Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens

Begun in 515 BC, this huge temple was dedicated to the worship of Zeus (in Greek: Ναός του Ολυμπίου Διός). Its perimeter included 104 Corinthian columns, with additional columns inside the building that housed a huge gold and ivory statue of Zeus. After the temple's destruction by invaders in the 4th century AD, the marble from the ruins started to vanish as it was being used as building material for newer buildings. Nowadays, only some of the temple's columns can be seen. Their immense height is a testimony to the huge size of this sanctuary.