In the North-West part of Greece was located the city of Olympia, the fame of which had spread far outside the country. According to legend, it was here Zeus came into the fight with his father, murderous and treacherous Kron, who devoured his children, because the Oracle foretold his death at the hands of the son. Saved by the mother, matured Zeus won and made Krona regurgitating their brothers and sisters.

Place:

The town of ancient Olympia on the West coast of modern Greece, about 150 km West of Athens.

History:

In honour of this victory were established Olympic games, first held in 776 BC it took more than two centuries, and in 456 BC in Olympia architect Lebanon was built dedicated to Zeus temple, which became the main Shrine of the city.

The temple was decorated with a statue of the God with a height of 12 m 40 cm, the greatness and beauty which so impressed his contemporaries, she was recognized as a new wonder of the world. The Creator of Olympian Zeus was a famous sculptor Phidias. He started to lay the statue of about 440 BC.. a Year earlier, he developed a technique to prepare a huge amount of gold and ivory for construction. There he was made and cut part of the statue before they could be brought together in the temple.

When the statue was completed, she barely enough space in the temple. Strabo wrote: ".. although the Church itself is very large, sculptor criticized for not consider the real ratio of the proportions of the statue to the temple. He showed Zeus planted on a throne, but with his head, almost resting in the ceiling, so that we had the impression that if Zeus got up, then rested his head in the temple roof".

Works of ancient historians, archaeological finds (a small copy of the image on coins) brought to us the sculptural image of the ancient Greek deity. Phidias depicted Zeus sitting on a throne. Olive wreath adorned the head of the God of thunder, beard wavy hair framed his face, from her left shoulder was falling cloak covering part of the legs.

The statue of Zeus was made of wood, and on this basis using bronze and iron nails, special hooks fastened details of ivory and gold (this technique is called chryselephantine). Face, hands and other exposed body parts were made of ivory, hair and beard, a wreath, cloak and sandals - of gold, eyes of precious stones. Travelers who saw Zeus at Olympia, called wonderful combination in his face authority and mercy, wisdom, and goodness.

The throne was made, according to one source, cedar, on the other - made of black wood and covered with gold and ivory. The legs of the throne was decorated with figures of dancing Nicks - the goddess of Victory. Handle the throne supported sphinxes, and his back was decorated with Charities - the goddess of Beauty, the daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Before the pedestal, with a picture of the scene of the birth of Aphrodite, was constructed a small pool, lined with blue Aleksinsky stone and white marble. He served, according to the ancient Greek writer Pausanias (2nd century ad), - water balances of olive oil, which regularly lubricate the statue. Ingrained in the door of a dark temple of light reflected from the smooth surface of the liquid in the basin, fell on gold service of Zeus and covered his head; logged seemed to glow comes from the face of the divine. Before the statue the floor was covered in dark blue Eleusinian stone, carved in him pool for olive oil was to save ivory from drying out.

Descendants appreciated the work of Phidias. Famous orator and politician Rome Cicero (1st century BC) called Zeus Olympic embodiment of beauty; Roman writer and scientist guy Pliny the Elder (1st century BC) believed sculpture incomparable masterpiece. For several years the Church has attracted visitors and fans from all over the world.

In the first century Roman Emperor Caligula tried to move the statue in Rome. However, his attempt failed. After the Olympic Games were banned in the year 391 the Emperor Theodosius, the Church was closed. Olympia and then lay in wait failure - earthquakes, landslides, fires and floods, as a result, the Church was severely damaged. Earlier this statue was moved rich Greeks in the Palace of Constantinople. There it remained until it was destroyed by a major fire in 462 year. Today, from the statue remained only dust...

Copies were taken statues, including a large prototype in the Kuren (Libya). None of them, however, have not survived to the present day. Early reconstruction as for example, Erlach , as we now believe are inaccurate.