The Olympic torch is a symbol of peace and history.
Used to mark the beginning of the Olympic Games, its origin derives from the ancient Olympics, where a sacred flame was kept burning in the Temple of Hera at Olympia.
With the flame returning to the modern Olympics for the first time at Amsterdam 1928, the idea of a torch and torch relay was first introduced at Berlin 1936.
Each Olympics, the flame is lit in a traditional ceremony in Olympia, Greece before embarking on a journey across countries and continents, sending a message of friendship and connection, on its way to reaching the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
The modern torches of the Summer and Winter Olympics are built to resist the effects of wind and rain across multiple countries and each bear a unique design that represents the host country.
On the day the torch for Milan-Cortina 2026 is unveiled, we take a look at some of the most unique designs throughout the history of the Olympic torch.
Berlin 1936
On 30 June 1936, the first torch flame was kindled in Olympia, at the ruins of the Temple of Hera, before making the 3,422km journey to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
The creator behind the torch relay is said to have been Carl Diem, the chief organiser of Berlin 1936.
Its purpose was to raise awareness of the Games a couple of weeks before they began, with the torch design a simple silver structure engraved with the Olympic emblem.
London 1948
Labelled the 'Prosperity Games', the torch for London 1948 was designed by Ralph Laver and was inspired by the torches of ancient Greece and Rome.
The chalice-shaped top became an inspiration for several Olympic torch designs to follow.
Notably, there were three different kinds of torch made. The original design was a standard solid fuel powered torch made of aluminium, a special butane gas torch was used on board HMS Whitesand Bay, and a special stainless-steel torch, powered by a magnesium candle that was used to enter the then Empire Stadium, now Wembley, on the final leg.
Helsinki 1952
One of the rarest to date, only 22 torches were made for Helsinki 1952.
Due to the use of liquid gas, contained in a cartridge which was quick and easy to replace, only a few spare designs were made for the event.
The torch was designed by Aukusti Tuhka, a Finnish graphic designer and artist and was made of either solid silver or silver-plated brass, with birch wood handle.
Squaw Valley 1960
The 'Disney' torch, Squaw Valley 1960 saw its design come from the artist John Hench.
Hench was an illustrator for Walt Disney, with the man himself serving as chairman of the Pageantry Committee for the Games.
Its design was largely influenced by Laver's 1948 chalice and featured three Olympic rings cut outs around the bowl, above a circular legend: "VIII Olympic Winter Games."
Notably, this was the first time that the Olympic flame made a trip by plane, flying from Athens to Aalborg during the relay.
Seoul 1988
A roaring dragon was at the heart of the Seoul 1988 Olympic torch.
Designed by Lee Woo-Sung, at the top of the torch was an engraving of the Olympic emblem as well as traditional Korean designs representing two engraved dragons symbolising the harmony of East and West.
The year 1988 also marked the year of the dragon according to the Chinese zodiac.
The flame was carried into the stadium by Kee Chung Sohn, the first Korean to win an Olympic medal, with marathon gold at Berlin 1936.
Barcelona 1992
An asymmetrical structure, the Barcelona 1992 Olympic torch was a Mediterranean poem waiting to be annotated.
The axis pointed symbolically in the direction of Barcelona, whilst the conical and triangular shapes in the design were inspired by the amphora and by the Latin sail.
The flat circular cauldron featured the final destination of the flame and rested on an imposing base of aluminium which recalled the rudder of a Mediterranean boat.
An iconic moment in Olympic history, the Barcelona 1992 cauldron was lit by Antonio Rebollo firing a flaming arrow which had been lit from the flame.
Sydney 2000
Imagine scuba diving with the Olympic torch or going to space. Well that's exactly what happened at Sydney 2000.
White, blue and silver in colour, to represent the Pacific Ocean, the top of the torch was designed to look like the Sydney Opera House, whilst its curved shape embodied a boomerang.
In a striking image, the flame was taken on an underwater journey through the Great Barrier Reef on 27 June 2000 for two minutes and 40 seconds. A flare system, burning at 2,000°C, maintained the flame and made it visible underwater.
The torch had already been on a journey, as in May 2000, a special version - sans flame - was taken into space for 10 days on the Atlantis space shuttle’s trip to the International Space Station.
Turin 2006
One of the most unusual torches of Olympic past, Turin 2006 was a technological success.
Based on an internal combustion system, instead of emerging from a hole at the top of the torch, the flame surrounded part of its body.
This gave the impression that the metal itself was on fire with the aim to reinterpret the traditional wooden torch that comes to everyone's mind.
The shape of the torch curved at the top and was reminiscent of skis and the Mole Antonelliana - the famous landmark of Turin.
It was a torch so monumental, it was awarded the “Lorenzo il Magnifico”, the highest prize from the Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art.
London 2012
Almost everybody in Britain has a story of watching the Olympic torch relay or knows someone who ran a leg of it.
The golden torch structure was a case of all good things come in threes, with its triangular shape referencing the Olympic Movement’s values of excellence, friendship and respect, the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius”, and London’s hosting of the Games for a third time.
The torch was perforated by 8,000 circles in reference to the 8,000 torchbearers and the 8,000 miles of the relay in the United Kingdom.
The British leg began in Land’s End in Cornwall, with Sir Ben Ainslie as the first runner before embarking on a momentous journey around the UK.
On the day of the Opening Ceremony in London, the flame was carried from Tower Bridge to the Olympic stadium by David Beckham and Jade Bailey on speedboat.
Sir Steve Redgrave then carried the torch into the arena and, in order to symbolise the passing of the Olympic flame to the young generation, gave the torch to seven young athletes aged 16 to 19 who had the honour of lighting the cauldron.
One of these young athletes was sprint star Desiree Henry, who went on to compete at Rio 2016 and Paris 2024, winning 4x100m relay bronze and silver.
Beijing 2022
Symbolising mutual understanding and respect, the Beijing 2022 torch had the ability to lock two torches together at the top; helpful when passing on the flame during the relay.
The upward spiral shape was made to resemble two overlapping ribbons. The inner red ribbon represented rising flames, while the outer silver ribbon represented the ice of a Winter Olympics.
The torch evoked memories of the main Olympic cauldron at Beijing 2008 which was in the shape of a giant scroll, highlighting the Olympic spirit’s legacy in the Chinese capital.
Paris 2024
To reflect Paris 2024, designer Mathieu Lehanneur drew inspiration from three themes of the Games: equality, water, and peacefulness.
Equality, through its symmetrical design, water, the wave and vibration effects which reproduces the ripples and movements of water and reflects light, and peacefulness through its curved effect.
A host of celebrity names carried the torch to the French capital, including Snoop Dogg, Halle Berry, Charles Leclerc and Sue Bird.
During the Opening Ceremony, Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, Nadia Comaneci and Serena Williams carried the torch from the Trocadero to the Louvre before the cauldron was lit.
Milan-Cortina 2026
A dual event in Milan and Osaka launched the torches for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which were designed by the Carlo Ratti Associati studio in Turin.
Made from recycled aluminium, the Olympic torch is light blue and will be lit at the Temple of Hera on November 26 before being taken to Athens for the handover ceremony, scheduled for December 4.