Historic Site · Olympia, Greece
Ancient Olympia
Olympia, officially Archaia Olympia (Greek: Αρχαία Ολυμπία lit. It drew 484,238 visitors in 2018.
Photo: John Karakatsanis from Athens, Greece via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Olympia, Greece |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Elevation | Elevation: 69 m |
| Annual visitors (2018) | 484,238 |
| Coordinates | 37.6383° N, 21.6300° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Ancient Olympia is known for
Olympia, officially Archaia Olympia (Greek: Αρχαία Ολυμπία lit.
About Ancient Olympia
Olympia, officially Archaia Olympia (Greek: Αρχαία Ολυμπία lit. 'Ancient Olympia'), is a small town in Elis on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece, famous for the nearby archaeological site of the same name. The site was a major Panhellenic religious sanctuary of ancient Greece, where the ancient Olympic Games were held every four years throughout classical antiquity, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.
History
It used to be thought that the site had been occupied since about 1500 BC, with a religious cult of Zeus developing around 1000 BC. It may be that instead there was only a sanctuary from the 9th or 8th centuries, though the question remains in debate. Others believe that remains of food and burnt offerings dating back to the 10th century BC give evidence of a long history of religious activity at the site.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Ancient Olympia website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Olympia |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Andravida Airport (PYR) |
| Distance from the airport | 9.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Zakynthos International Airport "Dionysios Solomos" (ZTH) · Zakynthos, Greece · 41.5 miles away
- Kefalonia International Airport "Anna Pollatou" (EFL) · Kefallinia Island, Greece · 70.0 miles away
- Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) · Spata-Artemida, Greece · 128.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Greece
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Ancient Olympia?
Olympia, officially Archaia Olympia (Greek: Αρχαία Ολυμπία lit.
Where is Ancient Olympia located?
Ancient Olympia is in Olympia, Greece. Its coordinates are 37.6383° N, 21.6300° E.
How do I get to Ancient Olympia?
The nearest town is Olympia, and the nearest airport is Andravida Airport (PYR), about 9.5 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Ancient Olympia?
It used to be thought that the site had been occupied since about 1500 BC, with a religious cult of Zeus developing around 1000 BC. It may be that instead there was only a sanctuary from the 9th or 8th centuries, though the question remains in debate.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia,_Greece — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38888 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.olympia-greece.org — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.