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The palaestra (pa?a?st?a) was the ancient Greek wrestling school. The events that did not require a lot of space, such as boxing
Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar human weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds....
 and wrestling
Amateur wrestling

Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles : Greco-Roman wrestling and Freestyle wrestling....
, were practiced there. The palaestra functioned both independently and as a part of public gymnasia
Gymnasium (ancient Greece)

The gymnasium in ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits....
. A palaestra could exist without a gymnasium, but no gymnasium could exist without a palaestra.

architecture
Architecture of Ancient Greece

Architecture was extinct in Greece from the end of the Helladic period period to the 7th century BC, when plebian life and prosperity recovered to a point where public building could be undertaken....
 of the palaestra, although allowing for some variation, followed a distinct, standard plan.






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The palaestra (pa?a?st?a) was the ancient Greek wrestling school. The events that did not require a lot of space, such as boxing
Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar human weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds....
 and wrestling
Amateur wrestling

Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles : Greco-Roman wrestling and Freestyle wrestling....
, were practiced there. The palaestra functioned both independently and as a part of public gymnasia
Gymnasium (ancient Greece)

The gymnasium in ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits....
. A palaestra could exist without a gymnasium, but no gymnasium could exist without a palaestra.

Architecture of the palaestra

The architecture
Architecture of Ancient Greece

Architecture was extinct in Greece from the end of the Helladic period period to the 7th century BC, when plebian life and prosperity recovered to a point where public building could be undertaken....
 of the palaestra, although allowing for some variation, followed a distinct, standard plan. The palaestra essentially consisted of a rectangular court surrounded by colonnades with adjoining rooms. These rooms might house a variety of functions: bathing, ball playing, undressing and storage of clothes, seating for socializing, observation, or instruction, and storage of oil, dust or athletic equipment. Vitruvius
Vitruvius

File:Vitruvius.jpgMarcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Ancient Rome writer, architect and engineer , active in the 1st century BC. By his own description Vitruvius served as a Ballista , the third class of arms in the military offices....
, through his text On Architecture, is an important ancient source about this building type and provides many details about what he calls “palaistra, Greek-style”. Although the specifics of his descriptions do not always correspond to the architectural evidence, probably because he was writing around 27 BC, his account provides insight into the general design and uses of this type of space. As Vitruvius describes, the palaestra was square or rectangular in shape with colonnades along all four sides creating porticoes
Portico

A portico is a porch that is leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls....
. The portico on the northern side of the palaestra was of double depth to protect against the weather. Spacious halls (exedrae) were built along the single depth sides of the palaestra with seats for those enjoying intellectual pursuits, and the double depth side was divided into an area for youth activities (ephebeum), a punching bag
Punching bag

A punching bag is a sturdy bag designed to be repeatedly Punch , for use in physical exercise or Stress relief in order to improve one of three areas: physical strength, Aerobic exercise, or punching technique....
 area (coryceum), a room for applying powders (conisterium
Conisterium

A conisterium was an apartment in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece Gymnasium s. It was where sand or dust was stored, for use by wrestlers after they had been annointed with oil....
), a room for cold bathing, and an oil storeroom (elaeothesium).

Good examples of this building type come from two major Greek sites: 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....
 and Delphi
Delphi

Delphi is an archaeology site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. Delphi was the site of the Pythia, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, when it was a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew the Python , a deity who lived there and protecte...
.

See also

  • Palaestra at Olympia
    Palaestra at Olympia

    The palaestra at Olympia is part of the gymnasium at the Olympia, Greece. This sixty-six meter square building dates to the end of the third or beginning of the second century B.C....
  • Palaestra at Delphi
    Palaestra at Delphi

    The palaestra at Delphi is part of a gymnasium at the Delphi. It is the oldest existing gymnasium from the Greek world, dating to the second half of the fourth century B.C....


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