Temple of Zeus, Olympia

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia was built by the architect Libon of Elis (Greek Λίβων Ἠλεῖος ) in the 5th century BC ( 472-456 BC). The building was about 64 m long, 28 m wide and 20 m high. The temple was the cult center of the Olympic Games in ancient times. On the fifth day of the Games, all athletes and spectators moved in solemn procession there, the religious high point of the Olympics. At the altar cattle were sacrificed, followed by a feast followed.

History

Between 472 and 456 BC, the builders Libon of Elis erected the Temple of Zeus. The ring temple hall with its 6 × 13 columns was measured at the stylobate 64 times 28 feet tall and is one of the most important buildings of the early classical architecture. As a building material was used in a pending Near Olympia porous limestone. All visible surfaces were subsequently coated with a thin, only about 1 mm thick stucco, and collected individual architectural elements in color. The roofing including roof edge ( Sima ) and the lion head gargoyles was originally made ​​of Parian marble, individual members but were replaced accordingly in Pentelic marble and the style of the period with later repairs.

Although Theodosius I ordered 391 AD to the closure of old places of worship, but the cult operating in Olympia has been well maintained AD to the beginning of the 5th century. It was not until Theodosius II outlawed the Olympics 426 final. Two earthquakes 522 and 551 destroyed the temple, the remains of which can still be seen today.

Cult statue

In the Temple of Zeus at Olympia there was the Zeus statue of the sculptor Phidias, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Plastic Jewelry

The pediments of the temple were decorated with marble sculptures. In the east gable is a topic a local legend - the race between Pelops and Oenomaus - represented. Zeus appears in the middle as Schicksalsbestimmer: He turns to the right to Pelops, who will win the race. In the west gable of the battle of the Lapiths against the Centaurs will be played during the wedding of Pirithous. Fate -determining God is in this pediment Apollo. The metopes on the pronaos and opisthodomos show the twelve deeds of Heracles. Pediment sculptures and metopes are among the most important surviving representatives of the Severe Style and are now exhibited in the Archaeological Museum at Olympia. [ Pausanias ] ] writes the figures of the east side mistakenly Paionios to, from whose hand rather the acroteria the front gable came what is covered in inscriptions on the Akroterbasen.