Λεωνιδαίο Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας, Olympia Travel Guide

The Leonidaion, located in Ancient Olympia, was a grand guesthouse constructed around 330 BC. Situated outside the sacred Altis, in the southwestern corner of the archaeological site, it was near the workshop of Phidias and southwest of the Temple of Zeus. This made it the largest building within the sanctuary, designed to host important officials and athletes during the Olympic Games.The building was financed and designed by Leonidas of Naxos, hence its name, as evidenced by an inscription found on site. The structure is nearly square, measuring 75x81 meters, with an exterior Ionic colonnade consisting of 138 columns, each 5.55 meters high. Inside, a peristyle courtyard features 44 Doric columns. Six dining areas and various apartments were located on all four sides of the building, between the two colonnades, facing the courtyard. The western side housed the most spacious rooms, reaching a depth of 15 meters, while the other sides were 10 meters deep. Entrances were located on the north and south sides.During Roman times, the Leonidaion underwent at least two renovations. The central courtyard was transformed into a swimming pool, and the building was used as a residence for Roman officials. Pausanias, a traveler who visited Olympia around 170 AD, noted that the Leonidaion was located outside the sacred enclosure, at the ceremonial entrance to the Altis, and housed the Roman administrators of Greece.The Leonidaion was fully uncovered during modern German excavations, and restoration work was carried out in 2003. Visitors can view a significant portion of the building's elaborate clay sima at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.