Diagram of Temple

Diagram of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia.  The Temple of Zeus was the focal point of worship at Olympia.  The games that were held here were held in honor of Zeus.

On the right side of the signage is an artistic representation of the famous statue of Zeus.  It was 44 ft. [13.5 m.] high and was composed of bronze, gold, ivory, and precious stones.  It was designed and constructed by Phidias in his nearby workshop and was considered to have been one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  The statue was constructed between 430 and 420 B.C.  Phidias also designed the statue of Athena for the Parthenon in Athens.

The statue was eventually taken to Constantinople (modern Istanbul) where it was destroyed in a fire in A.D. 475.