Sacred Poetry

Temple of Zeus

The temple of Zeus is the most important building in the Altis. Construction began 470 BC and was completed before 456 BC. This is a temple is a hexastyle with thirteen columns at the sides which are 10.43 meters high and 2.25 meters wide, made of shell-limestone. Inside the temple are different rectangular parts, one of where the victors were crowned. The Temple of Zeus in Olympia was originally built to honour the superiors of the gods. It is believed that the Temple of Hera was a place for worshipping Zeus and Hera, until the creation of a temple especially for Zeus. It is said that there is a story behind the establishment of the temple. In 470 BS, there was an argument between two powers in Olympia- Elean and Elis. Elean was defeated and as a consequence, the town supported the building of a grand temple right outside the stadium of Olympia. The entire building was built of limestone and covered with stucco, and the statues inside were made of parian marble. The most impressive statue is the statue of Zeus. At the far end was the chryselephantine statue of Zeus, one of the Seven wonders of the ancient world. The statue depicted Zeus enthroned, and decorated with mythological scenes made of gold. After the abolition of the Olympic games, the statue was perished in fire in Constantinople.

My god, oh Zeus hear our prayers, have mercy on us all
We play in the Olympics to please only you
You gave us life, so we pay you back
Just give us the needs to survive.

Oh mighty Zeus we stand on our knees
To worship you and offer you gifts
Take our kills and souls and power
Just watch over us through day and night

In these great plains we struggle to keep,
the drought will arrive very soon
Zeus, we ask that you take away such harshness
And let us worship you in peace.


We give you this totem, knowing you are more grand
And ask for more days in life
Death is so near, but spare us indeed
Almighty, we beg for your hand