History of the Flame

From Olympia to the World

The modern Olympic torch relay is a tradition that links the ancient and modern worlds. It began in 1936 for the Berlin Games, conceived by Carl Diem as a way to symbolically transport the sacred fire from the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece, to the host city. Since then, the flame has crossed oceans, climbed mountains, and even traveled into space.

Engineering the Flame

Designing an Olympic torch is a feat of engineering and art. The torch must withstand wind, rain, snow, and extreme altitudes while maintaining a visible flame.

• 1976 Montreal: To transmit the flame from Athens to Ottawa, the flame's heat was converted into an electronic pulse, transmitted via satellite, and reconverted into a laser beam to light the cauldron.
• 2000 Sydney: A special flare composition allowed the torch to burn underwater for a leg across the Great Barrier Reef.
• 2014 Sochi: The torch traveled to the North Pole aboard a nuclear icebreaker and even went on a spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

Symbols of Hope

Each relay tells a story of its time. The 1948 London "Relay of Peace" was a powerful symbol of healing for a Europe shattered by World War II. The 1964 Tokyo relay, led by a young man born in Hiroshima on the day the atomic bomb fell, signaled Japan's reconstruction and commitment to peace. For LA 2028, the torch will likely celebrate the diversity and creative spirit of California, marking the third time Los Angeles has hosted the Games.