According to the International Olympic Committee, the modern flame is meant to represent the positive qualities people have long associated with fire, including purity. The torch relay, which is a newer addition to the Games, carries its own meaning as it travels. Its purpose is to spread a message of peace and friendship to everyone along the route.
These ideas mattered deeply to Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics. He was heavily involved in the peace movement, and he believed the Games should bring young people together for the improvement of humanity. The flame, often described as a sacred fire, reflects many of the values he hoped the Olympics would promote.
As the torch moves from Olympia in Greece to the host country, it serves as a reminder of the long‑standing Olympic goal of encouraging understanding and unity among people, a goal that has been part of the Games since their revival in 1896.
The flame has been connected to the Olympics since the ancient Games began in 776 B.C.E. For the Greeks, fire held religious importance, and the flame honored their gods. In the modern era, the flame still connects the present to the past, but its meaning is more symbolic than religious.
In ancient times, the Games were held in Olympia as a tribute to the gods, especially Zeus, whose largest temple stood there. The Greeks lit a flame at the altar of Zeus to mark the start of the Games, honoring both him and Prometheus, the Titan who brought fire to humanity. Fire represented individuality and human spirit, and it held a special place in Greek culture.
When the Olympics were revived in the late nineteenth century, the flame was not immediately included. It first appeared at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, thanks to architect Jan Wils. The idea of a torch relay came later. Carl Diem, a German organizer, saw the flame in 1928 and developed the concept of a relay after Germany was awarded the 1936 Games. The relay became an official part of Olympic tradition at those Games. Because the Olympics were canceled during World War II, the relay did not return until the 1948 London Games.
During each Olympics, the flame burns in a dedicated cauldron. Lighting this cauldron is the final moment of the relay, and the identity of the last torchbearer is kept secret until the ceremony, which adds to the excitement.
The flame is lit in Olympia using a parabolic mirror that concentrates sunlight. Actors dressed in ancient‑style clothing perform the ceremony near the ruins of the Temple of Hera. If the weather does not cooperate, flames collected during sunny rehearsals are used instead. Although the ancient Greeks did not have a torch relay, the use of the mirror, the priestesses, and the setting all draw from ancient customs.
After the flame is lit, it is carried to Athens and then transported to the host country. Each host nation chooses its own route. Some prefer a direct path, while others design elaborate journeys. The 2004 Athens Games sent the flame through Africa, South America, and every previous Olympic host city. Once the flame arrives in the host country, it travels through major cities and regions before the Games begin.
The torch and cauldron designs also give the host nation a chance to express its culture and creativity.
The length of time the flame stays lit depends on the relay plan for that year. The Games themselves last about sixteen to seventeen days, but the relay can stretch for weeks. For example, the Milano Cortina flame was lit on November 26, 2025, giving it a total lifespan of fourteen weeks. The 2004 Athens relay lasted 142 days, while the 2012 London relay lasted 72 days.
Keeping the flame alive requires both planning and technology. Several backup flames are created during the initial lighting and stored in enclosed lanterns that resemble miners’ lamps. These lanterns are guarded at all times. Torch design helps protect the flame from wind and rain, and fuels like propane keep it burning steadily. Once the flame reaches the cauldron, the structure is built to shield it from the elements.
The flame is extinguished at the closing ceremony, marking the official end of the Games. Each host country chooses how to put it out. Recent examples include manufactured rain at the 2016 Rio Games, a flower‑shaped cauldron closing around the flame in Tokyo in 2020, and the zero‑carbon cauldron in Paris in 2024 simply being turned off.
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