GREECE PELOPONNESE ELEIA OLYMPIA SANCTUARY

Above and below: The oldest temple in Olympia is the Heraion in the northwestern part of the Altis. It was built about 600 BC and dedicated to Hera and Zeus (later to the goddess alone when Zeus had his own greater temple). It is probably the oldest of all Doric peripteral temples.

The 6 x 16 columns of the Heraion were originally made of wood and later gradually replaced by stone columns of different styles, varying in diameter, height of the drums, the number and depths of the flutings, with differences also in their echinus. Some columns were re-erected and show the lowness of the building, even if compared to other Doric temples.

Above and below: The Philippeion is a circular peripteral building begun by Philip II of Macedon after his victory in the battle of Chaironeia (338 BC) and very probably finished by Alexander the Great. Several of the outer 18 Ionic columns have been restored. The cella housed the chryselephantine statues of the royal Macedonian family. It was the beginning of a personality cult: here, Alexander the Great was declared god in 324 BC.

Above: Column capitals. - Below left: The Prytaneion, erected at the beginning of the 5th century BC, accomadated the officials of the sanctuary, the "Prytans". - Below right: View across the altis with the Kronion hill in the background just after the devastating forest fires of 2007.