Inside the Rings

There is something profoundly democratic about the Olympic Torch Relay. The Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Lantern, designed to safely transport the Olympic Flame across Italian towns during its two-month journey. Long before the Opening Ceremony, before the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, the flame leaves its birthplace in Olympia and begins a journey through villages and capitals, across mountains and coastlines. It does not wait behind ticketed gate

From Edwardian grandeur to postwar grit to multicultural celebration, the 1908, 1948, and 2012 Olympic Games in London didn’t just happen in the city; they transformed it—and in turn, helped reshape the Olympic Movement.

Every two years, the world gathers in shared anticipation, watching athletes from nearly every nation compete not only for medals but for...