The Olympic Games are a leading sports event with thousands of athletes that participate in numerous contests. The spirit of the Olympics is the fair play and the emulation as well as the peaceful competition between the athletes and the nations. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece. Apart from the ancient Olympics, Greece has hosted the modern Olympics in Athens twice, in 1896 and 2004. For all the above reasons, you should visit Greece if you are a big fan of these Games. In Olympia and Athens, you will explore their history from the Ancient Times until the present time.
1. Archaeological site of Olympia In western Peloponnese, in the valley of Alpheios River, is located the monument of ancient Olympia where the Olympic Games of the antiquity took place. Olympia was the most important athletic and religious centre of ancient Greece because of the Games, which owe their name to their birthplace. This great national festival was held every four years to honour Zeus. During the Games, there was a temporary truce between the states, and the soldiers, who were at the same time athletes, contested together as co-athletes and not as enemies. In the archaeological site of Olympia, you will see the sanctuary of Zeus and many buildings around it, which were used for the preparation and the celebration of the Olympics, such as athletic premises, administrative buildings and monuments. The most prominent of them are the Temples of Zeus and Hera, the Prytaneion, the Stoa, the Gymnasium and the Palaestra.