In the western Peloponnese, in the beautiful valley of the river Alfios, it blossomed the most glorious sanctuary of ancient Greece, dedicated to the father of the gods, Zeus. It spreads to the southwestern foot of the overgrown Kronos hill, between the rivers Alfios and Kladeos, which unite in this area. Despite its secluded location near the west coast of the Peloponnese, Olympia was established in the Panhellenic as the most important religious and sports center.

It was here that the most important races of ancient Greece were born, the Olympics, which took place every four years in honor of Zeus, an institution with pan-Hellenic radiance and splendor from antiquity to the present day. The origins of the cult and the mythical clashes that took place in Olympia are lost in the depths of centuries. Local myths about the powerful king of the region, the infamous Pelops, and the river god Alphios, reveal the sanctuary's strong links with both the East and the West.

Source: http://odysseus.culture.gr