Temple of Zeus

temple, Olympia, Greece

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July 15, 2026

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The Temple of Zeus was a significant Doric temple located in Olympia, Greece, constructed around 460 BCE. It was the largest and most important building within the sacred precinct known as the Altis. The temple housed the colossal gold and ivory Statue of Zeus, a masterpiece by the sculptor Phidias, which was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This statue, nearly 40 feet high, depicted Zeus seated on an ornate throne. The temple itself was richly decorated with sculptures, including scenes from mythology on its gables and the Twelve Labors of Heracles on its frieze. The temple was destroyed in 426 CE, and the statue's fate is uncertain, possibly lost in the same event or a later fire.123

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Western architecture
Early Classical (c. 500–450 bce)
…at Olympia, where a great Temple of Zeus was built in about 460. This temple was the first statement of Classical Doric in its canonical form and one of the largest Doric temples of the Greek mainland.
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…at Olympia, where a great Temple of Zeus was built in about 460. This temple was the first statement of Classical Doric in its canonical form and one of the largest Doric temples of the Greek mainland.
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Olympia
History and excavations
…excavations were conducted around the Temple of Zeus in 1829 by the French Expédition Scientifique de Morée, led by Abel Blouet. The temple was sufficiently cleared to reveal its general plan, and fragments of three sculptured metopes (panels) were found, which were later placed in the Louvre, in Paris. The…
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…excavations were conducted around the Temple of Zeus in 1829 by the French Expédition Scientifique de Morée, led by Abel Blouet. The temple was sufficiently cleared to reveal its general plan, and fragments of three sculptured metopes (panels) were found, which were later placed in the Louvre, in Paris. The…
Read More

Western sculpture
Early Classical (c. 500–450 bce)
…pediments and frieze of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. In the east pediment, which shows men and women preparing for a chariot race, his figures display the sobriety and calm characteristic of the early Classical period. The men stand in the new, relaxed pose (the weight of the body…
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…pediments and frieze of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. In the east pediment, which shows men and women preparing for a chariot race, his figures display the sobriety and calm characteristic of the early Classical period. The men stand in the new, relaxed pose (the weight of the body…
Read More