Temple of the Olympian Zeus
Although Athens is a city filled with historic temples, the colossal ruined temple dedicated to Zeus, King of the Olympian Gods, holds a special place for those in Greece.
Construction on the Temple of the Olympian Zeus began in the 6th Century BC during the rule of Athenian tyrants. Their plan was simply to build the greatest temple in the Ancient world, but despite their vision, the temple was not completed until the reign of Itadrian in the 2nd Century AD.
When construction was finished, the temple was renowned as the largest temple in Greece, and housed one of the largest cult statues in the ancient world.
Located close to the Acropolis and near the centre of Athens, the temple has become a huge tourist attraction due to its honouring of a world famous Athenian.
Badly damaged during the Herulion sack of Athens in 267, the temple was not repaired and likely remains in an untouched state from that date.
Francis Penrose excavated the temple in 1889-1896 and in 1922 Gabriel Welter also carried out similar work. What remains is only a partial display of the original temple. Presently fifteen columns stand in place, a sixteenth lies on the ground where it fell after a storm in 1852.
Aside from the ruins of the temple itself there are the remains of other Ancient structures which were in place at the Olympian’s monument, sadly though nothing remains of the great statue it once housed.
Tickets to the temple are €2 each, but can be purchased as part of a special off which also allow access to the Agora, Acropolis and several museums for a price of €12. For anyone who plans to visit several of the historic sites in Greece’s capital, then this option is highly recommended.
Opening times for the temple are dependent on the season in which you visit.
In autumn and winter the site opens at 9am and closes at 6pm. Springtime sees an extension of the opening times, and anyone visiting during the months between March and October will be able to visit at anytime between 9am and 7.30pm.
Using the Athens Metro System to navigate to Akropoli station provides the easiest access to the Temple of the Olympian Zeus. A visit to the site gives you an idea of the massive scale of which it was first built with. Seeing the sight close up is a good opportunity to admire the construction and imagine how it would have looked when fully established at the centre of the Greek empire’s boom.
Construction on the Temple of the Olympian Zeus began in the 6th Century BC during the rule of Athenian tyrants. Their plan was simply to build the greatest temple in the Ancient world, but despite their vision, the temple was not completed until the reign of Itadrian in the 2nd Century AD.
When construction was finished, the temple was renowned as the largest temple in Greece, and housed one of the largest cult statues in the ancient world.
Located close to the Acropolis and near the centre of Athens, the temple has become a huge tourist attraction due to its honouring of a world famous Athenian.
Badly damaged during the Herulion sack of Athens in 267, the temple was not repaired and likely remains in an untouched state from that date.
Francis Penrose excavated the temple in 1889-1896 and in 1922 Gabriel Welter also carried out similar work. What remains is only a partial display of the original temple. Presently fifteen columns stand in place, a sixteenth lies on the ground where it fell after a storm in 1852.
Aside from the ruins of the temple itself there are the remains of other Ancient structures which were in place at the Olympian’s monument, sadly though nothing remains of the great statue it once housed.
Tickets to the temple are €2 each, but can be purchased as part of a special off which also allow access to the Agora, Acropolis and several museums for a price of €12. For anyone who plans to visit several of the historic sites in Greece’s capital, then this option is highly recommended.
Opening times for the temple are dependent on the season in which you visit.
In autumn and winter the site opens at 9am and closes at 6pm. Springtime sees an extension of the opening times, and anyone visiting during the months between March and October will be able to visit at anytime between 9am and 7.30pm.
Using the Athens Metro System to navigate to Akropoli station provides the easiest access to the Temple of the Olympian Zeus. A visit to the site gives you an idea of the massive scale of which it was first built with. Seeing the sight close up is a good opportunity to admire the construction and imagine how it would have looked when fully established at the centre of the Greek empire’s boom.