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Philippeion

Philippeion

Leochares

Photo: George E. Koronaios · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Location
Olympia, Greece
Client / Owner
Philip II of Macedon
Year
Completed 336 BC
Access
Public

The Philippeion at Olympia was commissioned by Philip II of Macedon as a memorial to his victory at Chaeronea in 338 BC. The infobox lists Leochares as architect, but the text calls him an Athenian sculptor, so his exact role is unclear. The text says Alexander the Great finished it after Philip died in 336 BC and reportedly commissioned the statues.

The building is a tholos with an outer colonnade of 18 Ionic columns and nine engaged Corinthian columns inside. It is about 49 feet (15 m) across. The materials were limestone and marble, with marble roof tiles, a bronze poppy on top and chryselephantine statues of ivory and gold.

The text says the site was used for worship of the royal family. None of the statues survive, and only part of the structure stands. Partial restoration took place in 2004 and 2005 after components returned from a Berlin museum. The article gives no hours.

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