katakolo, 33 km from the site, is a cruise port with a Hellenic Train service on the Katakolo-Pyrgos-Olympia line, the run taking about 45 minutes. Most independent arrivals are by car: from Athens the route is the A8 to the Rio-Antirrio bridge and then the A7 west to Pyrgos, while Kalamata airport is roughly 110 km away, about two hours by road. Araxos airport in Achaia, out past Rio, is the nearer alternative but carries a seasonal charter schedule rather than a year-round one.

Arrive at the archaeological site when it opens at 8 am — the morning light on the ruins is spectacular, and you will have the Temple of Zeus and the stadium almost to yourself for the first hour. The combined ticket (€20) includes the archaeological site, the Archaeological Museum, and the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games — it is valid for two days and is excellent value. Visit the Archaeological Museum first, before walking the site, to understand the sculptures and the history — the pedimental sculptures from the Temple of Zeus are among the finest works of ancient Greek art. The ancient stadium is the highlight of the site — walk through the stone archway, stand on the starting line, and try to imagine 45,000 spectators cheering. Wear comfortable walking shoes — the site is large (about 1.5 km from the entrance to the stadium) and the ground is uneven. There is almost no shade on the site — a hat and sunscreen are essential in summer. Bring a bottle of water and refill it at the free drinking fountains at the entrance. The museum cafe has limited options — pack a picnic and eat it under the pine trees near the Philippeion. The modern village of Olympia is a pleasant 15-minute walk from the archaeological site, with a handful of tavernas and souvenir shops. The city of Pyrgos, 20 km away, is the regional capital and has a better selection of restaurants and hotels at lower prices. The port of Katakolo, 35 km away, is where the cruise ships dock — the excursion buses arrive at the site around 10 am, so plan your visit to arrive before them. The Olympic flame lighting ceremony takes place at the Herakleion, the small temple of Heracles beside the stadium, in April or May before each Summer and Winter Olympics — the ceremony is beautiful and open to the public. And one more thing: walk to the end of the stadium, turn around, and look back at the starting line. The track is exactly one stadion — 192.27 metres. You are standing in a space that has not changed in 2,800 years.