TEMPLE OF THE OLYMPIAN ZEUS ( GREECE-VACATION )

During our Greece vacation we've visited a lot of  historical and ancient places, which Greece is known to have with. First stop is the Temple of the Olympian Zeus.

PHOTO GALLERY:

FACTS: The Temple of the Olympian Zeus also known as Olympeon is located  on Amalias Ave. 500 meters south-east of the Acropolis and 700 meters south of  Syntagma Square which is opposite to  the parliament building. The building itself began in the 6th Century by Peisistratos but work was stopped because Pisistratus's son, Hippias, was overthrown in 510 BC. The temple was not finished until the Emperor Hadrian completed in 131 AD, seven hundred years later. There were other attempts to continue the building. The Classical Greeks (487-379)left it unfinished because they believed it was too big and symbolized the arrogance of people who believed they were equal to the Gods. During the Third Century when the Macedonians ruled Athens work was begun again by Antiochus the IV of Syria who wanted to build the world's largest temple and hired the Roman architect Cossotius to complete the job, but this ended when Antiochus died. In 86 BC, during Roman rule the general Sulla took two columns from the unfinished temple to Rome for the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill which influenced the development of the Corinthian style in Rome.

Other structures surrounding the Temple of the Olympian Zeus.
1. Hadrians Gate - 131--- 132 AD
2. Roman Baths  - 124--- 134 AD
3. Remains of Houses - 5th Century BC- 2nd Century AD
4. Basilica of Olympieion - 450 AD
5. Valerian Wall - 256 -- 260 AD
6. Temple of Apollo Delphinios - 450 BC
7. Lawcourt at the Delphinion - 500 BC
8. Temple of Kronos and Rhea -  150 AD
9. Sanctuary of Panhellenios Zeus - 131 --- 132 AD
10. Gates of the Themistoklean Wall - 479----478 AD