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The Temple of Zeus. The Temple of Zeus (or, as it is usually called, the Olympian) is located approximately 500m to the south of the Acropolis. The building of the temple lasted during several centuries, and it was finished only in the 2nd century (during the reign of Emperor Adrian). During that time the Temple of Zeus was the largest building in whole Greece. Its height estimated 96m, its width was 40m. The building was decorated with 104 seventeen meter tall Corinthian columns. Unfortunately, only the ruins of the 15th and 16th columns have survived till our days. When the building of the temple was not yet finished, the Roman general Sulla took 2 columns to Rome and used them to decorate the Temple of Jupiter. After this the Corinthian style became very popular in Rome.

Emperor Adrian made an order to build a Greek temple to praise Zeus. According to his order a huge statue of Zeus was placed in the temple. The statue of Zeus was decorated with gold and ivory. By the way, there was a statue of the emperor near the statue of Zeus. Both the statues had the same height. The 18 meter tall marble arch of Adrian is located in immediate proximity to the temple. The arch is the symbol of the power of the emperor. The arch of Adrian divides the New Rome and the Ancient Rome. The side of the arch that faces the Acropolis has a writing that says “This is Athens, the ancient town of Theseus”, and the other side of the arch has the following writing “This town is not of Theseus, but of Adrian”.
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