The Olympic cauldron is almost 30 metres high, but does not burn – this is how the “flames” are created
Instead of using gas, the flame effect is created with 40 LED lights and mist nozzles
LUIS TATO/AFP via Gett
The Olympic cauldron on 26 July
This year’s Olympic cauldron is grandiose – but not exactly burning.
As French people and tourists flocked to the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris to see the spectacular Olympic cauldron up close after its debut at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, many noticed that although it was glowing, it was not actually burning.
This was a decision by the organizers to avoid using carbon fuels to fire the boiler for almost three weeks, IOC spokespeople said during a press conference in Paris on July 27.
Al Bello/Getty
French Olympians Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner light the Olympic cauldron.
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Instead, the 100-foot-tall cauldron’s 22-foot-tall “ring of flames” is 100 percent electric and powered by water and light, according to a press release to PEOPLE. According to the press release, it is “a careful combination of clouds of mist and rays of light.”
A total of 40 LED spotlights are used to illuminate the cloud of fog created by 200 “high-pressure fog nozzles”.
ANDRE PAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The Olympic cauldron by day
Related: Snoop Dogg dances with the Olympic torch through Paris before the opening ceremony
And this special spectacle will continue when the cauldron, in the shape of a hot air balloon, is raised almost 60 metres into the air every night during the Games. The press release states that from this height it can be seen all over Paris and beyond.
To experience the cauldron of light in the City of Light, 10,000 people were able to book seats every day to get up close and personal before the daily flight from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. All seats are currently full.
The Olympic torch made a long journey through France before arriving in Paris for the celebrations and official torch lighting on July 26. The flame was first lit in Athens in April and eventually travelled by ship to Marseille to reach France.
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit people.com for the latest coverage before, during and after the Games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympic newsletter, to get the most important stories from the Games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics on NBC and Peacock starting July 26.
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