Olympic Flame will be near the Louvre, not the Eiffel Tower
The Olympic flame will burn in the Tuileries Gardens in front of the iconic Louvre Museum and not near the Eiffel Tower, as some had speculated.
Finally, the mysteries surrounding the third Olympic Games to be hosted by the French capital have been revealed. The flame, the symbol of the Paris 2024 Games, will burn from 26 July to 11 August 2024 in the Gardens of the Tuileries, in front of the iconic Louvre Museum.
Designed in 1664 by the Sun King, Louis XIV, the park is closely associated with the French royal family and the Revolution of 1789. The decision to place the Olympic cauldron in the tourist hotspot in the centre of the city was taken “several weeks ago”, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The reason for choosing this area is that “the Tuileries were the first choice because of the ease of access for the public,” the source said.
There had been speculation that the flame could be placed on the Eiffel Tower, while organisers had also considered placing it in the courtyard of the Louvre, although it will finally be near the world’s largest museum.
Security for the Games has been a major concern. The Tuileries is an area that is easy to secure. There will be 24-hour security to protect the flame and the public who come to see the symbol of the Olympic Games in the gardens. The Olympic torch is the symbol of the Olympic Games.It is carried by relay runners from Olympia, a city in Greece that was the cradle of the Olympic Games, to the site where the Games are held in both winter and summer.
The final journey of the torch and the lighting of the cauldron are an obligatory part of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, as is the extinguishing of the torch on the final day.
The lighting of the cauldron is a key moment in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, signalling the formal start of the world’s greatest sporting event.
The identity of the person who will have the honour of lighting the cauldron remains unknown, while details of the opening ceremony, which will take place outside the athletics stadium for the first time, are a closely guarded secret.
Asked about the cauldron, the Paris organising committee said in a statement to AFP: “We will neither confirm nor deny any of the reports that are circulating. There have been many rumours about its location”. The organisers want the cauldron “to be placed in the heart of Paris for its symbolism and to be visible to everyone,” the statement added.
The Paris Games will take place at venues across the French capital, including temporary stadiums near the Eiffel Tower and the Place de la Concorde, which borders the Tuileries Gardens.