Evangelos Zappas
Encyclopedia
Evangelis or Evangelos Zappas was a Greek
-Romania
n businessman and philanthropist. He is recognized today as a founder of the Olympic Games, who sponsored the Olympic Games of 1859, 1870, and 1875, and preceded the Olympic Games that came under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee
. These Games, known at the time simply as Olympics, came before the founding of the International Olympic Committee. The legacy of Evangelis Zappas, as well as the legacy of his cousin Konstantinos Zappas
, was also used to fund the Olympic Games of 1896.
During his youth, Zappas joined the Greek struggle for independence
(1821–1830), achieving the rank of Major and fighting in several significant battles. Following Greek independence, he moved to Wallachia
where he had a successful career as a businessman, becoming one of the richest men of that time in Europe.
Aside from being the only major sponsor of the Olympic revival at that time, he is also known in Greece as a national benefactor, thanks to the foundation of several institutions and schools as well as sports and exhibition facilities.
ancestry in 1800 in the village of Labovo, near Tepelene, (modern Gjirokastër County
, Albania
), when the region was still under Ottoman
rule.
Zappas did not receive any education during his childhood. He left his village at the age of 13 and enrolled as a mercenary in the Ottoman
militia of the local ruler Ali Pasha
.
and joined his compatriots when the Greek War of Independence
broke out (1821). During this period, Zappas reached the rank of Major
in the revolutionary army and became a personal friend of the Souliot captain, Markos Botsaris
. After Botsaris' death in 1823, Zappas served under various military commanders of the independence struggle, such as Dimitrios Panourgias
, Kitsos Tzavelas
, and Michail Spyromilios
. He participated in several major conflicts, such as the siege of Souli
, the first siege of Missolonghi and the Battle of Peta
. In his later correspondence with a Greek official, he claimed that he was wounded five times during the war.
and made a fortune in land and agriculture. In the 1850s, Zappas was considered one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Eastern Europe. At the time of his death in 1865, his total wealth was estimated at six million gold drachmas
.
and patriotism. In 1833, the romantic poet Panagiotis Soutsos
, in his work Dialogue of the Dead, proposed the revival of the Games in the newly formed Greek state
, as part of the revival of ancient Greek tradition. In 1852, archaeologist Ernst Curtius
stated during a lecture that the Olympic events would be revived.
Zappas was notably inspired by Panagiotis Soutsos and resolved to revive this ancient tradition through his own efforts and resources. In early 1856, he sent a letter through diplomatic channels to King Otto
of Greece
, offering to fund the revival of the Olympic Games, and to provide cash prizes to the victors. However, this initiative was not without opposition. There was wide belief among some Greek politicians that athletic games were a throwback to ancient times, unsuited to the modern era. Alexandros Rizos Rangavis, the Greek foreign minister and head of the conservative anti-athletics lobby in Athens, suggested an industrial and agricultural exposition instead of an athletics event. For months there was no official answer from the Greek state. In July 1856, an article in the Greek press by Panagiotis Soutsos made Zappas' proposal widely known to the public and triggered a series of events. King Otto agreed to the organization of athletics competitions at four-year intervals, with Zappa's full sponsorship, to coincide with industrial and agricultural expositions. As a result, Zappas provided the Greek government with the necessary financial resources to establish an Olympic Trust Fund.
On November 15, 1859, the first Olympic Games was held, in a city square in central Athens
. These athletic contests were the first Olympic Games of modern times with the provenance of ancient Greek roots and the intention of using an, as yet unready, ancient Greek stadium. That stadium, the Panathenaic Stadium stadium, was first used for a modern Olympics Games in 1870 and for the first time since the ancient Panathenaic
and Olympic Games
. The athletes competed in a variety of disciplines, similar to that of the ancient Olympic Games: running
, discus
, javelin throw
ing, wrestling
, jumping
and pole climbing
.
Zappas left a fortune for the funding of future Olympiads to be held at the Panathenian stadium. He died in 1865. His immense fortune was used for the construction of permanent sporting facilities in Athens, as well as for the continuation of the Olympiad. He also instructed on the building of the Zappeion
exhibition and conference center, which is named in his honour and that of his cousin Konstantinos Zappas
.
continued and expanded his endowment of the Games and maintained efforts for the continuation of the Olympic concept. In 1870, the new stadium, with a spectator capacity of 30,000, was ready to host the second Olympiad. The Olympic Games of 1870, apart from being the first modern international Olympic Games to be hosted in a stadium, were better attended and hosted more events and athletes, and were much better organized in general. Additionally, the first modern Olympic building was built to support the contests (and hosted the fencing events of 1896), as well as an industrial exhibition that anti-athletic members of the Greek government had forced upon the concept of the Games. This building, located near the city's National Garden, was entirely funded by Zappas' legacy and was named Zappeion
after him. The Zappeion, officially opened on October 20, 1888.
Dr. William Penny Brookes
, from the United Kingdom
, further developed his Olympian Class sports events held in Much Wenlock in the 1850s, by adopting some events from the 1859 Athens Olympic Games in to the programme of future Wenlock Olympian Games. Baron Pierre de Coubertin from Paris
, France
, was, in part, inspired by Dr Brookes, and went on to found the International Olympic Committee
in 1894.
Professor David C. Young, of the University of Florida (Gainesville), noted:
. Greek schools were founded and expanded in several Greek-populated villages and towns, such as Labovo, Lekli, Nivani, Dhroviani, Filiates
, Delvina, Permet
. In Constantinople
, education facilities were also founded that included nurseries, primary and secondary schools, which were collectively known as the Zappeion Institute. Moreover, a large amount of money was deposited in the National Bank of Greece
to provide scholarships for Greek agricultural students in order to conduct postgraduate studies in Western Europe.
During the anti-Greek Istanbul Pogrom
in 1955, the facilities of the Zappeion female college in the Turkish capital were fandalized by the fanatical mob and a statue of him was broken into pieces.
, was the executor of his will and he continued Evangelis Zappas philanthropic works through his legacy. Zappas' wish was to be initially buried in Romania
, where he lived most of his life. But after four years his bones were exhumed and reinterred at the school's courtyard in Labovo where he was born, and his skull was enshrined beneath his memorial statue outside the Zappeion in Athens, Greece. A ceremony for the interment was held at 10am on 20 October 1888 at the Zappeion. Baron Pierre de Coubertin
made a similar gesture by having his heart buried at Olympia
.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
-Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n businessman and philanthropist. He is recognized today as a founder of the Olympic Games, who sponsored the Olympic Games of 1859, 1870, and 1875, and preceded the Olympic Games that came under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
. These Games, known at the time simply as Olympics, came before the founding of the International Olympic Committee. The legacy of Evangelis Zappas, as well as the legacy of his cousin Konstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....
, was also used to fund the Olympic Games of 1896.
During his youth, Zappas joined the Greek struggle for independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
(1821–1830), achieving the rank of Major and fighting in several significant battles. Following Greek independence, he moved to Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
where he had a successful career as a businessman, becoming one of the richest men of that time in Europe.
Aside from being the only major sponsor of the Olympic revival at that time, he is also known in Greece as a national benefactor, thanks to the foundation of several institutions and schools as well as sports and exhibition facilities.
Early years
Evangelis Zappas was born of GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
ancestry in 1800 in the village of Labovo, near Tepelene, (modern Gjirokastër County
Gjirokastër County
Gjirokastër County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Gjirokastër, Përmet, and Tepelenë and its capital is Gjirokastër. Its population includes a substantial Greek minority. To the southeast, Gjirokastër shares a border with Greece...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
), when the region was still under Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule.
Zappas did not receive any education during his childhood. He left his village at the age of 13 and enrolled as a mercenary in the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
militia of the local ruler Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
.
Greek War of Independence
He soon became a member of the Greek patriotic organization Filiki EteriaFiliki Eteria
thumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
and joined his compatriots when the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
broke out (1821). During this period, Zappas reached the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the revolutionary army and became a personal friend of the Souliot captain, Markos Botsaris
Markos Botsaris
Markos Botsaris was a Souliote captain and a hero of the War of Greek Independence. Markos Botsaris is among the most revered national heroes in Greece.-Early life:...
. After Botsaris' death in 1823, Zappas served under various military commanders of the independence struggle, such as Dimitrios Panourgias
Dimitrios Panourgias
Dimitrios Panourgias , a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence, was born Dimitrios Xiros in the village of Dremissa, Phocis.- Early life :...
, Kitsos Tzavelas
Kitsos Tzavelas
Kitsos Tzavelas was a fighter in the Greek War of Independence and later Greek Army General and Prime Minister of Greece.-Early years and Greek War of Independence:...
, and Michail Spyromilios
Michail Spyromilios
Spyromilios or Spyros Milios, was a Greek revolutionary, general and politician.-Early life:He was born in Himara, Northern Epirus, in modern southern Albania, then part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1810 he went to Naples in Italy, where he remained until 1819, studying military theory and learning...
. He participated in several major conflicts, such as the siege of Souli
Souli
Souli is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It was originally settled by both Greek and Albanian refugees who were hunted by the Ottomans in Thesprotia, Greece and Laberia, Albania. In early modern times, it was inhabited by about 12,000 Souliotes. After their expulsion the population...
, the first siege of Missolonghi and the Battle of Peta
Battle of Peta
The Battle of Peta or Battle of Petta was fought between the Greeks led by Prince Alexander Mavrocordatos with Markos Botsaris and the Ottomans led by Omer Vrioni on July 16, 1822...
. In his later correspondence with a Greek official, he claimed that he was wounded five times during the war.
Career in Wallachia
In 1831, Zappas emigrated to WallachiaWallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
and made a fortune in land and agriculture. In the 1850s, Zappas was considered one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Eastern Europe. At the time of his death in 1865, his total wealth was estimated at six million gold drachmas
Greek drachma
Drachma, pl. drachmas or drachmae was the currency used in Greece during several periods in its history:...
.
Revival of the Olympic Games
The idea of reviving the ancient Olympic Games had been raised from time to time during the early and mid 19th century, inspired to a certain degree by romanticismRomanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
and patriotism. In 1833, the romantic poet Panagiotis Soutsos
Panagiotis Soutsos
Panagiotis Soutsos , was a Greek newspaper editor, journalist, author, and poet of the romantic school, born in Constantinople . He was an admirer of the ancient Greek tradition, while he used an archaic language in his works...
, in his work Dialogue of the Dead, proposed the revival of the Games in the newly formed Greek state
Kingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
, as part of the revival of ancient Greek tradition. In 1852, archaeologist Ernst Curtius
Ernst Curtius
You may be looking for Ernst Robert Curtius .Ernst Curtius was a German archaeologist and historian.-Biography:...
stated during a lecture that the Olympic events would be revived.
Otto of Greece
Otto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, offering to fund the revival of the Olympic Games, and to provide cash prizes to the victors. However, this initiative was not without opposition. There was wide belief among some Greek politicians that athletic games were a throwback to ancient times, unsuited to the modern era. Alexandros Rizos Rangavis, the Greek foreign minister and head of the conservative anti-athletics lobby in Athens, suggested an industrial and agricultural exposition instead of an athletics event. For months there was no official answer from the Greek state. In July 1856, an article in the Greek press by Panagiotis Soutsos made Zappas' proposal widely known to the public and triggered a series of events. King Otto agreed to the organization of athletics competitions at four-year intervals, with Zappa's full sponsorship, to coincide with industrial and agricultural expositions. As a result, Zappas provided the Greek government with the necessary financial resources to establish an Olympic Trust Fund.
On November 15, 1859, the first Olympic Games was held, in a city square in central Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. These athletic contests were the first Olympic Games of modern times with the provenance of ancient Greek roots and the intention of using an, as yet unready, ancient Greek stadium. That stadium, the Panathenaic Stadium stadium, was first used for a modern Olympics Games in 1870 and for the first time since the ancient Panathenaic
Panathenaic Games
The Panathenaic Games were held every four years in Athens in Ancient Greece since 566 BC. They continued into the third century AD. These Games incorporated religious festival, ceremony , athletic competitions, and cultural events hosted within a stadium.-Religious festival:The games were part of...
and Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. The athletes competed in a variety of disciplines, similar to that of the ancient Olympic Games: running
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
, discus
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
, javelin throw
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
ing, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, jumping
Jumping
Jumping or leaping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory...
and pole climbing
Pole climbing (gymnastic)
Pole climbing may be defined as ascending a pole which one can grip with the hands. The related activity of Mast climbing describes ascending an object similar to a pole, but having a larger diameter which excludes gripping with the hands...
.
Zappas left a fortune for the funding of future Olympiads to be held at the Panathenian stadium. He died in 1865. His immense fortune was used for the construction of permanent sporting facilities in Athens, as well as for the continuation of the Olympiad. He also instructed on the building of the Zappeion
Zappeion
The Zappeion is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and private.-Constructing the Zappeion:...
exhibition and conference center, which is named in his honour and that of his cousin Konstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....
.
Re-establishment of the Olympic Games in modern times
After Zappas' death, and wholly due to the Greek government ignoring Zappas' instructions to refurbish the stadium in marble, it was necessary to refurbish the Panathenian stadium a second time, replacing wood for marble, in readiness for the Athens 1896 Olympic Games. After a period of litigation over Zappas' bequests, his cousin Konstantinos ZappasKonstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....
continued and expanded his endowment of the Games and maintained efforts for the continuation of the Olympic concept. In 1870, the new stadium, with a spectator capacity of 30,000, was ready to host the second Olympiad. The Olympic Games of 1870, apart from being the first modern international Olympic Games to be hosted in a stadium, were better attended and hosted more events and athletes, and were much better organized in general. Additionally, the first modern Olympic building was built to support the contests (and hosted the fencing events of 1896), as well as an industrial exhibition that anti-athletic members of the Greek government had forced upon the concept of the Games. This building, located near the city's National Garden, was entirely funded by Zappas' legacy and was named Zappeion
Zappeion
The Zappeion is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and private.-Constructing the Zappeion:...
after him. The Zappeion, officially opened on October 20, 1888.
Dr. William Penny Brookes
William Penny Brookes
Dr. William Penny Brookes was an English surgeon, magistrate, botanist, and educationalist especially known for his promotion of physical education and personal betterment...
, from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, further developed his Olympian Class sports events held in Much Wenlock in the 1850s, by adopting some events from the 1859 Athens Olympic Games in to the programme of future Wenlock Olympian Games. Baron Pierre de Coubertin from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, was, in part, inspired by Dr Brookes, and went on to found the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
in 1894.
Professor David C. Young, of the University of Florida (Gainesville), noted:
"Had it not been for Zappas, the Athens Games of 1896 surely would not have taken place. Zappas's actions, his will and the previous tradition of Zappas Olympic Games had made [Crown Prince] ConstantineConstantine I of GreeceConstantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
[of Greece] an advocate of Olympic Games before the formation of the IOC in 1894."
Philanthropy
Apart from his efforts to revive the Olympics, Evangelis Zappas made several philanthropic donations towards the foundation of schools, libraries and other similar institutions all over the Ottoman-occupied world, and notably their birthplace, EpirusEpirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
. Greek schools were founded and expanded in several Greek-populated villages and towns, such as Labovo, Lekli, Nivani, Dhroviani, Filiates
Filiates
Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
, Delvina, Permet
Përmet
Përmet is a town in Albania, capital of Përmet District. The population is 7,717. It is flanked by the Vjosë river, which runs along the Trebeshinë-Dhëmbel-Nemërçkë mountain chain, between Trebeshinë and Dhëmbel mountains, and through the Këlcyra gorge....
. In Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, education facilities were also founded that included nurseries, primary and secondary schools, which were collectively known as the Zappeion Institute. Moreover, a large amount of money was deposited in the National Bank of Greece
National Bank of Greece
The National Bank of Greece is the oldest and largest commercial banking group in Greece. The group has a particularly strong presence in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean...
to provide scholarships for Greek agricultural students in order to conduct postgraduate studies in Western Europe.
During the anti-Greek Istanbul Pogrom
Istanbul Pogrom
The Istanbul riots , were mob attacks directed primarily at Istanbul's Greek minority on 6–7 September 1955. The riots were orchestrated by the Turkish government under Adnan Menderes. The events were triggered by the false news that the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki, north Greece—the...
in 1955, the facilities of the Zappeion female college in the Turkish capital were fandalized by the fanatical mob and a statue of him was broken into pieces.
Personality and resting place
Evangelis Zappas was often described as a solitary and eccentric personality, who had no children. On the other hand he was a man of vision, determination and a patriot, who was well aware of the magnitude of his acts. His cousin, Konstantinos ZappasKonstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....
, was the executor of his will and he continued Evangelis Zappas philanthropic works through his legacy. Zappas' wish was to be initially buried in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, where he lived most of his life. But after four years his bones were exhumed and reinterred at the school's courtyard in Labovo where he was born, and his skull was enshrined beneath his memorial statue outside the Zappeion in Athens, Greece. A ceremony for the interment was held at 10am on 20 October 1888 at the Zappeion. Baron Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin was a French educationalist and historian, founder of the International Olympic Committee, and is considered the father of the modern Olympic Games...
made a similar gesture by having his heart buried at Olympia
Olympia, Greece
Olympia , a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. Both games were held every Olympiad , the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC...
.
See also
- Manthos and Georgios RizarisManthos and Georgios RizarisManthos Rizaris and Georgios Rizaris were Greek benefactors, merchants and members of the organization Filiki Eteria.Rizari brothers were born in the village of Monodendri of Zagori region . They lost both parents at an early age. Manthos Rizaris, the elder brother, moved to Moscow, in order to...
- GeorgiosGeorgios SinasGeorgios Sinas was a Greek entrepreneur, banker and national benefactor. He was the founder of the Athens National Observatory.- Biography :Georgios Sinas was born in Niš in 1783 of Greek or possibly Vlach origin, to Northern Epirotian parents. At an early age Sinas lost his mother and was grown...
and Simon SinasSimon Sinas- Biography :Simon Sinas was born in 1810 in Vienna. He was of Greek origin, while his family originated from Moscopole. He served as Greek Consul in Vienna, and later as Minister to Austria, the Kingdom of Bavaria, and Germany. The son of Georgios Sinas, also a benefactor and diplomat, Sinas... - Petros ZappasPetros ZappasPetros Zappas , was a Greek entrepreneur and politician, and a member of the Zappas family of national benefactors from Labovë in the Ottoman Empire and was briefly part of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus...
- ZosimadesZosimadesThe Zosimades or Zosimas brothers were 18th-19th century Greek benefactors and merchants.The Zosimades were six brothers:*Ioannis Zosimas *Anastasios Zosimas*Nikolaos Zosimas *Theodosios Zosimas...
brothers