The Temple of Hera and the Stadium

The Temple of Hera

In the sixth century BC the temple of Hera was built, though it was then known as the temple to both Hera and Zeus. The temple of Hera was one of the first large scale temples to be built on the Greek mainland, and it is one of the earliest examples of Doric architecture. The temple housed many great works of art, including the surviving "Hermes of Praxiteles," which has been proved not to be the work of the classical sculptor Praxiteles but rather an outstanding Hellenistic or Roman copy.

The Hermes of Praxiteles

The original stadium was built completely within the Altis. C.450 BC, a second stadium was leveled further to the east, situated only partly within the Altis. The length of the stade in the second stadium equalled that of the original stadium. An embankment was built along the south side of this stadium, in which many old, neglected trophies were buried. 100 Years later, c.350 BC, the stadium was rebuilt again, separated from the Altis by the construction of the Echo Stoa. Water channels were added along the track and judges chairs were built into the southern embankment. The altar of Demeter was located within the third stadium. Another feature of the third stadium was the vaulted tunnel which connected the stadium "field" to the Altis.

The Olympic Stadium from the West End

The Altar of Demeter

The Tunnel into the Stadium