One thing is determined with the apparent paternity: the first known ancient Olympiad took place in 776 BC.

Every Olympic Games turned into a holiday for the people, a sort of Congress for the rulers and philosophers, a competition for sculptors and poets.

The days of Olympic events are the days of universal peace.

To the ancient Greeks, the games were an instrument of peace, which facilitated the negotiations between the cities, promoted the understanding and respect between nations.

Olympics glorified a person, because the Olympic Games reflect the philosophy, the cornerstone of which was the cult of perfection of mind and body, the idealization of harmonious development of a person – a thinker and an athlete.

The compatriots dignified the olympionics – the winners of the games – like the gods, honor monuments were created during their lifetime, laudatory odes were composed.

Olympic hero rode back in his native city in a chariot, dressed in purple, crowned with a wreath, he did not ride through the regular gate, but through a breach in the wall, which was filled the same day so that the Olympic victory came in to town and never left it.

The centre of the ancient Olympic world was a sacred district of Zeus at Olympia – the grove along the river Alpheus in confluence with the creek Cladaus.

In this beautiful town of Ellada traditional Greek contest in the honor of the god of thunder was held almost three hundred times.

The winds of the Ionian Sea bothered mighty pines and oaks on the hilltop Kronos.

Protected territory stretches from its foot, which silence was broken once every four years by the Olympic triumph.

This is the Olympia, the cradle of games.

The evidence of ancient authors, the statues and pictures on vases and coins recreate the picture of the Olympic spectacle.

The town with the same name surrounded by orange and olive groves grew later near the sacred Olympia.

Now Olympia – is a typical provincial town with lots of tourists who flock to the Olympic ruins from around the world.

During the summer solstice, the competitors and organizers, the pilgrims and the fans pay homage to the gods by lighting a fire on the altars of Olympia.

The winner of running was honored to light a fire for the sacrifice.

In the reflection of this fire the rivalry of athletes happened, artists competition, there was a peace agreement.

That is why the tradition of lighting the fire was renewed, and later the tradition of its delivery to the place of the competition.

For the first time the Olympic flame flared up at the Amsterdam stadium in the first day of the games in 1928.

It is an indisputable fact.

However, until recently, most researchers in the field of Olympic history can not find evidence that the fire was taken, as tradition tells, in the course of the relay race from Olympia.

In 394 AD the Roman Emperor Theodosius 1 issued a decree prohibiting the continuation of the Olympic Games.

The emperor became a Christian and decided to eliminate the anti-Christian game glorifying the pagan gods.

And the games had not taken place for the period of one thousand years and a half.

With the advent of the Renaissance, the regained interest in the art of ancient Greece, they thought of the Olympic Games.

In the early 19 century, Sport in Europe has received universal recognition and the desire to organize something like the Olympic Games arose.

June 23, 1894 the Commission on the revival of the Olympic Games gathered in Paris in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne.

Its general secretary was Pierre de Coubertin.

Then the International Olympic Committee was organized – the IOC, which includes the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.

Since ancient times the Olympic Games were the main sports event of all time.

In the days of competitions, harmony and reconciliation reigned throughout the world.

All wars were stopped, and all the strong and decent people competed in a fair fight for the title of the best.

The Olympic Movement has overcome many obstacles, neglect and alienation for many centuries.

But despite that, the Olympics are still alive to this day.

Of course this is not the same competition, with the participation of naked boys and the winner entering the city through a breach in the wall.

Nowadays, the Olympiad is one of the biggest events in the world.

Games are equipped with the latest technology, due to the development of metal machining and digital technologies.

Computers and cameras monitor the results, the time is determined to within thousandths of a second, athletes and their results are largely dependent on technical equipment.

Thanks to the media there is not one person in the civilized world, who does not know – what are the Olympic Games or have not seen the competition on television.

In recent years the Olympic Movement has become large-scale and the capital of the Games becomes the capital of the world.

Sport plays an important role in people’s lives!

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