Which ancient Greek city was the site of the Olympic Games?

The ancient Greek city of Olympia was the site of the Olympic Games. Located in the western Peloponnese, Olympia was a religious sanctuary dedicated chiefly to Zeus, rather than a large urban center like Athens or Sparta.

The first traditionally recorded Olympic Games took place in 776 BC, although athletic and religious activity at the sanctuary may have begun earlier. The festival was held every four years and formed one of Greece’s four major Panhellenic Games. Athletes came from independent Greek city-states to compete in events such as running, wrestling, boxing, pankration, and chariot racing.

The games honored Zeus, whose enormous gold-and-ivory statue at Olympia was counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Victors received crowns made from sacred olive leaves, not medals. A commonly misunderstood detail is that the ancient Games always took place at Olympia; unlike the modern Olympics, they did not move between host cities. The sanctuary’s ruins remain an important archaeological site in Greece.