The Olympic torch (more precisely, the Olympic flame) traditionally starts in ancient Olympia, Greece, at a special lighting ceremony held at the ruins of the Temple of Hera.

Where Does the Olympic Torch Start?

Short, direct answer

  • The modern Olympic flame is lit in Olympia, Greece , using the sun’s rays in a ceremonial event at the ancient Temple of Hera.
  • From there, it is carried to Athens , then handed over to the host country to begin the official torch relay.

How the Lighting Ceremony Works

The starting point is not random; it’s chosen to connect today’s Games to the ancient Olympics, first held in Olympia in antiquity. A Greek actress playing a high priestess uses a parabolic mirror to concentrate the sun’s rays and ignite the flame, echoing ancient ritual.

  • Location: Sanctuary of Olympia, at the Temple of Hera.
  • Method: Sun’s rays, reflected by a mirror, light the flame in a ceremonial bowl.
  • Symbolism: Links ancient Greece, purity of the flame, and continuity of the Games.

An early example of this modern tradition dates back to 1936, when the first official torch-lighting ceremony was held in Olympia and the flame was then carried to Berlin for the Games.

Then What Happens? (Relay Start vs. Flame Start)

There’s a useful distinction between where the flame starts and where the host-country relay starts:

  • Flame start:
    • Always in Olympia, Greece (lighting ceremony).
  • International transfer:
    • The flame is taken to Athens , usually to the Panathenaic Stadium, where it is handed over to the host city’s organizers.
  • Host-country relay start:
    • Each Games chooses its own national starting city once the flame arrives.
    • Paris 2024: flame arrived by sea in Marseille , then toured France before reaching Paris.
* Milano–Cortina 2026: the flame will be ignited in Olympia, transferred in Athens, then the official Italian relay will launch from **Rome**.

So when people ask “where does the Olympic torch start?”, they might mean:

  • Historically and symbolically: always Olympia, Greece (lighting).
  • Practically for each host nation: the first city in the host country’s relay , which changes every Games.

A Quick Timeline Example (Paris 2024)

To picture it more clearly, here’s a simplified example of how it worked for Paris 2024:

  1. Flame lit at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece.
  1. Relay through Greece, ending with a ceremony in Athens.
  1. Flame transported by ship to Marseille on the French coast.
  1. French torch relay across cities and regions, ending in Paris for the opening ceremony, where the main cauldron was lit.

This same basic pattern (Olympia → Athens → host country) is followed every time, with route details updated for each new Games.

SEO Meta Description

Where does the Olympic torch start? Learn how the Olympic flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, how it travels through Athens, and how each host country begins its own torch relay for the Games. TL;DR: The Olympic flame is always lit in Olympia, Greece , at the Temple of Hera, then carried to Athens and on to the host country, which chooses its own national starting point for the torch relay.


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