Pyrgos and Ancient Olympia.
Pyrgos was only a short distance on so we were there by midday. Our guide book stated that the tourist police who are based in large towns would advise us on where to stay. We found the ‘municipal’ police station where they had never heard of tourist police but kindly wrote down a list of the hotels and we explored the various options. Having selected one we then realized it was the other side of the railway line and the waste ground beside it was used by an enormous family of gypsies as home. They were the most assiduous beggars and were everywhere and had a very small baby which seemed to be passed from one to another as their shifts started and ended. Presumably when it grows too large to be used to beg with by then it will have been replaced by another one. Pyrgos is not a very interesting town but it has St Nicholas’ Square which is the central hub overlooked by the church of the same name. In the evenings it is packed with people sitting in bars or promenading. We promenaded for quite a while too as we couldn’t find any restaurants. Fortunately we met a Greek Australian who ran one of the many bars who pointed us towards the only 2 there. We had a delicious supper both nights but as it is holy week the Greeks like to fast, so there is no meat or cheese on offer. They give up luxuries like Olive oil and wine too but fortunately these are still on offer in the restaurants.
Olympic triton
Statue of Nike
Temple of Philipeon built by Alexander the Great
Part of the Roman baths
Part of the living accommodation.
Not very prepossessing but this is the spot where the Olympic flame is first lit for every Games.
The entrance to the Olympic Park
The original Olympic Park, with Grandstands to right and left.
Taken from the opposite end of the park.
After visiting the archaeological site we had some taramasalata for lunch-even pinker than Tesco's!!
There is an excellent bus from Pyrgos up to Olympia and it was whilst walking to the bus stop that this whole adventure very nearly came to an end. I (Alec) was sort of gumshoeing along the way you do when you know where you are going and hadn’t noticed that the fish shop owner had chucked out his slops and then liberally spread them all over the pavement to dry. My flip flops which don’t have much of a tread on them skidded at the first opportunity and before I knew it I was on my back in a puddle of fishy water. Mercifully my wrist stood up to my weight but the smell followed me for the rest of the day. Once up in Olympia we were rather sad that we had decided against staying there. It is an attractive quite modern town in the most beautiful valley where the original Olympic Games were held. I think this is probably the best time of year to visit Olympia as all the spring flowers are out and there are very few people.
We went to the Museum of the Ancient games to get us in the mood which was fascinating and very modern as the whole archaeological site had been severely damaged by fire sometime in the last 3 years or so. We learned that games on the site began around 1,000BC but were first held in the honour of Zeus 776BC. Originally they were restricted to Greeks whose parentage had to be scrupulously identified before they could enter. Once entered, each athlete was then checked to make sure he came up to the required high standard of fitness. Only males could participate in fact only males could watch the games except for Dimitra who was high priestess and a goddess so perhaps she doesn’t count anyway. The museum is full of bronze tablets awarded to the winners of events some of which date back to 500BC it is amazing that the same sense of achievement must have run through those men as does through the winners of the current games.
When the Games began the only events were running, wrestling, Pankration (which was a combination of boxing and wrestling) – eye gouging was illegal, but the Spartans had their own version of the Games where anything was allowed, chariot and horse racing. A women could own a horse being raced and could therefore win a gold medal if their horse won, but of course would not have been able to watch it! The Games grew and grew as more Greek cities heard of them and athletes wanted to take part. Ancient Olympia grew over the next 700 years into a vast city of temples, gymnasiums, swimming pools, hot baths, offices, shops, meeting places – it is quite tremendous.
And without wishing to bore everyone silly the games were organized every four years and always started on the second full moon after the summer solstice. Whilst they continued all hostilities were suspended, but sadly in 393AD the Games were banned because the good old Christian Emperor of Rome Theodosios I declared them illegal as they were in honour of a ‘graven image’. The bowl-like area had a seating capacity of 45,000 (about the same as a Rolling Stone concert) and fanatics came from far and wide to watch.
Walking around the archaeological site it was fascinating to see how the town and training facilities built for the purpose of holding the Games had doubled and quadrupled as time went on.
The main arena which is entered through an archway (unlike the Coliseum it’s nice to think that they all used to come out again!) is open for the public to walk on and even run up and down if you fancy. (we didn’t ,but watched some young American students run races) It is a humbling thought that 2,500 years ago + our modern Games were taking place here. Will Weymouth’s Olympic Sailing Park stand a similar test of time!!
We went to the Museum of the Ancient games to get us in the mood which was fascinating and very modern as the whole archaeological site had been severely damaged by fire sometime in the last 3 years or so. We learned that games on the site began around 1,000BC but were first held in the honour of Zeus 776BC. Originally they were restricted to Greeks whose parentage had to be scrupulously identified before they could enter. Once entered, each athlete was then checked to make sure he came up to the required high standard of fitness. Only males could participate in fact only males could watch the games except for Dimitra who was high priestess and a goddess so perhaps she doesn’t count anyway. The museum is full of bronze tablets awarded to the winners of events some of which date back to 500BC it is amazing that the same sense of achievement must have run through those men as does through the winners of the current games.
When the Games began the only events were running, wrestling, Pankration (which was a combination of boxing and wrestling) – eye gouging was illegal, but the Spartans had their own version of the Games where anything was allowed, chariot and horse racing. A women could own a horse being raced and could therefore win a gold medal if their horse won, but of course would not have been able to watch it! The Games grew and grew as more Greek cities heard of them and athletes wanted to take part. Ancient Olympia grew over the next 700 years into a vast city of temples, gymnasiums, swimming pools, hot baths, offices, shops, meeting places – it is quite tremendous.
And without wishing to bore everyone silly the games were organized every four years and always started on the second full moon after the summer solstice. Whilst they continued all hostilities were suspended, but sadly in 393AD the Games were banned because the good old Christian Emperor of Rome Theodosios I declared them illegal as they were in honour of a ‘graven image’. The bowl-like area had a seating capacity of 45,000 (about the same as a Rolling Stone concert) and fanatics came from far and wide to watch.
Walking around the archaeological site it was fascinating to see how the town and training facilities built for the purpose of holding the Games had doubled and quadrupled as time went on.
The main arena which is entered through an archway (unlike the Coliseum it’s nice to think that they all used to come out again!) is open for the public to walk on and even run up and down if you fancy. (we didn’t ,but watched some young American students run races) It is a humbling thought that 2,500 years ago + our modern Games were taking place here. Will Weymouth’s Olympic Sailing Park stand a similar test of time!!
so how tall is the statue of nike ? when exactly did the greece fires reach it ? 2005 or 2007 ?
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