Temple of Olympian Zeus & Hadrian's Arch

Ναός του Ολυμπίου Διός

The largest temple of ancient Greece, taking nearly 700 years to complete. Sixteen 17 m Corinthian columns stand southeast of the Acropolis, beside Hadrian's Arch.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion) lies about 500 m southeast of the Acropolis, south of the National Garden and the Zappeion Palace. It is one of the largest temples in the ancient Greek world. Construction began in the 6th century BC under the sons of the tyrant Peisistratus. Work then stopped for centuries, as the democratic regime judged the project too arrogant. It was finally completed in AD 132 by the Roman emperor Hadrian, a lover of Greek culture, spanning roughly 640 years. At completion the temple had 104 Corinthian columns, each 17.25 m tall and 1.7 m in diameter. The inner cella housed a gold-and-ivory statue of Zeus and a statue of Hadrian himself. Today only 16 columns remain. Fifteen still stand, while one fell in a storm in 1852 and lies in sections on the ground, neatly showing the drum-like construction of ancient columns. Looking up between the giant columns, the Acropolis in the distance makes a perfect frame, one of Athens' classic compositions. Hadrian's Arch (AD 131, 18 m tall), at the northwest corner of the site beside the road, can be seen for free. Its two faces are inscribed 'This is Athens of Theseus' and 'This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus', marking the boundary between the ancient city and Hadrian's new city. The site also contains ancient baths, Roman-era house foundations and a section of the Themistoclean Wall. Admission is about €8 (€4 in winter) and is included in the Acropolis combined ticket. Allow about 45 minutes. Nearby, you can also visit the Panathenaic Stadium, the marble stadium and main venue of the first modern Olympics in 1896 (about €10). There you can climb to the top of the stands and enter the Olympic torch exhibition hall. You can also visit the gardens of the Zappeion Palace. Getting there: walk 5 minutes from Acropoli station on Metro line 2, or walk 10 minutes from Constitution Square through the National Garden.

Temple of Olympian Zeus & Hadrian's Arch

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