The Temple of Olympian Zeus, or Olympieion, is one of the great surviving monuments of ancient Athens and one of the largest temple projects of the ancient Greek world. Southeast of the Acropolis, it preserves a dramatic cluster of towering Corinthian columns that make the site one of the city’s most recognizable Roman-era and late-classical historical landmarks.
Quick facts
- Best for: landmark photography and monumental architecture, visitors tracing Roman-era Athens
- Known for: its surviving Corinthian columns, huge original scale, and completion under Hadrian
Why it ranks
The Temple of Olympian Zeus ranks this high because few sites in Athens communicate ancient scale as instantly as the Olympieion. Official and city-guide sources confirm its exceptional size, long construction history, and Hadrianic completion, while the surviving columns still deliver one of the strongest visual impressions in the historic center.
Location and links
- Address: Vasilissis Olgas, Athens 105 57, Greece
- Official website
Service area and category
- City: Athens
- Region: Attica
- Country: Greece
- Category: Archaeological site
Editorial summary
The Temple of Olympian Zeus, or Olympieion, is one of the great surviving monuments of ancient Athens and one of the largest temple projects of the ancient Greek world. Southeast of the Acropolis, it preserves a dramatic cluster of towering Corinthian columns that make the site one of the city’s most recognizable Roman-era and late-classical historical landmarks.