Gymnasium

In France

In France and in Canada, a gymnasium (of the old Greek γυμνάσιον / gumnásion ) is a building where certain sports are practiced, in particular the artistic Gymnastique.

In Switzerland

In Swiss, and in many German-speaking countries or having been under influence Germanic, a gymnasium is a Lycée (the German word Gymnasium indicates to him also a Lycée). The gymnasium thus indicates an establishment of Secondary education of the second cycle which issues the certificate of maturity.

Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, the gymnasium occupied a very important place in the life of the quoted as of seventh century BC. Thus, with the hellenistic time, the gymnasium constituted the main feature of Greek civilization. In -175, the pious Jews denounced the philhellene influence of the séleucide Antiochos IV Épiphane. The book of the Stiffs (1: 13-14) affirms as follows: “this one enabled them to adopt the uses of the pagan ones. They built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to the pagan habit. ” One finds gymnasia of Marseilles to the the Crimea, while passing by the villages of the Fayoum.

The word gymnasium comes from the Greek γυμνός / gumnos , “naked”. Indeed, the athletes involved themselves completely naked since eighth century BC This innovation was introduced like an invention Spartan, as well as the use of the embrocation.

The Greek distinguishes sometimes the gymnasium from the Palestre ( παλαίστρα / will palaistra ). Generally, the gymnasium was intended for the beautiful young man S and to the adults, while the palestre was reserved for the education of the children. Moreover, the gymnasium is a public building, while the palestre was a private school. Lastly, the word gymnasium often indicates the whole of the sporting installations, palestre, equipment contiguous (wash-hand basins, store of oil, sand store, room of massage, etc) and Stade (track of race on foot).

The city of Athens had three large gymnasia:

the College ( Λύκειον / Lykeion ), which gave its name to the philosophical school founded by Aristote;
the Cynosarge ( Κυνόσαργες / Kunosarges ), which gave its name to the cynical school;
the Academy ( Ἀκαδημία / Akadêmia ).

Vitruve ( Of architecture , V, 11) gives a detailed description of the usual plan of the gymnasia. This source is supplemented by texts epigraphic and archaeological excavations, like that of the lower gymnasium of Priène, of hellenistic time (v. -130).

Contemporary time

The gymnasium is a sports hall. One can practice there all kinds of sports “in room”. In France, the colleges and the colleges almost all are equipped with a gymnasium.

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