The Cauldron

The lighting of the Cauldron was one of the most spectacular aspects of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Cathy Freeman walked to a pool of water and as she swept the flaming Olympic torch across the water a ring of fire sprung from the submerged Cauldron. The flaming cauldron, with water cascading from its lower flutings then rose to be joined with the mast, which emerged from behind the northern stand of the stadium. The united structure ascended to a height of where it stood for the duration of the games.

After the Olympics the Cauldron was relocated to the Overflow Park, a few hundred metres from where it burned in the Olympic Stadium. 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 Cauldron. A shallow dome of white marble commemorates the first Olympic Games of the modern era, held in Athens in 1896. Reignited on special occasions including throughout the duration of future Olympic Games held at other sites, the cauldron stands on 24 stainless steel columns and weighs approximately seven tones.