The Echo Stoa is located within the sanctuary of
Zeus
Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D ...
in
Olympia
The name Olympia may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games
* ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
, Greece. It is part of an ancient archaeological site excavated and preserved by the
German Archaeological Institute
The German Archaeological Institute (german: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, ''DAI'') is a research institute in the field of archaeology (and other related fields). The DAI is a "federal agency" under the Federal Foreign Office of Germany ...
at Athens. A
stoa
A stoa (; plural, stoas,"stoa", ''Oxford English Dictionary'', 2nd Ed., 1989 stoai, or stoae ), in ancient Greek architecture, is a covered walkway or portico, commonly for public use. Early stoas were open at the entrance with columns, usually ...
is a covered walkway or
portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...
, typically
colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curv ...
d and open to the public. In ancient Greece, a stoa could be used for a variety of reasons including the selling and display of goods, and religious or public meetings. Aside from
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...
, this sanctuary was the most important one in Greece.
Otherwise known as the Stoa Poikile (meaning painted stoa) because of the paintings that once lined the hall, the stoa later became known as the Echo Stoa due to the acoustics of its design. It is said one word uttered, would echo seven times. "Almost 100 meters long, it was probably begun after the mid-fourth century, but not completed for a long time thereafter…" It was lined with inner and outer
Doric style
The Doric order was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of col ...
columns. The
stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
was moved eastwards and a stoa was built to separate it from the sanctuary. "The intention is clear: it was to provide a colonnaded boundary to the sanctuary along the east side." Before the Echo Stoa, the finish line of the stadium was in full view of the temple. The structure also provided a backdrop for the penultimate stages of procession, however, this was less prominent than with the south stoa. During Hellenistic times this type of architectural layout, based heavily on view towards and from important buildings, especially with stoas became more common. "It was one of the most prominent features of the site at the time of
Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to:
*Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium''
*Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC
* Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...
’ visit."
[Die Echohalle]
See also
*
Stoa Poikile
The Stoa Poikile (, ) or Painted Porch, originally called the Porch of Peisianax (, ), was a stoa (a covered walkway or portico) erected during the 5th century BC and was located on the north side of the Ancient Agora of Athens. The Stoa Poikile ...
References
Sources
# Boardman, J. (1994). The Cambridge Ancient History (Vols. 5-6). Cambridge University Press.
#
# Encyclopædia Britannica
#
# Koeings, W. (1985). Die Echohalle. American Journal of Archaeology, 89(4), 708-709
#
# Kunze, E. (1957). V. Bericht über die Ausgrabungen in Olympia. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 77, 362.
#
# Winter, F. E. (2006). Studies in Hellenistic Architecture. University of Toronto Press.
External links
{{coord, 37.6384, N, 21.6317, E, type:landmark_region:GR, display=title
Buildings and structures completed in the 4th century BC
Stoas in Greece
Ancient Olympia