The Olympic flame is a symbol used in the Olympic movement.
The idea for the Olympic flame was derived from ancient Greece, where a holy fire was kept lit throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics on the altar of the sanctuary of Hestia.
The Olympic fire is ignited several months before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games at the archaeological site in Ancient Olympia. Eleven women, representing the Vestal Virgins, perform a celebration at the Temple of Hera in which the first torch of the Olympic Torch Relay is kindled with sunrays using a concave mirror.
After the ceremony at Ancient Olympia, the Olympic flame first travels around Greece, and is then transferred during a ceremony in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens from the prior Olympic city to the current year’s host city.
The Olympic torch continues to travel routes that symbolise the human achievements until the host country. The final carrier is often kept unannounced until the last moment. Over the years, it has become a tradition to let famous athletes, former athletes or athletes with significant achievements and milestones been the last runner in the Olympic torch relay.
The Olympic torch relay in the host country ends with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony in the central host stadium of the Games. The flame then continues to burn in the cauldron for the duration of the Games, until it is extinguished during the Olympic closing ceremony. (Source: Wikipedia)
Watch bellow the “Olympic Flame … The Flame of Peace”, an extraordinary documentary by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT S.A.) and the Municipality of Ancient Olympia.