Stadium at Olympia
Ancient Olympic venue in Olympia, Greece
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Stadium at Olympia (also called the Olympia Stadium or the Olympia Stadion) is an ancient stadium at the archaeological site of Olympia, Greece, located to the east of the sanctuary of Zeus. It was the location of many of the sporting events at the Ancient Olympic Games.
The First Stadium | |
| |
 Interactive map of Stadium at Olympia Olympia Stadium Olympia Stadion | |
| Location | Olympia, Greece |
|---|---|
| Owner | Ministry of Culture and Sports |
| Capacity | 45,000 |
| Surface | Grass, stones, dirt |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 776 BC |
| Closed | 393 AD |
History
During the 2004 Summer Olympics, it hosted the shot put events.[1][2]
Features
The physical landmarks of the stadium are 212.54 m (697.3 ft) long and 30–34 m (98–112 ft) wide, and it served mainly for running races that determined the fastest person in the world. The track was made of hard-packed clay to serve as traction for the contestants in the running events.[3] As in current day athletics, a white block was placed on one end of the track where the athletes would line up to place their feet and got ready to start of the race.[4] The white block was used to align all the athletes so they would all run the same distance.[3]
Gallery
Stadium at Olympia
The vaulted tunnel leading into the stadium
Starting blocks inside the stadium
The judges' stand located on the south bank of the stadium
