The Torch design
The Olympic flame is an important symbol of the Games, representing peace, unity and friendship. The torch is used to pass the flame from one bearer to another during the relay, until the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony.
Among the main innovative aspects of the Rio 2016 torch is the opening segments, revealing characteristics of Brazilian flair: harmonious diversity, contagious energy and exuberant nature.
See the torch design in 360˚ >
The Sky - The highest part of the Olympic Torch is represented by the sun, which, like Brazilians, shines and illuminates wherever it passes. Its colour is golden, representing the ultimate achievement at the Games.
The Mountains - Rio’s natural beauty, expressed in the green curves of its hills and valleys.
The Sea - Blue, organic and fluid ripples represent the sea, always present in the landscapes of Brazil and Rio.
The Ground - Our land, which is part of our history. Represented by the Copacabana promenade, the most famous piece of ground in Rio.
PILLARS
Olympic Spirit - Present in the triangular texture, reflecting the three Olympic values (excellence, friendship and respect), and in the segment floating effect, inspired by the bodies of athletes flying through the air.
Harmonious Diversity - A compound axis expresses unity and diversity, with individual parts that form a whole.
Contagious Energy - The segments open up and release energy for the moment of the kiss (when the flame passes from one torch to another).
Exuberant Nature - Profiles reveal the organic shapes of Rio’s nature and Brazil’s colours.
Relay
Over 95 days 12,000 people take part in the Rio 2016 Torch Relay. They have the task of carrying the Olympic flame across Brazil, involving the entire country in the atmosphere of the Games.
Over 300 cities and all 27 states are included in the route. A total of 20,000km across land and over 10,000 miles by air cover the north and centre-west, between Teresina and Campo Grande – without the flame going out.
Each bearer carries the flame for around 200 metres – remember that what is passed in the relay is the Olympic flame, lit in Greece, not the torch. The flame’s final stop is the opening ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium, where the Olympic cauldron is lit, signalling the start of the Games.
What do the bearers have in common? They are people who make the difference, whether it be in sport or their communities. They were selected from four different campaigns, promoted by the Rio 2016 Committee and Coca-Cola, Nissan and Bradesco, official sponsors of the relay.
History
It all started 3,000 years ago. In Ancient Greece, the Greeks considered fire a divine element and kept flames lit in front of their main temples, like the sanctuary of Olympia, stage of the ancient Olympic Games. To assure its purity, the flames were lit via a “skapinha” – a type of concave mirror that converges the rays of the sun onto a specific point.
Maintaining tradition, this ritual is still staged today. Between 90-100 days before each edition of the Games, the Olympic flame is lit in the ruins of the temple of Hera in the Greek city of Olympia. The original scene is recreated for the ceremony, with women characterised as “priestesses” to light the flame.
Once lit, the flame is carried via a torch in a vast relay, until the host city of the Games. Along the route, a series of celebrations announce the arrival of the event. The relay finishes with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony.
