In the Sanctuary of Olympia, there are also two principal deities who are worshipped. These are Hera and Zeus. These two are sibling gods as they were both born from Kronos, the Metroon, which is the name of the ( ) dedicated to the Mother Goddess, which was built in the Roman age.
Secondly, the most vital temples situated in each of the sanctuaries were both constructed at around the same period which is estimated to be around the 5th century BC (500-400). These two temples are the Temple of Zeus at Olympia and the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens. Note, that the temple of Zeus was constructed first. It was constructed around 450BC whereas the Parthenon was built in 447BC. A characteristic of the temple of Zeus which differentiates it from the Acropolis is the majestic statue which it houses, designed by the Athenian sculptor Pheidias, who was assigned for the ‘sacred task’.
Another similarity between the two sanctuaries is the fact that they both held their own games. In Athens, the Athenian games were held. The Greek word given for this event is Panathenaia. Although, in Olympia, it is where the world famous Olympic Games were held. They were founded by King Pelops, a former King of Greece. The location of the stadiums in both sanctuaries used for the games, were located at the exterior of the sanctuary walls.
In Olympia, the Olympic village was situated just outside the sanctuary walls. This means that the athletes were accommodated in units which were placed within the city of Olympia.
Similarly, in Athens, the Stadium was situated outside the perimeter of the Acropolis, due to the restricted space on the highland where the Acropolis was located. Therefore, the Stadium was constructed within the city of Athens.
Lastly, both areas were settled from the 3rd millennium BC. Originally, at the gateway into Olympia, there would have been monumental gateways similar to the Lion Gateway in Mycenae. However, as years went by, the glamorous look faded away, and later on it ended up having a simplistic image. On the other hand, the gateway to the Athenian Acropolis was very much a grand structure known as the Propalaia. This particular gateway was very colourful thanks to its wonderful construction of marble in the Ionic order.
On the other hand, there are several difference which set these two sanctuaries apart. The Acropolis was located on a highland in the center of Athens where it would have a lovely view over the city and the sea would be further back in the distance. Due to the fact that the Acropolis is built on a highland within the city, it means there is limited space for construction within the Acropolis itself. Whereas, the Sanctuary of Olympia is situated on a large plain with abundant space for construction of buildings. Both these sanctuaries have dissimilar atmospheres in the sense that when one enters the Acropolis, and begins to walk into it, new buildings start to come before you. This gives the visitor a feeling of suspense as they enter the Acropolis. On the other hand, at the Sanctuary of Olympia, when one enters, you can see everything at once.
An advantageous factor for the Sanctuary of Olympia is how it has direct access to water from the two rivers, Alpheios and Cladeos, flowing on either side of the sanctuary.
To conclude, I believe that the Sanctuary Olympia makes better use of the space it has because it is able to spread it buildings out. But, then again, at the Athenian Acropolis, there is maximum use of the space, as there is no large gap in order to construct more.
