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The Olympic flame is a symbol used in the Olympic movement and represents continuity between ancient and modern games.

The Olympic flame is lit several months before the Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece, and then travels to the host country through the Olympic torch relay.

The idea for the Olympic flame was derived from ancient Greek ceremonies where a sacred fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics on the altar of the sanctuary of Hestia.

The first time that a symbolic flame made its appearance in the Summer Olympic Games was for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.

The Olympic torch relay, which transports the Olympic flame from Olympia, Greece to the various designated sites of the Games, had no ancient precedent and was introduced by Carl Diem at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.

The Olympic torch travels routes that symbolize human achievement or the history of the host country, and it has been transported in many different ways.

The Olympic torch relay is now held only within the country hosting the Olympics after the initial Greek leg was finished.

It is not uncommon for the Olympic flame to be accidentally or deliberately extinguished during the course of the torch relay, and multiple copies of the flame are transported with the relay or maintained in backup locations.

During the opening ceremony, the final bearer of the torch runs towards the cauldron and then uses the torch to start the flame in the stadium.

It is considered to be a great honor to light the Olympic cauldron, and in the same way, it has become a tradition to select notable athletes to conduct this part of the ceremony.

After being lit, the flame in the Olympic cauldron continues to burn during the Games, until the closing ceremony, when it is finally put out symbolizing the official end of the Games.

The Olympic flame has been used as a symbol and a main motif numerous times in different commemorative coins.