www.monumentaustralia.org.au
The Olympic Cauldron Print Page 
27-August-2016
Photographs supplied by Peter Williams
The Olympic Cauldron commemorates the first modern games held in Athens in 1896 and the 2000 Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A shallow dome of white marble underneath the cauldron commemorates the first Olympic Games of the modern era, held in Athens in 1896. The names of the 1,972 Olympic Medalists and 2,627 Paralympic Medallists at the Sydney Games are recorded on gold, silver and bronze nameplates at the base of the Olympic Cauldron.
The Olympic cauldron, lit by final torch-bearer Cathy Freeman in the opening ceremony of the Games, was designed by Michael Scott-Mitchell. Its construction involved two years of planning, design and rigorous implementation by a team of design engineers, manufacturers and suppliers covering structural, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic engineering, gas-burner technology and computer control. The 10 metre diameter stainless steel cauldron, weighing approximately 8.5 tonnes, was designed to rise out of a circular pond after the flame was lit, and ascend, as though floating, up a waterfall to the top of the northern stand. It was collected by a 50 metre mast rising from behind the stand, and the main burner in the tip of the mast was lit.
After the Games, the Olympic Cauldron was relocated to Cathy Freeman Park (formerly The Overflow), a few hundred metres from where it burned in the Olympic Stadium. Reignited to commemorate special occasions, including future Olympic Games held at other sites, the Olympic Cauldron stands on 24 stainless steel columns and weighs approximately seven tonnes.
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Source: MA
A shallow dome of white marble underneath the cauldron commemorates the first Olympic Games of the modern era, held in Athens in 1896. The names of the 1,972 Olympic Medalists and 2,627 Paralympic Medallists at the Sydney Games are recorded on gold, silver and bronze nameplates at the base of the Olympic Cauldron.
The Olympic cauldron, lit by final torch-bearer Cathy Freeman in the opening ceremony of the Games, was designed by Michael Scott-Mitchell. Its construction involved two years of planning, design and rigorous implementation by a team of design engineers, manufacturers and suppliers covering structural, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic engineering, gas-burner technology and computer control. The 10 metre diameter stainless steel cauldron, weighing approximately 8.5 tonnes, was designed to rise out of a circular pond after the flame was lit, and ascend, as though floating, up a waterfall to the top of the northern stand. It was collected by a 50 metre mast rising from behind the stand, and the main burner in the tip of the mast was lit.
After the Games, the Olympic Cauldron was relocated to Cathy Freeman Park (formerly The Overflow), a few hundred metres from where it burned in the Olympic Stadium. Reignited to commemorate special occasions, including future Olympic Games held at other sites, the Olympic Cauldron stands on 24 stainless steel columns and weighs approximately seven tonnes.
Location
| Address: | 1 Showground Road, Cathy Freeman Park , Sydney Olympic Park, 2127 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.845422 Long: 151.065574 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Structure |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Sport |
| Designer: | Michael Scott-Mitchell |
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
