What year did the Olympic Games start? Ancient olympic games in ancient greece briefly

The content of the article about the ancient Olympic Games in Greece:

Beginning of the Olympic Games
Participants of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece
Dawn of the Olympic Games
sunset of the olympic games

The tradition of holding the Olympic Games has been revived today. The first Olympic Games of our time took place in the 19th century, and today they are considered the most prestigious world sports competitions.

Beginning of the Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games in ancient Greece

The very first Olympic Games in ancient Greece were held in 776 BC. All subsequent games were held once every four years. From that moment, the records of the winners of the games began and the order of their conduct was established. The Olympiad began every leap year, in the month of the ceremony, corresponding to the modern time interval from the end of June to the middle of July.

History has kept a large number of versions that substantiate the origin of the tradition of holding these sports. Most of these versions have the appearance of legends, one way or another connected with the gods and heroes of Ancient Hellas. For example, the first place in the list is occupied by a legend according to which the king of Elis named Ifit went to Delphi, where he received a message from the priestess of Apollo. The people of Elis by this time were exhausted by the constant armed rivalry of the Greek policies, and therefore the gods ordered sports and athletic festivities to be arranged.

The participants of the Olympic Games lived on the outskirts of Altis, where a month before the opening of the competition they trained in palestra and gymnastics. This tradition has become the prototype of the Olympic village, which has a place in modern games. The expenses for the accommodation of athletes in Olympia, the preparation of competitions and various religious ceremonies, were borne either by the athletes themselves - participants in the games, or by the city from which they performed.

Dawn of the Olympic Games

There is a reliable historical fact that during the Olympic Games ceased any hostilities. This tradition was called ekeheria, according to which the warring parties were obliged to lay down their arms. It was also forbidden to carry out court cases, the execution of executions was postponed until later. Violators of the rule of ekeheria were punished with a fine.

Types of Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

Paramount, and apparently the most popular view The sport included in the program of the ancient Olympic Games was running. There is even evidence that an ancient king named Endymion arranged a running competition among his sons, and as a reward the winner received a kingdom.
There were several types of running competitions. First of all, it was an analogue of the modern sprint, running on short distance- actually from one end of the stadium to the other. The distance was 192 meters and was called the "Olympic stage". Athletes performed in these competitions completely naked. Distance running was the very first and only competition in the history of the Olympic Games and remained so until the thirteenth Olympiad. Starting from the fourteenth, the so-called "double run" was added to the competition. Athletes had to run from one end of the stadium to the other, then run around the post and return to the starting point. A long run was added to the program of the fifteenth Olympic Games in addition to the above running competitions. Initially, it included seven stages, but in subsequent years, the length of the distances changed. The runners ran the stage, ran around the pole, returned to the start, and turned back around the other pole.

In 520 BC, during the 65th Olympiad, another type of running competition appeared - “hoplite running”. Athletes ran two distances in full armor - they had a helmet, greaves and a shield. In later Olympics, only the shield was left among the weapons.
Also among the types of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece were martial arts. It should be noted that the death of an athlete during the fights was not something special, and even a dead fighter could be appointed the winner.
Starting from the 18th Olympiad, wrestling was included in the program of the games. It was forbidden to strike, it was possible to fight only with the help of pushes. There were two main positions - standing and on the ground. In Greek, there were many names for various techniques.

Five Olympics later, fisticuffs appeared among martial arts. It was impossible to kick the enemy, to make grabs and trips. Hands were wrapped with special straps, making this type of competition one of the most dangerous. Sources that have survived to this day vividly describe the damage caused by such blows. The fighter who won without receiving a single blow from the enemy deserved special respect. If the wrestlers got tired, they were given a rest break. If there was no way to identify the winner, then a certain number of blows were assigned, which the opponents inflicted on each other in turn, while it was impossible to defend. The one who voluntarily surrendered by raising his hand was considered the loser.
In 648 BC, during the 33rd Olympiad, the so-called "pankration" appeared. This type of martial arts included kicks and punches. It was allowed to use choking techniques, but it was impossible to gouge out the eyes and bite. At first it was a competition only for adult men, and then, starting from the 145th Olympiad, pankration was also introduced for young men.

Later, the pentathlon was added to the program of the games. In ancient Greece, this sport was called "pentathlon". From the name, you can guess that this type of sports consisted of five different sports - they began with a long jump, then there were one-distance running, discus throwing, and javelin throwing. The fifth sport was wrestling. To date, there is no exact information about how the winner was determined. It is believed that all participants were divided into pairs and competed with each other. As a result, there was one, the last pair. The long jump was distinguished by a special technique. Athletes jumped straight from the spot, without running up, and dumbbells were used to increase the distance of the jump.
Horse racing also took place among the Olympic competitions. It is noteworthy that women participate in them, since not riders were announced as the winner, but the owners of animals and chariots. Over the years of the existence of the Olympic Games, horse racing has changed. At first, these were quadriga races, then, starting from the 33rd Olympiad, horse racing was added to them. On the 93rd, chariot racing appeared, in which two horses were harnessed. Competitions were divided into two categories - young stallions competed in one, and adult horses competed in the other.

How the Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece

The start date of the event was appointed by a commission specially created for this, about which then special people, called spondophores, notified residents of other Greek states. Athletes came to Olympia a month before the start of the games, during which time they had to train under the guidance of experienced coaches.
The course of the competition was watched by judges - elladoniki. In addition to the judicial function, the duties of the Helladonics included the organization of the entire Olympic holiday.

Each athlete, before speaking to the people, had to prove to the judges that during the ten months before the start of the games, he was intensively preparing for the competition. The oath was taken near the statue of Zeus.
Initially, the duration of the Olympic Games was 5 days, but later it reached a month. The first and last day of the Games was devoted to religious rituals and ceremonies.
The public learned about the sequence of holding a certain type of competition with the help of a special sign. Those wishing to take part in it had to determine their order by drawing lots.

Olympic Games Winners in Ancient Greece

The winners of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece were called Olympionists. They became famous throughout Greece, they were met with honor in their homeland, as athletes represented at the games not only themselves, but also the city-state from where they arrived. In the event of a three-time victory in the games, a bust was erected in Olympia in honor of such an athlete. The winner was rewarded with an olive wreath, and he also stood on a pedestal, the function of which was performed by a bronze tripod and took palm branches in his hands. Also, a small cash bonus was given as a reward, but he received the real benefits already upon returning home. At home, he received many different privileges.
One of the most famous Olympionists is Milo of Croton. He won his very first victory in wrestling in 540 BC, during the 60th Olympiad. Later, between 532 and 516, he won five times, and only at the age of 40 lost to a younger athlete, failing to receive Olympian status for the seventh time.

A wrestler named Sostratus, originally from Sicyon, won the pankration three times. His secret was that he broke the fingers of opponents, for which he received the nickname Finger.
There are cases when the winners were the dead participants. For example, Arichion from Philagea was strangled during a duel, but his opponent declared his defeat, as he could not endure the pain of a broken toe. To the applause of the audience, the corpse of Arichion was awarded the victor's olive wreath.
Artemidorus, who arrived from Thrall, is famous for having to compete in the youth group, but could not stand the insult of an adult pankration wrestler. After that, Artemidor moved to the adult group and became the champion.

Among the famous runners, the Rhodes athlete Leonid can be noted. Over the course of four Olympics, he became a leader in various running competitions.
Astil from Croton became the six-time Olympic champion. He is also famous for the fact that, in the first competitions, he represented Croton, and in the next two, another city - Syracuse. In retaliation, the inhabitants of Croton made a prison room out of his dwelling and destroyed the memorial statue.
There have been whole dynasties of winners in the history of the Olympic Games. For example, Poseidor's grandfather named Diagoras and his uncles also became champions - Olympians.

In addition, many well-known thinkers of antiquity in our time did not interfere with their mental activity from participating in various sports competitions. For example, the famous Pythagoras was not only strong in mathematics, but at one time was better known as a boxing champion, that is, fisticuffs, and the thinker Plato broke the foundations not only in philosophy, but also in the arena, becoming a champion in pankration.

sunset of the olympic games

In the second century BC. The Olympic Games began to lose their great significance, turning into local competitions. This is due to the conquest of ancient Greece by the Romans. The reasons for the loss of former popularity are considered by several factors. One of them is the professionalism of athletes, when the games became in fact a collection of victories from the Olympians. The Romans, under whose rule Greece was, perceived sports only as a spectacle, they were not interested in the competitive spirit of the Olympics.

Who Banned the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

Termination thousand years of history The Olympic Games was the result of a change in religion. They were closely intertwined with the Greek pagan gods, so their holding became impossible after the adoption of the Christian faith.
Researchers associate the ban on the Olympic Games with a certain Roman emperor, Theodosius. It is he who publishes in 393 AD. a code of laws forbidding paganism, and the Olympic Games in accordance with these new legislative acts become completely banned. Only centuries later, in 1896, the tradition of holding the sports Olympic Games was revived.

“There is nothing nobler than the sun,
giving so much light and warmth. So
and people glorify those contests
there is nothing greater than the Olympic Games.”
Pindar

These words of the ancient Greek poet Pindar, written two thousand years ago, have not been forgotten to this day. Not forgotten because the Olympic competitions, held at the dawn of civilization, continue to live in the memory of mankind.
There are no number of myths - one is more beautiful than the other! about the origin of the Olympic Games. Gods, kings, rulers and heroes are considered their most honorable ancestors. One thing has been established with obvious indisputability: the first Olympiad known to us from antiquity took place in 776 BC.

Each Olympic Games turned into a holiday for the people, a kind of congress for rulers and philosophers, a competition for sculptors and poets.
The days of the Olympic celebrations are the days of universal peace. For the ancient Hellenes, games were an instrument of peace, facilitating negotiations between cities, promoting mutual understanding and communication between states.
The Olympics glorified man, for the Olympics reflected a worldview, the cornerstone of which was the cult of the perfection of the spirit and body, the idealization of a harmoniously developed person - a thinker and an athlete. Olympionics - the winner of the games - were paid honors by their compatriots, which were awarded to the gods, monuments were created in their honor during their lifetime, laudatory odes were composed, feasts were arranged. The Olympic hero rode into hometown on a chariot, dressed in purple, crowned with a wreath, he entered not through an ordinary gate, but through a hole in the wall, which was sealed up on the same day so that the Olympic victory would enter the city and never leave it.

The center of the Olympic world of antiquity was the sacred district of Zeus in Olympia - a grove along the Alpheus River at the confluence of the Kladei stream into it. In this beautiful town of Hellas, traditional all-Greek competitions in honor of the god of thunder were held almost three hundred times. The winds of the Ionian sea disturbed the mighty pines and oaks on the top of Kronos Hill. At its foot there is a protected area, the silence of which was broken every four years by the Olympic celebration.
Such is Olympia, the cradle of games. Its former greatness is now reminded of by no means silent ruins. The testimony of ancient authors, statues and images on vases and coins recreate the picture of the Olympic spectacle.
Near the sacred Olympia, the town of the same name subsequently grew up, surrounded by orange and olive groves.
Now Olympia is a typical provincial town, living with tourists who flock to the Olympic ruins from all over the world. Everything is absolutely Olympic in it: from the names of streets and hotels to dishes in taverns and souvenirs in countless shops. It is noteworthy for its museums - archaeological and Olympic.

Olympia owes its surviving glory entirely to the Olympic Games, although they were held there only once every four years and lasted a few days. In the intervals between games, a huge stadium was empty, located nearby, in a hollow near the hill of Kronos. The running track of the stadium and the slopes of the hill and embankments that bordered the arena, which served as a platform for spectators, were overgrown with grass. There was no clatter of hooves or the rumble of horse-drawn chariots at the nearby hippodrome. There were no training athletes in the spacious gymnasium surrounded by stands and in the monumental building of the palestra. Voices were not heard in the leonidaion - a hotel for honored guests.
But during the Olympic Games, life was seething here. Tens of thousands of arriving athletes and guests filled the grandiose sports facilities for those times to capacity. In their composition, their ensemble basically differed little from modern sports complexes. In those distant times, only the winner in certain types of competitions, the Olympionik, was revealed at the Olympics. In modern terms, no one recorded the absolute achievements of athletes. Therefore, few people were interested in the perfection of the competition sites. Everyone was more interested in the ritual side of the holiday dedicated to Zeus.
As you know, ancient Greek history with a certain degree of reliability reflects mythology. One of the poetic myths of ancient Greece tells how the Olympic Stadium came into being. If you listen to this legend, then Hercules from Crete was its founder. Approximately in the 17th century. BC e. He and his four brothers landed on the Peloponnesian peninsula. There, at the hill with the tomb of the titan Kronos, according to legend, defeated in the fight by the son of Zeus, Hercules, in honor of the victory of his father over his grandfather, organized a competition with his brothers on the run. To do this, on the site at the foot of the hill, he measured the distance of 11 stages, which corresponded to 600 of his feet. an impromptu running track 192 m 27 cm long and served as the basis for the future Olympic Stadium. For three centuries, it was in this primitive arena that the games, later called the Olympic Games, were far from regularly held.
Gradually, the Olympics won the recognition of all the states located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, and by 776 BC. e. acquired a general character. It was from this date that the tradition began to perpetuate the names of the winners.

On the eve of the grand opening of the Games, an ancient tent city was spread out near the stadium on the banks of the Alfei River. Here, in addition to many sports fans, traders of various goods, owners of entertainment establishments flocked. So even in ancient times, concern for preparing for the games involved the most diverse social strata of the Greek population in organizational matters. The Greek festival officially lasted five days, dedicated to the glorification of the physical strength and unity of the nation, worshiping the deified beauty of man. The Olympic Games, as their popularity grew, influenced the center of Olympia - Altis. For more than 11 centuries, pan-Greek games have been held in Olympia. Similar games were held in other centers of the country, but none of them could be compared with the Olympic ones.

One of the most beautiful legends of the past tells of the God-fighter and protector of people Prometheus, who stole fire from Olympus and brought it in a reed and taught mortals how to use it. As the myths say, Zeus ordered Hephaestus to chain Prometheus to the Caucasian rock, pierced his chest with a spear, and a huge eagle flew every morning to peck the liver of a titan, he was saved by Hercules. And not a legend, but history testifies that in other cities of Hellas there was a cult of Prometheus, and in his honor Prometheus was held - competitions of runners with burning torches.
The figure of this titan remains today one of the most striking images in Greek mythology. The expression "Promethean fire" means striving for high goals in the fight against evil. Didn't the ancients put the same meaning when they lit the Olympic flame in the Altis grove about three thousand years ago?
During the summer solstice, competitors and organizers, pilgrims and fans paid homage to the gods by lighting a fire on the altars of Olympia. The winner of the running competition was honored to light the fire for the sacrifice. In the reflections of this fire, the rivalry of athletes took place, the competition of artists, an agreement on peace was concluded by messengers from cities and peoples.

That is why the tradition of lighting a fire, and later delivering it to the venue of the competition, was renewed.
Among the Olympic rituals, the ceremony of lighting a fire in Olympia and delivering it to the main arena of the games is especially emotional. This is one of the traditions of the modern Olympic movement. Millions of people can watch the exciting journey of fire through countries, and sometimes even continents, with the help of television.
The Olympic flame first flared up at the Amsterdam Stadium on the first day of the 1928 Games. This is an indisputable fact. However, until recently, most researchers in the field of Olympic history have not found confirmation that this fire was delivered, as tradition dictates, by relay from Olympia.
The beginning of the torch relay races, which brought fire from Olympia to the city of the Summer Olympics, was laid in 1936. Since then, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games have been enriched by the exciting spectacle of lighting the fire from the torch carried by the relay in the main Olympic stadium. The Torchbearer Run has been the solemn prologue of the Games for more than four decades. On June 20, 1936, a fire was lit in Olympia, which then made a 3075 km journey along the road of Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Germany. And in 1948, the torch made its first sea voyage.
In 394 AD e. The Roman emperor Theodosius 1 issued a decree prohibiting the further holding of the Olympic Games. The emperor converted to Christianity and decided to eradicate anti-Christian games glorifying pagan gods. And one and a half thousand years the games were not played. In the following centuries, sport lost the democratic significance that was attached to it in ancient Greece. For a long time it became the privilege of the “chosen” fraud, ceased to play the role of the most available means communication between peoples.

Ancient Greek athletes competed naked. From the word "naked" ("gymnos") comes the word "gymnastics". The naked body was not considered something shameful - on the contrary, it showed how hard the athlete trained. It was shameful to have an unsportsmanlike, untrained body. Women were forbidden not only to participate, but also to observe the course of the Games. If a woman was found in the stadium, she was legally to be thrown into the abyss. Only once this rule was violated - when a woman, whose father, brother and husband were Olympic champions, trained her son herself and, driven by the desire to see him as a champion, went with him to the Games. Coaches stood separately on the field, watching their wards. Our heroine changed into men's clothes and stood next to them, looking at her son with excitement. And now... he is declared the champion! Mother could not stand it and ran across the whole field to be the first to congratulate him. On the way, her clothes fell off her, and everyone saw that there was a woman in the stadium. The judges were in a difficult position. By law, the violator must be killed, but she is a daughter, sister and wife, and now also the mother of Olympic champions! She was spared, but from that day on a new rule was introduced - now not only athletes, but also coaches must stand completely naked on the field in order to prevent such situations.

One of the types of competitions was chariot racing - an unusually dangerous sport, horses often got scared, chariots collided, jockeys fell under the wheels ... Sometimes only two out of ten chariots reached the start. But all the same, no matter what strength and dexterity the jockey showed, it was not he who received the wreath of the winner, but the owner of the horses!
Women had their own Games - they were dedicated to the goddess Hera. They took place a month before the men's or, conversely, a month after them, at the same stadium where women competed in running.

With the advent of the Renaissance, which restored interest in the art of Ancient Greece, they remembered the Olympic Games. At the beginning of the 19th century Sport has received universal recognition in Europe and there was a desire to organize something similar to the Olympic Games. Left a mark on history local games organized in Greece in 1859, 1870, 1875 and 1879. Although they did not give tangible practical results in the development of the international Olympic movement, they served as an impetus for the formation of the Olympic Games of our time, which owe their revival to the French public figure, teacher, historian Pierre De Coubertin. The growth of economic and cultural communication between states, which arose at the end of the 18th century, the appearance modern species transport, paved the way for the revival of the Olympic Games on an international scale. That is why the call of Pierre De Coubertin: “We need to make sport international, we need to revive the Olympic Games!” found a proper response in many countries.
On June 23, 1894, in Paris, in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne, a commission for the revival of the Olympic Games met. Pierre de Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took shape, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.
By decision of the IOC, the games of the first Olympiad were held in April 1896 in the Greek capital at the Panathini Stadium. The energy of Coubertin and the enthusiasm of the Greeks overcame many obstacles and made it possible to carry out the planned program of the first games of our time. Spectators enthusiastically accepted the colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the revived sports festival, awarding the winners of the competitions. The interest in the competition was so great that 80 thousand spectators could fit in the marble stands of the Panathini Stadium, designed for 70,000 seats. The success of the revival of the Olympic Games was confirmed by the public and the press of many countries, who welcomed the initiative.

Legends related to the origin of the Olympic Games:

* One of the oldest is the legend of Pelops, which is mentioned by the ancient Roman poet Ovid in his "Metamorphoses" and the ancient Greek poet Pindar. Pelops, the son of Tantalus, is told in this legend, after the king of Troy, Il, conquered his hometown of Sipil, left his homeland, and went to the shores of Greece. In the very south of Greece, he found a peninsula and settled on it. Since then, this peninsula has been called the Peloponnese. Once Pelops saw the beautiful Hypodamia, the daughter of Enomai. Oenomaus was the king of Pisa, a city located in the northwest of the Peloponnese, in the valley of the river Alpheus. Pelops fell in love with the beautiful daughter of Enomai and decided to ask the king for her hand.

But it turned out to be not so easy. The fact is that the oracle predicted Enomai's death at the hands of his daughter's husband. To prevent such a fate, Enomai decided not to marry his daughter at all. But how to do that? How to refuse all applicants for the hand of Hypodamia? Many worthy suitors wooed the beautiful princess. Enomai could not refuse everyone for no reason and came up with cruel condition: he will give Hypodamia as a wife only to the one who defeats him in a chariot contest, but if he turns out to be the winner, then the bewitched must pay with his life. Enomai had no equal in the whole of Greece in the art of driving a chariot, and his horses were faster than the wind.

One after another, young people came to the palace of Enomai, who were not afraid to lose their lives, if only to get the beautiful Hypodamia as a wife. And Enomai killed all of them, and so that it would be discourteous for others to come to woo, he nailed the heads of the dead to the doors of the palace. But this did not stop Pelops. He decided to outsmart the cruel ruler of Pisa. Pelops secretly agreed with the charioteer of Oenomaus Myrtilus that he would not insert a pin holding the wheel on the axle.
Before the start of the competition, Enomai, confident, as always, in success, suggested that Pelops start the race alone. The groom's chariot takes off, and Enomai slowly sacrifices to the great Thunderer Zeus, and only after that he rushes after him.
The chariot of Oenomaus has already reached Pelops, the son of Tantalus already feels the hot breath of the horses of King Pisa, he turns around and sees how the king swings his spear with a triumphant laugh. But at that moment, the wheels from the axles of the chariot of Oenomaus jump off, the chariot overturns, and the cruel king falls dead to the ground.
Pelops returned triumphantly to Pisa, took the beautiful Hippodamia as his wife, took possession of the whole kingdom of Enomai, and, in honor of his victory, set up in Olympia sports holiday, which decided to repeat every four years.

* Other legends say that in Olympia, near the tomb of Cronus, the father of Zeus, a running competition took place. And as if they were organized by Zeus himself, who thus celebrated the victory over his father, which made him the ruler of the world.
* But perhaps the most popular in ancient times was the legend that Pindar mentions in his songs in honor of the winners of the Olympic Games. According to this legend, the Games were founded by Hercules after completing his sixth feat - cleansing the barnyard of Avgius, king of Elis. Augeas possessed incalculable riches. His herds were especially numerous. Heracles suggested that Augeas cleanse his entire vast courtyard in one day if he agreed to give him a tenth of his herds. Augeas agreed, believing that it was simply impossible to complete such work in one day. Hercules broke with two opposite sides the wall surrounding the barnyard, and diverted the water of the river Alpheus into it. The water in one day carried away all the manure from the barnyard, and Hercules again laid down the walls. When Hercules came to Avgiy to demand a reward, the king did not give him anything, and even kicked him out.
Hercules took terrible revenge on the king of Elis. With a large army, he invaded Elis, defeated Augeas in a bloody battle and killed him with a deadly arrow. After the victory, Hercules gathered troops and all the booty near the city of Pisa, made sacrifices to the Olympic gods and established the Olympic Games, which have been held since then every four years on the sacred plain planted by Hercules himself with olives dedicated to the goddess Pallas Athena.
There are many other versions of the appearance and creation of the Olympic Games, but all these versions, most often mythological origin, remain versions.
* According to undeniable signs, the appearance of the Olympic Games dates back to the 9th century BC. e. In those days, heavy wars ravaged the Greek states. Ifit - the king of Elis, a small Greek state, on whose territory Olympia is located - goes to Delphi to consult with the oracle, how he, the king of a small country, can save his people from war and robbery. The Delphic oracle, whose predictions and advice were considered infallible, advised Ifit:
"I need you to found the Games Pleased by the Gods!"
Ifit immediately goes to meet his powerful neighbor - the king of Sparta, Lycurgus. Obviously, Ifit was a good diplomat, since Lycurgus decides that from now on Elis should be recognized as a neutral state. And all the small fragmented states, endlessly at war with each other, agree with this decision. Immediately Ifit, in order to prove his peace-loving aspirations and thank the gods, establishes "the athletic Games, which will be held in Olympia every four years." Hence their name - the Olympic Games. This happened in 884 BC. e.
Thus a custom was established in Greece, according to which, every four years, in the midst of internecine wars, everyone put their weapons aside and went to Olympia to admire the harmoniously developed athletes and praise the gods.
The Olympic Games became a national event that united the whole of Greece, while before and after them, Greece was a multitude of disparate, warring states.
* After some time, the Greeks came up with the idea to establish a single calendar of the Olympic Games. It was decided to hold the Games regularly every four goals "between harvest and grape harvest". The Olympic holiday, which consisted of numerous religious ceremonies and sports competitions, was held first for one day, then for five days, and later the duration of the holiday reached a whole month.
When the feast lasted only one day, it was usually held on the eighteenth day of the "holy month" beginning on the first full moon after the summer solstice. The holiday was repeated every four years, which constituted the "Olympiad" - the Greek Olympic year.

Five rings and the slogan "Faster. Higher. Stronger" - one of the most recognizable characters in the world. The Olympic Games are criticized for being politicized, pompous, expensive, doping scandals, but they are always eagerly awaited. The modern Olympic Games are 120 years old this year, but of course their history goes much, much deeper into antiquity.

According to one of the myths, King Enomai, the ruler of the city of Pisa, organized sports competitions for those who wanted to marry his daughter Hippodamia. Moreover, the conditions of these competitions were obviously losing - all because Enomai was predicted that his son-in-law would become the cause of his death. Young people lost their lives one after another, and only the cunning Pelops managed to overtake the future father-in-law in chariot races, so successfully that Enomai broke his neck. The prediction nevertheless came true, and the new king, in joy, ordered a sports festival to be held in Olympia every four years.

According to one version, the well-known word "gymnastics" comes from the ancient Greek "gymnos", which means "naked". It was in this form that ancient athletes participated in competitions, therefore, in those days, the organizers of the games significantly saved on sports uniforms. Some, such as wrestlers, were also rubbed with oil to make it easier to slip out of the enemy’s grip

According to another version, the Olympic Games were established by none other than the main ancient Greek superman Hercules. Having cleared the Augean stables, the hero not only did not receive the promised reward, but also received a royal kick in the ass. Naturally, the demigod was offended and after a while returned with a large army. Having destroyed the offender morally and physically, Hercules, in gratitude for the help, made a sacrifice to the gods and personally planted an entire olive grove around the sacred plain in honor of the goddess Athena. And on the plain itself he ordered regular sports competitions to be held.

According to ancient historians, the first Olympic Games took place during the reign of King Ifit (about 884-828 BC). Ifit, the king of Elis, on whose territory Olympia was located, was very concerned about what was happening in the state and beyond. At that time, Greece was a seething cauldron, where many small scattered kingdoms were constantly at war with each other. Ifit went to Lycurgus, the king of Sparta, and said that he no longer wanted to fight, but wanted to organize sports competitions. Lycurgus liked the idea, the other warring rulers also agreed. As a result, Elis received a neutral status and immunity in exchange for the fact that once every four years nationwide sports tournaments would be held in Olympia. At the time of the games, all wars stopped. The Olympic Games rallied Greece, tormented by civil strife, which, however, did not prevent the states from fighting each other for the rest of the time before and after the games.

However, even ancient Greek historians were not sure of the exact date, so they considered the first Olympics to be competitions about which they had more or less accurate information. These games took place in 776 BC. e., and Koreb from Elis won the race.

The only type of ancient Olympic competition for the first thirteen games was running. Then - pentathlon, including running, long jump, javelin throwing, discus throwing and wrestling itself. Later fisticuffs and chariot races were added. The program of the modern Olympic Games includes 28 summer and 7 winter sports, respectively 41 and 15 disciplines, depending on the season.

Much has changed since the arrival of the Romans. If before only Hellenic athletes could take part in the games, then after Greece was annexed to the Empire, the national composition of the participants expanded. In addition, gladiator fights were added to the program. The Hellenes gritted their teeth, but had to endure. True, not for long - after Christianity became the official religion of the empire, the event, as pagan, was banned by Emperor Theodosius I. In 394 AD. e. the games were canceled, and a year later, many Olympic buildings were destroyed during the war with the barbarians. Olympia, like Atlantis, disappeared from the face of the earth.

Olympia today

However, the Olympic Games have not sunk into oblivion forever, although they had to stay in oblivion for fifteen long centuries. Ironically, the first step towards the revival of the Olympic Games was made by a church leader, the Benedictine monk Bernard de Montfaucon, who was very interested in the history of Ancient Greece and was convinced that excavations should be carried out at the site where the legendary Olympia used to be. Soon, many European scientists and public figures of the 18th century began to talk about the need to find her.

In 1766, the English traveler Richard Chandler discovered the ruins of some ancient structures near Mount Kronos in Greece. It turned out that the find was part of the wall of a huge temple. In 1824, the archaeologist Lord Stanhof began excavations on the banks of the Alpheus, then in 1828-1829 French archaeologists took over. In October 1875, the excavations of Olympia were continued by German specialists under the leadership of Ernst Curtius. Inspired by the results of archaeological research, public and sports figures gave lectures on the delights of the Olympic movement and the need for its revival. Government officials listened to them attentively and nodded in agreement, but for some reason they refused to allocate funds for the games.

And yet, finally, there was someone who managed to convince everyone: the Olympic Games are exactly what humanity needs. It was the French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. He was sincerely convinced that the ideas of the Olympic movement carry the spirit of freedom, peaceful competition, harmony and physical perfection. Coubertin found many supporters around the world. On November 25, 1892, he gave a lecture in Paris entitled "Olympic Renaissance", the main idea of which was that sport should be international. Coubertin called his contemporaries the heirs of the great Hellenic civilization, which elevated the harmonious development of man, intellectual and physical perfection into a cult.

At the end of the 19th century, the international sports movement gradually began to gain momentum. With the growth of cultural and economic ties between countries, international sports associations began to appear, international competitions were organized. It was the perfect moment for the realization of Coubertin's ideas. Together with friends and associates, he organized the Constituent Congress, where supporters of the Olympic movement from all over the world were to gather. A meeting of two thousand delegates from twelve countries was held in June 1894 at the Sorbonne. It was there that a unanimous decision was made to revive the Olympic Games and establish the International Olympic Committee. At the same time, national Olympic committees were created. And it was decided to hold the first international competitions in 1896 in Athens. The Olympic Games were revived in the same place where they originated - in Greece.

The first resumed games became the biggest sporting event of their time. The Greek authorities, inspired by the success, offered to constantly hold the games on their territory, but this clearly contradicted the spirit of internationalism, and the IOC decided to choose a new place for the Olympics every four years. Gradually, the attributes and rituals of the games appeared, which have now become familiar: the emblem and flag, the Olympic oath and talismans, the parade, the opening and closing ceremonies, the Olympic torch relay. It is already difficult to imagine these competitions without them.

Unlike the ancient games, during which armed conflicts ceased, the modern Olympic Games were not held three times due to world wars - in 1916, 1940 and 1944. And the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich was overshadowed by a terrorist attack: Palestinian terrorists took the members of the Israeli team hostage. The release operation, due to poor organization, completely failed - eleven athletes were killed.

Since 1924, Winter has been added to the classic Olympic Games - Summer. At first, the games were held in one year, but since 1994 the Winter and Summer Games began to alternate every two years.

In our country, the Olympic Games were held twice. The first Olympics took place in 1980 in the USSR, the second, Winter, in 2014 in Sochi. Hosting the games has always been very important for the prestige of any state, so there is always a tense struggle for the right to host athletes from all over the world. And, of course, there is a fight for medals - only the best representatives of their country go to the competitions. And although the games are considered individual competitions between individual athletes, the result is invariably determined by the amount of "precious metals" earned by the entire team. The funny thing is that according to the original plan of Pierre de Coubertin, these were competitions exclusively for amateur athletes, but now the Olympics are a purely professional sport. And, of course, a spectacular show and big money - where without it?

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NOU VPO "Russian New University"

"Tax Institute"

Department of "Physical culture"

on the topic: « Storyorigin and development of the Olympic Games»

Students 1 course

distance learning

Shustova Evgenia Alexandrovna

Direction: "Management"

profile: organization management

Supervisor:

Rudenko Roman Igorevich

Moscow, 2015

Introduction
1. History of the Olympic Games
1.1 Olympia - the center of the Olympic Games
1.2 Olympic renaissance
1.3 And again in Greece!
1.4 Russia Olympic
1.5 Popularity of the modern Olympic Movement
1.6 The beginning of the formation of the Olympic complex of the city
1.7 A new stage in the development of the Olympic Movement
1.8 Olympic Games on the Asian continent
1.9 XXII Olympic Games
1.10 Games in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first Olympic Games
2. Winter Olympics
2.1 First Winter Olympics
3. Olympic flame
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

The origin of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece coincided with a time when history was made by myths and legends. According to the works of ancient Greek historians, philosophers and poets that have come down to us, we learn that the Ancient Olympic Games are associated with the name of the folk hero Hercules, the legendary king Pelops, the Spartan legislator Lycurgus and the Hellenic king Ifit.

There are many legends about the origin of the Olympic Games. So one of them claims that he invented and organized the first games, none other than the famous Hercules, the son of Zeus - the one who performed his twelve legendary feats. In honor of one of the glorious victories of Hercules, the Olympic Games began to be held. Moreover, the legend conveyed to us one very interesting detail. Hercules with his own feet measured the distance for running - six hundred feet. This is how one of the most common measures of length in ancient Greece arose, it is called "stadium". This is where the word "stadium" came from.

The legend claims that for a long time, athletes have only determined the winner in this type of competition. Hercules also introduced other sports disciplines. For example, pankration is a rather severe sport that combines wrestling and fisticuffs. Hercules himself took part in this competition. And won. Later, victory in wrestling and pankration became known as Heracles. And the winner himself was called the second Hercules.

History has left us not so much reliable information about Ancient Olympia. It is known for certain that the Olympic Games existed along with other sports.

The games helped the Greeks not so much fight well as make good friends - meet regularly, talk, carry out cultural exchange, see that you are not facing an enemy from the hated Sparta, as propaganda claimed, but a friendly guy with an open smile.

How did this legendary, this amazing phenomenon called the Olympic Games come about?

In my essay, I want to trace the history of the emergence and development of the Olympic Games. To reveal the topic, I used popular science, periodical literature and Internet resources.

1. History of the Olympic Games

The first games took place in 776 BC. This year is considered to be the starting date. Even the name of the winner of those games is known. This is Karoibos, an athlete from the city-polis of Elis. But still the most famous hero of the ancient Olympic competitions was Leonidas - from Rhodes. This great athlete won twenty times in running competitions.

Initially, only the inhabitants of the Peloponnese took part in the Olympics. Then representatives of neighboring states - Corinth, Sparta - began to participate in them.

1.1 Olympia - the center of the Olympic Games

The center of the Olympic world of antiquity was the sacred district of Zeus in Olympia - a grove along the Alpheus River at the confluence of the Kladei stream. In this beautiful town of Hellas, traditional all-Greek competitions in honor of the god of thunder were held almost three hundred times. At the foot of the Kronos Hill there is a protected area, the silence of which was broken every four years by the Olympic celebration.

Near the sacred Olympia, the town of the same name subsequently grew up, surrounded by orange and olive groves.

Now Olympia is a typical provincial town, living with tourists who flock to the Olympic ruins from all over the world. Everything is absolutely Olympic in it: from the names of streets and hotels to dishes in taverns and souvenirs in countless shops. It is noteworthy for its museums - archaeological and Olympic.

But during the Olympic Games, life was seething here. Tens of thousands of arriving athletes and guests filled the grandiose sports facilities for those times to capacity. In those distant times, only the winner in certain types of competitions, the Olympionik, was revealed at the Olympics. In modern terms, no one recorded the absolute achievements of athletes. Few people were interested in the perfection of the competition venues. Everyone was more interested in the ritual side of the holiday dedicated to Zeus.

In ancient Greece, only Greeks by origin could become Olympians, and only free people and only men. Competitions were unusually hard, and the winners were awarded an olive branch or a laurel wreath. Immortal glory awaited them, not only in their hometown, but throughout the Greek world. The compatriots paid honors to the winner of the games, which were awarded to the gods, monuments were created in their honor during their lifetime, laudatory odes were composed, feasts were arranged. The Olympic hero entered his native city in a chariot, dressed in purple, crowned with a wreath. He entered not through an ordinary gate, but through a hole in the wall, which was sealed up on the same day so that the Olympic victory would enter the city and never leave it.

In 394 AD e. The Roman emperor Theodosius 1 issued a decree prohibiting the further holding of the Olympic Games. The emperor converted to Christianity and decided to eradicate anti-Christian games glorifying pagan gods. And one and a half thousand years the games were not played. In subsequent centuries, sport lost the democratic significance that was attached to it in Ancient Greece and for a long time ceased to play the role of the most accessible means of communication between peoples.

1.2 Olympic renaissance

With the advent of the Renaissance, which restored interest in the art of Ancient Greece, they remembered the Olympic Games. At the beginning of the 19th century The sport gained universal recognition in Europe, and there was a desire to organize something similar to the Olympic Games. Local games organized in Greece in 1859, 1870, 1875 and 1879 left a mark on history. Although they did not give tangible practical results in the development of the international Olympic movement, they served as an impetus for the formation of the Olympic Games of our time.

The advent of modern modes of transport paved the way for the revival of the Olympic Games on an international scale. That is why the call of Pierre De Coubertin: "We need to make sport international, we need to revive the Olympic Games!", found a proper response in many countries.

On June 23, 1894, at the Congress in Paris, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was created, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries. Pierre de Coubertin became general secretary. Congress decided: in two years the first Olympic Games will be held! And it was a great victory world sport, the great feat of Pierre de Coubertin.

1.3 And again in Greece!

By decision of the IOC (International Olympic Committee), the games of the first Olympiad were held in April 1896 in the capital of Greece, Athens, at the Panathini Stadium.

At the beginning of the preparations for the Games in Athens, the difficulties associated with the economic weakness of Greece were revealed. The Prime Minister of the country, Trikonis, immediately told Coubertin that Athens was not in a position to carry out such a major international event related to at great expense funds and volumes of work for the reconstruction of the city and sports facilities. Only the support of the population helped to overcome this obstacle. Prominent Greek public figures formed an Organizing Committee and raised funds. The fund for the preparation of the games received private contributions, which formed large sums. Postage stamps were issued in honor of the Olympic Games. The income from their implementation went to the fund for the preparation of the Olympic Games.

The energy of Coubertin and the enthusiasm of the Greeks overcame many obstacles and made it possible to carry out the planned program of the first games of our time.

Competitions were held in athletics, gymnastics, swimming, weight lifting, wrestling, shooting, fencing, cycling and tennis. Since then, the Olympic Games have become the main international sporting event.

The unpreparedness of Greece for serious events of this magnitude affected, first of all, the sports results of the competition, which were low even according to the estimates of that time. There was only one reason for this - the lack of properly equipped facilities. The sports arena did not withstand any criticism. Too narrow, with a slope to one edge, it turned out to be ill-suited for athletics competitions. The soft cinder track to the finish line had an increase, and the turns were too steep. Swimmers competed on the high seas, where the start and finish lines were marked with ropes stretched between the floats.

In such conditions, one could not even dream of high achievements. It became clear that athletes cannot achieve high results in the primitive arena of the stadium. In addition, the unprecedented influx of tourists who rushed to Athens revealed the need to adapt the city economy to receive and serve them.

However, the audience enthusiastically accepted the colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the revived sports festival, awarding the winners of the competitions. The interest in the competition was so great that 80 thousand spectators could fit in the marble stands of the Panathini Stadium, designed for 70,000 seats. The success of the revival of the Olympic Games was confirmed by the public and the press of many countries, who welcomed the initiative.

Currently, the Marble Stadium in Athens is not used for competitions, remaining a monument to the first games.

When deciding on the next games of 1900, 19004 in Paris and St. Louis, the IOC proceeded from the fact that world exhibitions were held in these cities at the same time. The calculation was simple - selected cities in France and the United States already had the minimum necessary sports facilities, and preparations for world exhibitions provided conditions for servicing tourists and participants in the games. These games left an inconspicuous mark in the history of the Olympic movement.

The organizers of the IV Olympiad in London (1908) took into account the mistakes of their predecessors. In the British capital, the White-city stadium with a grandstand for 100,000 seats was built in a short time. A hundred-meter swimming pool, an arena for wrestling competitions and an artificial ice rink were also placed on its territory.

The Olympic Games in London marked the beginning of the construction of special sports complexes for their holding. The correctness of this decision was confirmed by the high results shown by the competing athletes at the White-city stadium, and the great interest in the games shown by sports fans and the press in many countries. During the construction of "White-city" architects for the first time arose the question of creating a complex of sports facilities in one area.

1.4 Russia Olympic

Our Motherland stood at the origins of the Olympic movement, and General A.D. Butovsky was even elected one of the members of the IOC. But nevertheless, Russia was clearly lagging behind in Olympic development; 1896, 1900, 1904 - The Games of these three Olympiads were held without our participation.

A small group of Russians - 8 athletes went to the Games in London (IY Olympic Games).

Wrestlers Nikolay Orlov and Alexander Petrov quite sensationally won silver medals in their weight categories. Figure skater Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin becomes the Olympic champion in figure skating.

1.5 Popularity of the modern Olympic Movement

The popularity of the modern Olympic movement was reinforced by the Games of the V Olympiad in Stockholm (1912). Their clear organization, and most importantly, a specially built royal stadium brought the games a well-deserved success. Small size of the stadium wooden visor above the stands created good visibility and acoustics. The stadium was equipped with circular walkways and tunnels. All subsequent games left an indelible mark on the history of the Olympic movement not only in the form of high sports achievements, but also in the form of unique works of architecture equipped with progressive technical devices contributing to the high achievements of athletes, improving the structure of the cities - the capitals of the Olympic Games.

According to the decision of the IOC, adopted on May 27, 1912, the VI Olympic Games were scheduled to be held in 1916 in Berlin. Due to the outbreak of World War I, the games were cancelled.

The Olympic cycle was disrupted only three times in 1916 due to the First World War, in 1940 and 1944 due to the Second World War.

The Games of the VII Olympiad of 1920 were held in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The Olympic Stadium was designed as an urban building. Here, for the first time, sports fans watched hockey matches played on artificial ice. For the competition of cyclists, a large velodrome "Garden-city" was equipped. A section of the Vilbreck canal was transformed into a water stadium for rowing competitions. The football tournament was held at the Beerschot Stadium. At the Olympic Stadium, during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, a white flag with five interlaced rings was raised, symbolizing the unity of athletes from all continents, and the Olympic oath was recited.

In 1924, the thirtieth anniversary of the Olympic movement was celebrated. The honor of organizing the games of the VIII Olympiad was given to Paris. This time, Paris was carefully preparing for the Olympic Games. To this end, an architectural competition was announced for best project Olympic Stadium. The winner of the competition, M. Fort-Dujaric, developed a project for a modern stadium with stands for 100,000 seats, with a complex of sports facilities for competitions in various types sports and an Olympic village for 2,000 athletes. Although it was not possible to implement the project, it served as an incentive for the creation of similar complexes in the future. On the outskirts of Paris, the Colombe Stadium was built with stands for 40,000 seats, meeting the requirements of that time, but not distinguished by its particular beauty and convenience for spectators. Swimmers competed in the "Turret" pool. The games were a great success. High sports results were shown. More than 600 thousand spectators attended the competitions.

The Games of the IX Olympiad (1928) were held in Amsterdam, a major economic and cultural center of the Netherlands. Within the city limits, a stadium was built for the games, which adjoined the city park. Auxiliary rooms are equipped in the under-tribune space. The stadium for 40 thousand seats was distinguished by a tower above the stands, imitating a windmill.

The Olympic complex also included a swimming pool, a tennis court, halls for boxing, wrestling, fencing, and training grounds. Near the stadium - a canal, a yacht harbor, a hotel. In subsequent years, the stadium was rebuilt. Its capacity has increased to 60,000 seats.

1.6 The beginning of the formation of the Olympic complex of the city

The Games of the X Olympiad in the American city of Los Angeles (1932) marked the beginning of the formation of the city's Olympic complex, which included a stadium, a swimming pool, and the Olympic Village. The Coliseum Stadium (1923), built in the antique style, was reconstructed for the Olympics, its stands began to accommodate over 100,000 spectators. For that time, the stadium was the highest achievement of sports architecture. The Olympic torch burned above the central arch of the stadium. Having outlined a large program of games, the organizers were faced with the need to disperse the venues for competitions in various sports. So, rowers competed on a specially built canal in Long Beach, cyclists competed in the city of Pasadena, where a temporary cycle track was built, which was dismantled after the Games. Equestrian competitions were held outside the city.

For the first time, an Olympic village was built for the resettlement of athletes. It consisted of 700 prefabricated residential houses located in its community center. The organization of the village provided favorable conditions for close contacts and mutual understanding between athletes from different countries.

However, the remoteness of the venue for the Games of European countries and the insufficient development of transport links had a negative impact on the number of participants.

In 1932, it was decided to hold the Games of the XI Olympiad (1936) in Berlin. In 1933, the Nazis came to power in Germany. They began to use the preparations for the Olympics for their propaganda purposes. For the Games in Berlin, a complex was erected, which was distinguished by excessive splendor. The project of the architect Werner March was awarded a gold medal at the games. The main arena of the stadium could accommodate 100,000 spectators. Another 150,000 watched the competitions held in the swimming pool, gym and stadium designed for hockey.

The Games of the XIY Olympiad, held in 1948 in London, showed with their own eyes how great is the desire of people for peace and mutual cooperation. Organized under the conditions of a brutal post-war austerity regime, they nevertheless attracted a record number of participating countries for that time (59) and many tourists.

No new sports facilities were built for the games. The old Olympic stadium, built for the 1908 games, was unusable due to a poor running track. The main sports facility of the Olympiad was the Imperial Stadium in Wembley with 60,000 seats. For the first time in London, swimming competitions were held in an indoor pool.

At Wembley Stadium, the solemn opening ceremony of the post-war games was greeted with enthusiasm. At that time, of course, they did not have to expect either high sports results, or splendor of design, or special worries about increased comfort for sports fans who came to England. But the very fact of holding a world holiday of physical culture shortly after the end of World War II became a confirmation of the life of the Olympic movement.

The Games of the XV Olympiad in 1952 in Helsinki turned out to be even more representative. It was there, among 69 national teams, that athletes entered the Olympic arena for the first time. Soviet Union. Debutants, contrary to forecasts, have achieved amazing success. In the unofficial standings, they shared the first and second places on points with the generally recognized favorites - the US athletes.

The high sports results achieved by athletes at the Olympics-52 were largely the result of optimal competition conditions created on facilities specially built for the games.

Stadium includes treadmill(400 m), football field, athletics sectors. The main tribune is covered with a canopy. Ancillary facilities are located below it.

1.7 A new stage in the development of the Olympic Movement

1956 marked a new stage in the development of the Olympic movement. The Games of the XVI Olympiad were first held on the Australian continent in Melbourne. The remoteness of the new Olympic capital from the vast majority of developed countries, peculiar climatic conditions created certain difficulties for the participants and guests of the games who arrived on the "green continent". But the organizers have made a lot of effort to overcome these obstacles. The high sports achievements shown by the envoys from different countries became the best assessment of the organizing committee's activity.

Preparations for the games of the XVI Olympiad became an outstanding event for the architects of Australia and largely determined the nature of the further development of architecture on the continent.

The Games of the XVII Olympiad in 1960 in Rome can rightly be considered the beginning of a new direction in organizing the preparation of subsequent Olympiads. For the first time, an attempt was made to cover the entire range of issues to be resolved by the organizing committee. Along with the preparation and construction of sports complexes and individual facilities, much attention was paid to improving the infrastructure of the Olympic capital - Rome. By ancient city new modern highways were laid, a number of old buildings and structures were demolished. Symbolizing the connection of the current games with the Ancient Greek, some of the most ancient architectural monuments of Rome were converted to host competitions in individual sports. A simple enumeration of the Olympic facilities that were used to hold competitions and accommodate participants in the games gives some idea of the scale of preparation.

Topped the list of the main Olympic stadium "Stadium Olimpico" with a capacity of 100,000 spectators. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the games, as well as athletics and equestrian competitions.

One of the most noteworthy objects was recognized as the "Velodromo Olimpico", on the track, which cyclists competed. This facility is still considered one of the best velodromes in the world today.

After the Olympics in Rome, experts began to give great importance the possibility of using facilities in the post-Olympic period.

The Games of the Roman Olympiad are also notable for the fact that television programs were broadcast from them to some European countries. Although the transmissions went on radio relay and cable lines, but this was already a sign of the scientific and technological revolution entering the sports arenas.

olympic game sport

1.8 Olympic Games on the Asian continent

In preparation for the Games of the XVIII Olympiad in Tokyo (1964), $ 2,668 million was spent, including on providing material technical base games - $ 460 million, the rest of the funds went to organizational purposes and to the development of the city's infrastructure.

The organizers of the first Olympic Games on the Asian continent have prepared more than 110 different facilities for competitions and training of athletes. The huge capital of Japan has changed. New metro lines and a monorail city railway appeared. Dilapidated buildings were demolished and streets widened. To solve the transport problem of the city, high-speed highways were laid through it. Street junctions were built by building overpasses and bridges. The hotel industry of the Japanese capital has significantly replenished. The indoor facilities - gyms in Yoyogi Park - became the true center of the Tokyo Olympics. Their architectural appearance was borrowed from nature.

Olympic construction largely predetermined the future direction of urban development in Japan.

A characteristic feature of the Tokyo Games was the absolute entry of electronics into the Olympic arenas. Its use in sports refereeing has greatly increased its accuracy and efficiency. A new stage in the development of the mass media was opened by television broadcasts through space, which crossed the borders of the continents and attached an unthinkable number of viewers to what was happening in the Olympic arenas. The opportunity to see the Olympic Games to any person on earth immeasurably increased the popularity of the Olympic movement.

In 1968, the Olympic Games were held for the first time on the territory of Latin America. The city of Mexico honorably fulfilled the honorary duty of the host of the Games of the XIX Olympiad. This was largely facilitated by the growing flow of tourists from different countries, which has a beneficial effect on the Mexican economy, on the expansion of international contacts, contributing to the expansion of national culture.

The organizers of the games of the XX Olympiad in Munich (1972) took into account the experience of Rome, Tokyo and Mexico City and did everything possible to surpass the achievements of their predecessors. First of all, the infrastructure of the capital of the Olympiad - 72 was improved. The grandiose Olympic complex of sports facilities "Oberwiesenfeld" was rebuilt. It included: a stadium of original design, a universal sports palace, an indoor cycle track and a swimming pool. In addition, a shooting complex, a rowing canal, a hippodrome and a number of other sports facilities were built. The organizers of the Games declared Munich the Olympic center of short distances and green landscapes.

Taking into account the unusual influx of tourists, the organizers reconstructed the city center, built metro lines, laid new access roads to the city, and increased the hotel stock 10 times. To accommodate the athletes, huge buildings of the Olympic village were erected, in which 10-15 thousand temporary residents could settle.

1.9 XXII Olympic Games

The Moscow Games are such an important event in the history of world, and most importantly, our national sports, that it is impossible not to say a lot about it.

From July 19 to August 3, 1980, the XXII Summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow at the Grand Sports Arena of the Lenin Central Stadium. These were the first Games in the history of the Olympic movement, held on the territory of Eastern Europe, and the first - in a socialist country. I must say that part of the competitions of this Olympics were held in other cities of the USSR - for example, sailing regattas started in Talin, several football tournaments - in Kyiv. For 15 days, the best athletes of the world competed in Moscow, Kyiv, Leningrad, Minsk and Talin. In general, the organizers approached the preparation of the Games very responsibly, and all competitions were held at a high level. For the first time in the history of the Olympics, six large sports centers were built specifically for the Games: the Olimpiysky sports complex on Prospekt Mira, the equestrian center in Bitsa, the universal sports hall in Izmailovo, the cycle track in Krylatskoye, the Druzhba gym in Luzhniki, the football and athletics arena in CSKA and the Olympic Village.

Athletes from 80 countries participated in the Moscow Games - a total of 5283 participants, including 1134 women. 203 sets of awards were drawn. 5651 journalists worked in Moscow. The games were watched by about two billion people.

Athletes from 36 countries became winners of the XXII Summer Olympic Games. During the competition, 36 world and 74 Olympic records were set. In the unofficial team standings, the first place went to the hosts of the Olympics - Soviet athletes - they won 195 medals, of which 80 were gold. The second place belongs to the GDR team, which has 126 awards (47 gold), and the third place belongs to the Bulgarian team (41 medals, 8 gold).

The absolute champion in medals was our gymnast Alexander Dityatin, who won 3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals.

Swimmer Vladimir Salnikov won 3 gold medals, and at a distance of 1500 meters he set an outstanding world achievement.

Beautiful and memorable were the victories of the Ethiopian stayer Mirus Ifter, who won Olympic gold in the 5000 and 10000 meters.

Everyone who saw the Moscow Games will remember them forever. They brought a lot of joy, a lot of real happiness to millions of sports fans.

The bear cub Misha, the hero of Russian folk tales, became the mascot of the 1980 Summer Games.

At the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, L. Leshchenko, T. Antsiferova with the ensemble "Flame" entered the field. To the song "Goodbye, Moscow" by A. Pakhmutova and N. Dobronravov, which became the anthem of the Olympics-80, a huge brown Misha, who was in the center of the stadium, flew into the sky on countless balloons. Seeing off the mascot of the Moscow Olympic Games, the whole stadium stood up. Some even had tears running down their faces.

The Games of the XXIII Olympiad were held in Los Angeles, California, USA from July 28 to August 12, 1984. Los Angeles hosted the Olympic Games for the second time since 1932. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum remains the only stadium to host the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics twice (on other occasions, when a city re-hosted the Olympics, other stadiums were used).

In the XXV Summer Olympic Games in 1992, held in Barcelona (Spain), 169 states participated. The Barcelona Games were notable for their impeccable organization, very interesting and rich cultural program. On Spanish soil, Olympians of the former USSR in last time performed together.

1.10 Games in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first Olympic Games

The XXVI Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta (Georgia, USA) from July 19 to August 4, 1996. The Games Capital elections were held on September 18, 1990 in Tokyo at the 96th session of the IOC. The undisputed favorites of the election race were Athens. It was believed that the Games were to be held in the Greek capital in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first Olympic Games. This was the main focus of the bid committee of the Greek capital. Atlanta was originally the underdog of the race. However, assurances from Atlanta's bid committee that the city was more prepared for the Games convinced the IOC to hand over the right to host the games to the American city.

For the first time since 1912, a Russian team took part in the Summer Olympics. For sixteen days, envoys from 197 countries of the world contested the awards of the anniversary Olympics, but only 69 climbed to the podium.

This time the hosts turned out to be the strongest, outstripping the teams of Russia, Germany, and China in the unofficial team standings. The result of the Russian team is 63 medals, of which 26 are gold, 21 are silver and 16 are bronze. Atlanta set a record in terms of spectator attendance - over six million spectators visited its stadiums.

The XXVIII Summer Olympic Games were held in the capital of Greece, Athens, from 13 to 29 August 2004.

The 2012 Olympic Games (XXX Summer Olympic Games) are the thirtieth Summer Olympic Games. They were held in London, the capital of Great Britain, from July 27 to August 12, 2012. Note that London became the first city to host the Games for the third time (before that they were held there, in 1908 and 1948). The XXXI Summer Olympic Games will be held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This will be the first Olympic Games to be held in South America.

2. Winter Olympics

Actually winter sports were first presented at the Olympics long not only before the first Winter Games, but also before the very idea of their implementation. Thus, with the creation in 1894 of the International Olympic Committee, among other sports, it was proposed to include skating in the future Olympic program. However, there were no "ice" disciplines in the first three Olympics. They first appeared at the 1908 Games in London: the skaters competed in 4 types of programs. In the performance of compulsory figures among men, the strongest was Swede Ulrich Salkhov, in free skating - Russian Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin. The women's competition was won by Madge Sayers (Great Britain), and in pair skating by the GermansAnna HübleriHeinrich Burger .

Since 1924, in addition to the Summer Olympic Games, winter - world competitions in winter sports began to be held. They are also held under the auspices of the IOC. At first, winter Summer Games were held in the same year, but since 1994, they have been held at intervals of two years. To date, the program of the Winter Olympic Games has significantly expanded, the number of participants has increased, among which there are many athletes from southern countries.

2.1 First Winter Olympics

In 1924, Chamonix, France, hosted the 1st Winter Olympic Games. 293 athletes (including 13 women) from 16 countries arrived at the competition. The best sportsmen of the Nordic countries - Norway, Finland, Sweden took part. Medals were played in 14 types of competitions in 5 sports. The program included bobsleigh, skiing (racing, ski jumping, biathlon), speed skating, figure skating, hockey. Women competed only in figure skating. The first gold medal went to an athlete from the United States, Juthrow, who, in a bitter struggle with the Norwegian Olsen, managed to win in speed skating at a 500-meter distance. However, all other medals (14 out of 15 played in this sport) went to the representatives of Finland and Norway. The hero of the competition was the Finnish runner Thunberg, who managed to achieve convincing victories with Olympic records at distances of 1500 and 5000 m, as well as in the all-around

3. Olympic flame

Among the Olympic rituals, the ceremony of lighting a fire in Olympia and delivering it to the main arena of the games is especially emotional. This is one of the traditions of the modern Olympic movement. Millions of people can watch the exciting journey of fire through countries, and sometimes even continents, with the help of television.

The Olympic flame first flared up at the Amsterdam Stadium on the first day of the 1928 Games. This is an indisputable fact. However, until recently, most researchers in the field of Olympic history have not found confirmation that this fire was delivered, as tradition dictates, by relay from Olympia.

The beginning of the torch relay races, which brought fire from Olympia to the city of the Summer Olympics, was laid in 1936. Since then, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games have been enriched by the exciting spectacle of lighting the fire from the torch carried by the relay in the main Olympic stadium. The Torchbearer Run has been the solemn prologue of the Games for more than four decades. On June 20, 1936, a fire was lit in Olympia, which then made a 3075 km journey along the road of Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Germany. And in 1948, the torch made its first sea voyage.

Conclusion

Since ancient times, the Olympic Games have been the main sporting event of all times and peoples. In the days of the Olympiads, harmony and reconciliation reigned throughout the earth. Wars stopped and all strong and worthy people competed in a fair fight for the title of the best.

Over the centuries, the Olympic movement has overcome many obstacles, oblivion and alienation. But, despite everything, the Olympic Games are alive to this day. Of course, this is no longer the competition in which naked young men took part and the winner of which entered the city through a breach in the wall. Today, the Olympic Games are one of the biggest events in the world. The games are equipped with the latest technology - computers and television cameras monitor the results, the time is determined to the nearest thousandth of a second.

Thanks to the media, there is not a single person left in the civilized world who does not know what the Olympics is or who has not seen the competition on TV.

Behind last years The Olympic movement has gained enormous proportions, and the capitals of the games for the duration of the games become the capitals of the world. Sport plays an increasingly important role in people's lives!