Olympia, a city of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times. Held every olympiad (i.e. every four years), the Olympic Games dating back at least as far as 776 BC. At the end of the 4th century, emperor Theodosius abolished them.

Olympia is also known for its gigantic Zeus statue made of ivory and gold, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, made by Phidias.

Excavation of the Olympia temple district and its surroundings, mostly conducted by German archeologists in the late 19th and early 20th century, also uncovered the Hermes of Praxiteles statue and the stadium, where the running contests took place.