Temple of the Oympian Zeus

Introduction

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is the ruin of what was once the grandest temple of ancient Greece—an ancient temple dedicated to Zeus, king of the gods, famous for its towering giant columns; though now in ruins, it still speaks of classical glory with its astonishing scale. The Temple of Olympian Zeus sits in central Athens, not far southeast of the Acropolis, once among the largest temples of ancient Greece. It was dedicated to Zeus, king of the gods in Greek myth—its construction was long and tortuous, begun in the Greek era, interrupted several times, and finally completed around the Roman era, spanning centuries. When completed, it was astonishingly large and magnificent: encircled by over a hundred towering, sturdy Corinthian marble columns some 17 meters high, majestic and powerful, among the grandest temples of the ancient world. Yet after two thousand years of time, earthquakes and human damage, this magnificent temple is now in ruins—most of those hundred-plus columns have collapsed and scattered, and only a dozen or so still stand majestically in the open field (one fallen column lies on the ground, its huge drum stones scattered, letting one directly feel the column's astonishing size). Though only ruins remain, these towering, sturdy Corinthian columns still awe with their astonishing scale and solemn grandeur, evoking the temple's former glory. Beside the temple stands the Roman-era Arch of Hadrian. Visiting Athens, admiring the towering columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and recalling classical glory is a stunning sight in Athens.

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