Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the main hall of the museum is the centrepiece of the Olympia finds: statuary and
sculpture reassembled from the
Temple of Zeus
. These include a delicately moulded
frieze of the
Twelve Labours of Hercules
. Another from the east pediment depicts Zeus
presiding over a famous
chariot race
between Pelops and King Oinamaos - the prize
the hand of the king's daughter. The king (on the left of the frieze) was eventually
defeated by Pelops (on the right), after - depending on the version - assistance from
Zeus (depicted at the centre), magic steeds from Poseidon or, most un-Olympian,
bribing Oinamaos's charioteer to tamper with the wheels.
The west pediment illustrates the
Battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs
at the wedding of
King Peirithous of the Lapiths. This time, Apollo presides over the scene while Theseus
helps the Lapiths defeat the drunken centaurs, depicted attacking the women and boy
guests. Many of the metope fragments are today in the Louvre in Paris, and some of
what you see here are plaster-cast copies.
The last rooms of the museum contain a collection of objects relating to the games
- including
halteres
(jumping weights), discuses, weightlifters' stones and other sporting
bits and pieces. Also displayed are a number of
funerary inscriptions
, including that of a
boxer, Camelos of Alexandria, who died in the stadium after praying to Zeus for
victory or death.
2
Olymbía village
Modern
OLYMBÍA
is a village that has grown up simply to serve the excavations and
tourist trade. It's essentially one long main avenue,
Praxitéles Kondhýli
, lined with
shops, and with a few short side streets. Nevertheless, it is quite a pleasant place to stay
and is preferable by far to Pýrgos, offering the prospect of good countryside walks
along the Alfiós River and around the Hill of Krónos.
With time on your hands, there are three somewhat dutiful minor museums. The
Museum of the Modern Olympic Games
(Mon-Sat 8am-3.30pm, Sun 9am-4.30pm;
€2), on the street above the
Hotel Phedias
, has commemorative postage stamps and the
odd memento from the modern games, including the box that conveyed the heart of
Pierre de Coubertin (reviver of the modern games) from Paris to its burial at Olympia.
he
Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity
and the
Museum of the
History of Excavations in Olympia
(both: summer daily 8am-7.30pm, winter Tues-Sat
8.30am-3pm; free) lie above the coach park at the eastern end of the village, en route
to the main site.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
OLYMPIA
Both the bus stop and the train station are within a block or two of the village centre and the sights.
By bus
Athens to Olymbía (only through connections in
Pýrgos, 4 daily; 5hr 30min); Pýrgos (hourly; 30min); Trípoli
(via Langádhia, 2 daily; 3hr).
By train
The train link from Pýrgos to Olymbía makes five
daily runs (30min).
Tourist o
ce
(Mon-Sat: May-Oct 9am-3pm; Nov-April
11am-5pm;
T
26240 23100
), on the right of Praxitéles
Kondhýli, as you come into town from Pýrgos.
Services
Olymbía has three banks on the main avenue,
and a post office just uphill.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation
is fairly easy to come by, with a swift turnaround of clientele and a range of
hotels
and private
rooms
. Many of the smaller and cheaper places close outside June-Sept; it's best to check in advance. The centre of
Olymbía village can get very noisy at night. Given the bucolic surroundings,
camping
is also an attractive option.
Diana Camping
T
26240 22314,
W
campingdiana.gr.
Located just 200m west of the town and 800m from the
archeological site, this campsite is set amid a pine forest
and has a pool, a restau
rant
and good facilities, including
wi-fi. March-Nov. From
€14
Europa
Dhroúva 1
T
26240 22650,
W
hoteleuropa.gr.
Well-run and comfortable resort hotel, part of the
Best
Western
chain, situated near the top of the hill to the
southwest. Amenities includ
e wi-fi
and a large pool. Ample
parking. Breakfast included.
€110
