Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Created | Updated Apr 27, 2002
This Wonder of the World is the statue of the god in whose honour the Ancient Olympic Games were held. It was built in the ancient town of Olympia, the place that gave its name to the Olympic Games, about 150km west of Athens.
The statue came about because of a simple case of civic vanity. Under the growing power of ancient Greece, the simple Doric-style temple at Olympia seemed far too mundane, and the townsfolk decided that modifications were needed.
The solution: A Great Big Gold Statue of a God in Sandals.