“Leonardo-Inspired Cauldrons to Illuminate Winter Games”

Two cauldrons will honor Leonardo da Vinci at the upcoming Milano-Cortina Winter Games. In a first for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, these cauldrons in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo will be simultaneously lit and extinguished in separate locations, according to organizers. The design, inspired by Leonardo’s intricate knot patterns, resembles a sun-like structure. Milan, where Leonardo spent a significant part of his life creating renowned works, will host one of the cauldrons, while the other will be in Cortina. These cauldrons are uniquely designed to open and close, with a diameter ranging from 3.1 to 4.5 meters, and will encase the Olympic flame within a glass and metal container. During the grand opening ceremony on Feb. 6, both cauldrons will be lit together and will remain so until their extinguishment on Feb. 22, followed by the burning of the Paralympic flame from March 6-15. An additional attraction will be a captivating three to five-minute show, presented hourly in the evenings at the Milan cauldron during the Olympics.