The bright sun flickered off the sparkling azure waters just feet from our ship’s window signaling a sunny day perfect for exploring our first port! Overnight, we’d sailed into Greek waters and docked at Katakolon early in the morning hours.
Breakfast was a rather quick affair, each of us grabbing what we wanted from the buffet. To be sure, cruise buffets do offer quite an array of nice foods. There were choices from all cultures that palates from everywhere can enjoy- Indian curries, Southeast Asian congee, Northern European smorgasbord with herring and capers and lox, English bangers and fried toast, cold cereal, omelet bars, and Continental pastries. But I didn’t focus on photographing the food on this cruise at all. I was focused on relaxing in the evenings and hurrying to gather the things I wanted to make sure I had on me for each day’s excursion in the mornings- camera, hat, phone, etc…
Today we’d be on the Peloponnesian Peninsula heading to Ancient Olympia, a town active from the 8th-4th centuries BC. We were given the all-clear at 8:00 and were off the ship by 8:20. After some careful research, and a lucky FB post find, we decided to strike out on our own for this day’s wanderings.
Originally, we’d booked a transfer to Olympia’s historical ruins for $59/pp. Just a few weeks before the cruise I found some others saying that there was a local train that could take us the 35-minute journey for $10/pp. It left from very near the port making it doable for my mom. We easily found the ticket office, paid our fares, and were on the train by 8:45. See? MUCH easier than a few days before when we had to do the train-catch dash. The train left precisely at 9:00 and at 9:45 or so we were walking into the ruins of Ancient Olympia- let the athletes share their stories.
On the way there, we were highly entertained by the shopkeepers who regaled us with tales of “their uncles carrying the torch” or “aunts lighting the flame”… “I even have a picture! Come into my shop and I’ll show you it!” Creative to be sure.
We politely told them we’d stop in after our time in the ruins. I wonder how much either side believed the other.
The walk there was a bit more than my mom was willing to do, so they chose to not explore the ruins, but did walk around town a little and found some coffee. Meanwhile, Mikki and I paid our $12 entry fee which included the ruins and the museum, which is a short walk away. We stuck together for a short bit but were touring at different paces so split up to quietly contemplate at our own speeds. I was touring with a photographer’s eye and sometimes, admittedly, that can be a very slow process.
The first photo is from the “Echo Stoa”.
Here is what Wiki says about what this was: “The Echo Stoa is located within the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. It is part of an ancient archaeological site excavated and preserved by the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. A stoa is a covered walkway or portico, typically colonnaded and open to the public. In ancient Greece, a stoa could be used for a variety of reasons including the selling and display of goods, and religious or public meetings. Aside from Delphi, this sanctuary was the most important one in Greece.
Otherwise known as the Stoa Poikile (meaning painted stoa) because of the paintings that once lined the hall, the stoa later became known as the Echo Stoa due to the acoustics of its design. It is said one word uttered, would echo seven times. “Almost 100 meters long, it was probably begun after the mid-fourth century, but not completed for a long time thereafter…” It was lined with inner and outer Doric style columns. The stadium was moved eastwards and a stoa was built to separate it from the sanctuary. “The intention is clear: it was to provide a colonnaded boundary to the sanctuary along the east side.” Before the Echo Stoa, the finish line of the stadium was in full view of the temple. The structure also provided a backdrop for the penultimate stages of procession….”
The next two are of the “Palestra”.
Again, from Wiki: “The palaestra at Olympia is the ground or grounds in ancient Olympia where πάλη, Doric πάλα, “wrestling,” was taught and performed for training purposes; i.e., “wrestling-school.” Two other martial arts were taught there: Greek πυγμή (pygme), Latin pugnus, “fist, boxing,” and Greek παγκράτιον, Latin pancration or pancratium, “any method,” which was free-style, or hand-to-hand, including grappling, kicking, punching, or any unarmed method whatever, no holds barred. The latter was sometimes deadly, or disfiguring, which indicates that the arts were ephebic, or “soldier” training for prospective citizens of the city-state sponsoring the school, such as Elis, but here combined with prospective candidacy for contention in the games. Be that as it may, none of the games were conducted without rules, umpires, and judges, who did not hesitate to stop contests, fine contenders within some cases amounts prohibiting future participation, or bar flagrant violators.”
YIKES!!!
The Phillipeion was really nice! I think this was recently restored in part for a torch-lighting ceremony.
Here is the history:
“The Philippeion (Greek: Φιλιππεῖον) in the Altis of Olympia was an Ionic circular memorial in limestone and marble, a tholos, which contained chryselephantine (ivory and gold) statues of Philip’s family: himself, Alexander the Great, Olympias, Amyntas III and Eurydice I. It was made by the Athenian sculptor Leochares in celebration of Philip’s victory at the battle of Chaeronea (338 BC). It was the only structure inside the Altis dedicated to a human.[dubious – discuss]
The temple consisted of an outer colonnade of Ionic order with 18 columns. Inside it had nine engaged columns of the lavishly designed Corinthian order. It had a diameter of 15 metres. The naos contained two windows, much like Hera II at Paestum. It had a carved marble roof which was decorated with a bronze poppy head on top.
The importance of the chryselephantine material used is that it was also the material used for the statue of Zeus at Olympia (comparing the Macedonian royal family to the gods). The fact that Alexander is represented here is also important, as Philip had seven wives, therefore after his death there very well could have been claims to the throne by people other than Alexander. By putting Alexander in the statue it makes it clear who the successor should be. It is however disputed whether or not Philip constructed this monument or whether Alexander had it constructed later, in which case the motives would be different.”
7 wives?! I wonder how well that went. My guess is they had different houses.
Wondering where the flame is actually lit every 4 years? Here ya go!!! At the Altar of Hera:
Need a drink? (It’s a bit dry right now.)
”Nymphaeum (Olympia) (Latin, Ancient Greek: νυμφαῖον), etymologically “home of the Nymphs,” or water goddesses, at ancient Olympia was the official name of a water-distribution structure constructed in the mid-2nd century at that site to provide water to the masses who attended the Olympic Games in July and August. Nymphaeum was the general name throughout the Mediterranean for an ornate structure that terminated an aqueduct bringing water from distant elevated terrain, say a stream or copious springs.This one had substructures, statues, and ornately patterned stonework; its main purpose, however, was functional. It received water from the aqueduct into a cistern and released it by stages into a system of open and closed channels leading around the site. The end partaker of the water carried a secular patera, or small drinking bowl, around with him, dipping into an open trough for the water, as is suggested by the fact that at least some of the statues carried such paterae in one hand (They may also have been performing libation). Troughs went everywhere through the site to accommodate the crowds.”
I believe the next photos were from the baths of Olympia.
Having gotten my fill of exploring, Mikki and I met up near the ruins entrance and took the short walk over to the museum. It’s maybe a 10-minute walk with a café offering snacks and Greek goodies about halfway between. A word of warning; it’s best to go potty either at the beginning of your tour near the archeological site, or you’ll have to wait and use the ones at the museum.
Miscellaneous photos from around the site:
The museum was absolutely fascinating! I loved this part of the day so much! The art was incredible and so intricate. There were marble pieces, bronze works, pieces of war, jewelry, frescoes, and so much more. Mikki and I spent about an hour in there and then texted (despite the giant cost of doing so) Mom and Dad so we could meet up. Some final thoughts: We really enjoyed Olympia quite a lot. It’s not one of the mega-destinations like the Parthenon, nor as well-restored as Ephesus, Turkey, but it does impart some off-the-beaten-path glimpses into Ancient Greek culture. It wasn’t crowded, easy to navigate for tourists, and very affordable. I’ll leave you with a photo gallery of the treasures we enjoyed.
Next up: The best meal in Greece!
