Dome

not completed; The Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion; see fig.) in the south-west of the town is the largest ever built in the Doric style (stylobate 52.74×110.10 m). It was inspired by gigantic Ionian temples, such as the third Temple of Hera at Samos, and by the earlier Temple G at Selinus, and probably commemorated Theron’s victory over the Carthaginians at Himera in 480 bc. The exterior has the unique form of a closed wall with engaged columns (7 by 15) rendered as pilasters on the inside of the wall and a normal Doric entablature with pediments; giant male figures (telamones) standing on ledges between the engaged columns of the exterior (the precise arrangement is disputed) helped to support the architrave. The interior consists of three long, narrow spaces of equal width, separated by two rows of square pillars connected by walls; the central space was open to the sky. Relief sculpture in the pediments (only insignificant fragments remain) showed the Fall of Troy and the Battle of the Gods and Giantssection, colossal Sicilian temples: sections: a) temple of Apollo b) temple of Zeus Olympios at Akragas