Thomas Heatherwick’s London 2012 Olympic cauldron is lit
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Thomas Heatherwick’s London 2012 Olympic cauldron has been lit as the Games get under way.
Source: Ceremonies Explorer
The cauldron was lit on 27 July at the end of the end of the Olympics opening ceremony, which was directed by Danny Boyle.
Source: Ceremonies Explorer
It was lit by seven young athletes, each selected by an Olympic Ambassador, after the Olympic torch had been carried into the stadium by five-times Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave. You can see the cauldron being lit here www.bbc.co.uk.
Source: Ceremonies Explorer
The design of the cauldron had been one of the most closely-guarded secrets of the opening ceremony.
Source: Ceremonies Explorer
When the competing delegations arrived in London, they each received a copper petal, inscribed with the name of their country and the words ‘XXX Olympiad London 2012’.
Source: Ceremonies Explorer
The carried these petals into the stadium during the opening ceremony before laying them down on the cauldron.
Source: Nick J Webb
When all the petals had been laid down, the seven torchbearers each ignited a single tiny flame within one of the copper petals on the ground, triggering the ignition of all 204 petals.
Source: Nick J Webb
The Cauldron’s long, stainless-steel stems then rose towards each other and converged to form one single flame.
The 16 tonne, 8.5m-high cauldron has now been moved to the south end of the Olympic Stadium, from its ceremony position in the centre of the field of play.
The flame was placed in a special miner’s lamp overnight as the cauldron was moved.
At the end of the Games, each team will take their petal home and the London 2012 Cauldron will cease to exist.
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Readers' comments (11)
Anonymous | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 1:08 pm
I don't write to strangers or programmes and am not on a social website BUT I HAD to congratulate Thomas Heatherwick on his S T U N N I N G cauldron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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jon bailey | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 1:52 pm
The hilight for me - amazing piece of sculpture.
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Mike Reed | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 4:15 pm
D&AD Gold in the bag. A glorious, miraculous thing.
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Roger Fuller | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 4:37 pm
If this does not receive a D&AD Gold there is no justice. Totally, utterly – and, dare I use this overworked adjective? – AWESOME!
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Art Donovan, Steampunk Curator | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 4:56 pm
Magnificent in both it's concept and execution.
Bravo, Mr. Heatherwick!
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Graham Wileman | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 8:08 pm
Lump in my throat moment!
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søren jacobsen | Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:16 pm
beautiful and a great idea, but I think its a total miss that the flame is not visible unless you go and get a ticket for the athletics arena...
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melanie moore | Tue, 31 Jul 2012 1:02 am
Simply stunning!
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Gary | Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:00 am
stunning work and a beautiful concept with the nominated torch bearers.
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Louise Downer | Fri, 3 Aug 2012 6:34 pm
The Olympic Cauldron. Fabulous concept, amazing use of materials; design at its very best. Congratulations Thomas Hetherwick!
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