eTwinning Project e-book_National heritage of may country | Page 6

National heritage site in Greece
Ancient Olympia
In the western Peloponnese, in the beautiful
valley of the Alpheios river, lies the most
celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece. It was
dedicated to Zeus, the father of the gods.
Olympia became the most important religious
and athletic centre in Greece. Its fame rests upon
the Olympic Games, the greatest national festival
and a highly prestigious one world-wide, which
was held every four years to honour Zeus.
According to UNESCO’s World Heritage website,
there is probably no ancient archaeological site
anywhere in the world more relevant in today’s
world than Olympia. The stadium of Olympia,
where the ancient Olympic Games were held, and
the massive temple of Zeus, the largest temple in
the Peloponnese, are the site’s most significant
attractions.