The two cauldrons will be simultaneously lit in two different locations—Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo—for the first time in Olympic history.
WASHINGTON — For the first time in history, two Olympic cauldrons will be lit simultaneously in separate locations for the 2026 Winter Games.
The designs for both cauldrons for the Olympic and Paralympic Games were revealed Tuesday.
One cauldron will be placed at the Arco della Pace in Milan, and the second will be placed in Piazza Dibona in Cortina D’Ampezzo.
Both cauldrons, designed by Marco Balich, will be lit at the exact same time during the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6. It will mark the final destinations of the Olympic Flame Journey, a 63-day relay stretching more than 7,400 miles that is now underway.
The cauldron design was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s knots, which are described as “geometric interlacing, symbolizing the harmony between nature and human ingenuity,” according to a news release from Milan Cortina 2026.
“Their dynamic movement, inspired by the rhythm of the sun, is expressed through a sculptural design that blends lightness, precision, and harmony,” Milan Cortina 2026 posted on X.
The cauldrons were created using aeronautical aluminum, and they’re designed to move and expand to nearly 15 feet across when open and contract to roughly 10 feet when closed.
“They reveal and safeguard, like a casket, the preciousness of the Olympic Flame,” the news release continued.
The Olympic Flame will remain lit until Feb. 22, marking the end of the Winter Games. They will be lit again on March 6, marking the start of the Paralympic Winter Games. They will stay lit until the end of the Paralympic Closing Ceremony on March 15.
You can follow the Olympic torch relay route as it passes through more than 60 cities and all 10 provinces of Italy on the official Olympics website.
