Olympia

Olympia is a sanctuary of ancient Greece, known as Altis, which was the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, held every Olympiad (every four years), dating back possibly further than 776 BC, in honor of Zeus.

The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honor of their gods. One of the ancient wonders was a statue of Zeus at Olympia, made of gold and ivory, placed inside a Temple, and was said to be a towering 42 feet high. The statute scuplutred by Pheidias, was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Anipater of Sidon.

The games at Olympia started as a one-day festival and expanded into five-days with many events.