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Town in Elis, Greece
Photo: (WT-en) Skyduster at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympía) is a town and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peloponnese, Greece. This was the site of the original Olympic Games from 776 BCE. The games, held every four years in honor of the Greek god Zeus, lasted through the entire Classical Age until the late 4th century CE. The central sanctuary or Altis included temples, altars, shrines, and public buildings for both religious and profane purposes. (See the official site of the Greek Ministry of Culture for description of the site and practical information)
The flame for each modern Olympic Games is still lit in the town, by a reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror, and carried by torch to the place where the games are to be held.
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By car
The city is very close to the Pyrgos intersection on the National road 9, a single carriageway that runs along the Western coast of Peloponnese.
By public transportation
Trains or KTEL buses from Patras via Pyrgos take around two hours. One can also travel to Olympia from the port of Kyllini using KTEL buses.
The village around Olympia is very small and consists of a handful of stores and hotels supporting the tourism industry. A vehicle is not needed to cover the village.
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