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The
Temple of Zeus at Olympia, built in
470-456 BC, was the ancient Greek
temple in Olympia, Greece, dedicated
to the chief of the gods, Zeus. It
was the very model of the
fully-developed classical Greek
temple of the Doric order. The
temple stood in the most famous
sanctuary of Greece, which had been
dedicated to local and Pan-Hellenic
deities and had probably been
established towards the end of the
Mycenaean period. The Altis, the
enclosure with its sacred grove,
open-air altars and the tumulus of
Pelops, was first formed during the
tenth and ninth centuries BCE, when
the cult of Zeus was joined the
already establish cult here of Hera.
It housed the Statue of Zeus which
was one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World. The Chryselephantine
statue was approximately 13 m (43
ft) high and was made by the
sculptor Phidias in his workshop on
the site at Olympia. He took about
twelve years to complete it. On his
head was a sculpted wreath of olive
sprays. In his right hand he held a
figure of Nike, the goddess of
victory, also made from ivory and
gold, and in his left hand, a
scepter made with many kinds of
metal, with an eagle perched on the
top. His sandals were made of gold
and so was his robe. His garments
were carved with animals and with
lilies. The throne was decorated
with gold, precious stones, ebony,
and ivory. The statue was the most
famous artistic work in Greece.
The temple was constructed by the
architect Libon, with carved metopes
and triglyph friezes, topped by
pediments filled with sculptures in
the Severe Style, now attributed to
the Olympia Master and his studio.
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