At the Temple of Zeus, also known as the Olympieion, in the Corinthian style, today we have only sixteen columns remaining out of the original one hundred and four. The surviving columns of the Temple of Zeus are located in the center of Athens, Greece. The temple originally had 104 Corinthian columns, but today, 15 of these colossal columns still stand, with one lying on the ground after collapsing due to strong winds in the 19th century. In this area, during the Ottoman occupation, two kilns were established. For three centuries, workers chopped the marble into small pieces, fired them in kilns, and turned them into lime or plaster. Greek marble was used to produce high-quality plaster, a significant export.
This situation is similar to what happens today in places like Mosul, Iran, and Iraq. In Mosul, for example, significant efforts are underway to restore ancient structures, such as the Mashki Gate, damaged by conflict. During this restoration, archaeologists discovered and preserved ancient marble, now incorporated into the restoration project. This reflects ongoing efforts to preserve cultural heritage. During the 19th century, Athens was part of the Ottoman Empire and Athens experienced a mix of sharp decline and transformation. In 1834, Athens was declared the capital of the newly established Kingdom of Greece. This led to a period of reconstruction and modernization, which included the expropriation of buildings and materials from the old city for new construction projects. The Temple of Olympian Zeus, already in ruins, was further affected as its materials were repurposed for lime and plaster production. From the main central area of the temple (the nave) and the roof, only 16 columns were left standing. Finally, only these columns survived, reminding us of this special temple.
Until the fourth century BC, races took place at the Agora on a special corridor formed as a track. But in the fourth century BC, Athenians built a stadium.
Six hundred years later, in the second century AD, a benefactor to the city of Athens offered the upper section of the new stadium to the city.
However, it was never used for the needs of the city. The city was very small, and the stadium may have been built more for show and prestige rather than practical use in in the second century. The stadium was rediscovered by archaeological services in 1880. Parts of it were well preserved, so a full reconstruction was decided, similar to the reconstruction of the Stoa you saw at the Agora. The stadium was ready in 1896 to house the first modern Olympic Games.
