The Olympic Cauldrons | Milano Cortina 2026

The Cauldrons: for the first time, two host cities.

The Milano Cortina 2026 cauldrons share the same origin as the Olympic Flame: the sun, a primordial source of energy, life and renewal. An ancient symbol reinterpreted as a vision of the future, where tradition, science and sustainability converge in a single gesture.

Created by Marco Balich and supported by Fincantieri, their form draws inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic knots, expressing continuity and connection, and from the expanding geometry of Hoberman spheres, translating movement into structure. Together, these elements evoke the idea of Armonia: different parts moving as a single organism.

In Milano and Cortina, simultaneously and for the first time in the history of the Winter Olympics, the Flame was passed from hand to hand until it reached two cauldrons, one for each host city.
Each cauldron consists of a movable spherical structure that can open and close in a synchronised way. When closed, it measures approximately 3.1 metres in diameter; when open, it expands to around 4.5 metres. The sculpture is crafted from aluminium and steel, with a golden finish that evokes the sun and light, and each element incorporates a programmable LED lighting system.

The Flame transforms into Armonia, a universal language uniting cities and mountains, peoples and generations.
It is an invitation to hope, peace and dialogue.

Created and designed by Marco Balich in collaboration with Lida Castelli and Paolo Fantin
Music Director – Roberto Cacciapaglia
Light Designer – Bruno Poet