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The Olympic flame represents a number of things, including purity and the endeavor for perfection. The lighting of the Olympic flame is a practice continued from the ancient Olympic Games. It all starts at the ancient site of Olympia in Greece, where a flame is ignited at the Temple of Hera in Olympia by the sun rays reflected off a curved mirror, and then is kept burning until the closing of the Olympic Games.

The flame is lit by women dressed in ancient-style robes, resembling those worn in ancient times, and using a curved mirror and the sun.

The idea of an Olympic Flame burning from the start of the games to the closing was first introduced in 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, where a fire was lit in the tower of the stadium, though no torch relay was undertaken. The first torch relay was conducted for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Flame Related Info

• Description of all Olympic Cauldrons
• Flames of the Future — innovative ideas for future Olympic Games flames
• Flame Trivia
• Torch Relay
• Olympic Torches

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Related Pages

• About the Olympic Torch and Torch Relay
• Olympic Stadiums
• Other Olympic Traditions