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Statue of Zeus
Candid tips & insights
Why the
Statue of Zeus
Seven Wonders
is special
The statue of the Greek god Zeus at Olympia was one of the world's greatest statues. It was created in about 450 BC by the renowned Greek sculptor Phidias, the same artist who created the famed statue of the goddess Athena for the Parthenon in Athens.
Zeus's seated figure (see picture) was 12 meters (50 feet) high. His body was ivory and his robe, hair and beard, gold. The throne was cedar inlaid with precious jewels. Zeus's outstretched right hand held a small statue of Nike, the goddess of victory.
The statue's head nearly scraped the ceiling of the Temple of Zeus. Phidias wanted to emphasize Zeus's mightiness.
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Interesting tidbits
about the Statue of Zeus
at Olympia
House
in the
Temple of Zeus
The Statue of Zeus was inside in the 64 meter (210 foot) long Temple of Zeus, which could be called a wonder on its own merits. Its 72 exterior Doric columns made a stunning architectural statement. And, its pediments and metopes were ornamented with outstanding sculptured artwork.
Moved
then destroyed
After the statue inhabited the Temple of Zeus in Olympia for about 850 years (from around 450 BC to about 400 AD), some Greeks moved it to Constantinople (modern Istanbul). It was fortunate they did because the Temple of Zeus was destroyed shortly thereafter. However, this was only a temporary reprieve. The statue's new home burned down in 462 AD. The Statue of Zeus was no more, forever.
No
one accurately knows
what it looked like
During the statue's long life span, a variety of copies were made. All have vanished in time, so we do not have an accurate idea of what the Statue of Zeus really looked like. We have to rely mainly on written records.
Today
The Temple of Zeus consists of fractured foundation blocks and other remnants that are mostly of interest to scholars. However, the workshop where Phidias made the Statue of Zeus is an interesting tourist attraction. It is located next to the temple and was excavated in the 1950's.
Low
visitor count
I was just about the only visitor at the ruins of the Temple of Zeus during my trip because Olympia is off the beaten tourist track. The on-going restoration of the Olympic Games site should boost tourism.
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Colossus of Rhodes
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