China
Beijing to unveil Olympic Torch and Torch Relay route on Thursday
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Source: CCTV.com | 04-26-2007 10:29
Special Report: 2008 Beijing Olympics |
Beijing will unveil its Olympic Torch and Torch Relay route on Thursday at the Millennium Monument.
The Torch is one of the primary symbols of the Olympics. The lighting of the flame traces back to the beginning of historical Olympic Games. It commemorates the mythical theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus who gave it as a gift to mankind.
A fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics in Greece. Fire was reintroduced to the Olympics in 1928, and has been part of the modern Olympic Games ever since.
The 1936 Berlin Games first featured the torch relay. The torch was made of a thin steel rod topped with a circular piece from which the flame rose.
There was more focus on appearance when it came to the 1968 Mexico Olympic torch.
The first liquid fuels were introduced at the 1972 Munich Games. Torches since that time have carried liquid fuels.
