
Weighing 800-850g, the Torch, is perforated with 8,000 holes to represent each torchbearer participating in the relay.
With two days until the Opening Ceremony, the Olympic Torch Relay continues to bring countries together and inspire millions of people around the world. It’s a tradition dating back to the ancient Olympic Games in Greece.
BBC reported on the traditional ceremony, which is held at the ruins of ancient Greece. The Flame is lit using a mirror and the sun’s rays. The Flame travels around Greece before being handed off to the Host City for another ceremony in Panathenaiko stadium in Athens.
London, the Host Country, receives the Flame and it is transferred from one Torchbearer to another throughout the country and ends when the last Torchbearer lights the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium, signaling the start of the Games.
The route visits 1,000 iconic landmarks (pictures of places!) throughout the UK, such as The Eden Project, Stonehenge, Fort Rail Bridge, and Wembley Stadium, the stadium of the 1948 Olympics, Hyde Park, and ending at the Olympic Stadium on Friday, 27th July.
Today marks day 68 of the Flame’s journey in the United Kingdom. Ruper Grint, Ron Weasely from the Harry Potter series, will be carrying the Torch due to his work with children charities. The Flame traveled at 9:17am from Harrow to Haringey and will arrive at the Alexandria Palace Celebration Stage at 6:46pm.
BBC has the live update on the Torch Relay and the approximate arrival times of the Flame at each site.BBC also has a timeline and a user-friendly interactive map of the Torch Relay.
Thursday, 26th July, the Flame will be arriving in Camden at 6:48am. From there, the relay will continue to Islington, City, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, go back to Kensington & Chelsea, then is finishing at Westminster for the day.
The public will be able to view the Flame at various sites throughout London, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral (8:58am) and Trafalgar Square (5:40pm). Thursday’s route will end at Hyde Park with a Westminster evening celebration hosted by Coca-Cola. Performing at the Olympic Finale will be The Wanted, You Me at Six, Katy B, and more from 2:00pm to 10:30pm. Tickets are £15 plus a transaction fee.