The Temple of Zeus, completed in 456 BC, was one of the largest temples in Greece, and perhaps the most renowned example of Doric architecture in the Classical world. Today, none of the columns remain standing; earthquakes have taken their toll, and after the early Christian era, Olympia was abandoned to the flooding of the Kladeos River and the changing route of the Alpheios River. The building held six columns on each end, with thirteen on the flanks, and, except for the sculpted elements, was built entirely of local shell limestone.
The sculptures, however, are the best preserved of their era. The East Pediment depicted the preparations for the chariot race between Oinomaos and Pelops, with Zeus presiding in the center. All the figures are sculpted in the round, with the exception of the three inner horses, and are one and one half times life size. The West Pediment depicts the battle between Lapiths and Centaurs, with Apollo in the center. The metopes from the pronaos and opisthodomos illustrate the Twelve Labors of Hercules, slightly under life size.
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