The Temple of Olympian Zeus

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is commonly also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus. It is a monument of Greece and a former colossal temple at the center of Athens City. Dedicated to Olympian Zeus, a name originating from his position as head of the Olympian Gods.

Construction of the Temple of Olympian Zeus began in the 6th century BC during the rule of the Athenian tyrants, who envisaged building the greatest temple in the ancient world. It was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. It included 104 colossal columns. This is why during the Roman period, the Temple of Olympian Zeus was renowned as the Largest Temple in Greece and housed one of the largest cult statues in the ancient world.

In the centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was extensively quarried for building materials to supply building projects elsewhere in Athens City. Despite this, a substantial part of the temple remains today, notably sixteen of the original gigantic columns, and it continues to be part of a very important Archaeological Site of Greece.

It is located approximately 1640 feet south-east of the Acropolis of Athens, and about 700 m south of the center of Athens City, Syntagma Square.