Olympic Flame

Olympics · tradition · fire · ceremony

Lit in Greece. The Olympic flame is first lit at Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games. This honors the connection between the games we watch today and competitions that happened thousands of years ago.

Travels the world. After being lit, the flame travels through a relay where runners, cyclists, and other athletes carry the Olympic torch from Greece to the host city. This journey can take months and cover thousands of miles.

Lights the cauldron. When the flame finally arrives at the Olympic host city, it lights a huge cauldron during the opening ceremony. This marks the official start of the Games.

Burns the whole time. The Olympic cauldron stays lit throughout all the Olympic Games until the closing ceremony, when the flame is finally extinguished to mark the end of the competition.

Ancient meets modern. The Olympic flame is a living symbol that connects today's athletes to the ancient Greeks who invented the Olympic Games over 2,500 years ago.