Palaestra

Photo Comments

View looking northwest along the eastern edge of the Palaestra.  The Palaestra’s inner open court was 215 x 215 ft.  [66 x 66 m.] square and was used for practicing events such as wrestling.  It was surrounded on all sides by a covered Doric colonnade (visible in the image) and rooms led off this colonnade on three sides.  One of the excavators of Olympia, U. Sinn, has suggested that these rooms may have been used for intellectual instruction and for the philosophic discussions, along with art exhibits during the cult festival at Olympia.

The Palaestra is located to the northwest of the Temple of Zeus.

For a description of Olympia and a map Click Here.