Built between about 470 and 456 BC by the architect Libon of Elis, the Temple of Zeus was the largest temple in the Peloponnese and the religious centre of the sanctuary. It was a Doric temple of local shelly limestone covered in white stucco, with six columns across the front and thirteen along each side, and sculptured pediments of Parian marble.
Inside stood the reason for its fame: the seated statue of Zeus by Pheidias, around 12 metres high, of gold and ivory over a wooden frame — counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The statue was later lost, and earthquakes in the sixth century AD brought the temple down. Its column drums still lie where they fell, like toppled stacks of coins. One column was re-erected in 2004, the year the Olympics returned to Greece.
What to see at Temple of Zeus
Walk around the platform
Circle the massive stepped platform (the crepidoma) and look at the fallen drums on the south side, still lying in the order they collapsed. Standing next to one is the best way to understand the scale.
Imagine the statue
Pheidias’s Zeus sat on a throne at the back of the inner chamber, so large that ancient writers joked he would go through the roof if he stood up. The Workshop of Pheidias, just to the west, was built to the same dimensions as the chamber.
See the sculptures in the museum
The east pediment (the chariot race of Pelops and Oinomaos), the west pediment (the battle of Lapiths and Centaurs, with Apollo at the centre) and the metopes of the Labours of Heracles are displayed in the central hall of the Archaeological Museum.
How to get to Temple of Zeus
- On site: the temple stands in the middle of the Altis, about ten minutes on foot from the entrance.
- Tickets: included in the combined site-and-museum ticket.
Insider tips
- Take the VR tour: the temple is one of its showpieces, reconstructed with its roof, pediments and statue.
- Morning light falls on the east front — the side of the chariot-race pediment.
- Do not climb on the drums or the platform; guards are strict, and rightly so.
Best tours & tickets for Temple of Zeus
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Temple of Zeus with context:
Private tour from €246 per group Private Guided Tour of Ancient Olympia
A private guided walk of almost two and a half hours through the Altis: the temples of Zeus and Hera, the treasuries, the workshop where Pheidias made his statue, and the stadium. Priced per group, so the more of you there are, the better the value.
- Private licensed guide for your group
- The sacred grove of Zeus and all its main buildings
- Priced per group (up to 7) — great for families
Self-guided VR from €25 Olympia: The Famous VR Glasses Tour with Audio Guide
The best-reviewed experience at Olympia. Hold up the VR glasses at marked points around the site and the ruins in front of you are rebuilt as they looked in antiquity, while an audio guide tells the story. The site entry ticket is usually separate — check the listing.
- See 15 monuments reconstructed through VR glasses
- Multilingual audio commentary at your own pace
- The Temple of Zeus and Philippeion as they once stood
