Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympic Games Torch

Created for the Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympic Games, this torch carried a flame lit in Rome rather than Olympia.

The lighting ceremony took place at the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill, linking the Games with Italy’s ancient heritage.

The flame then travelled north to Cortina, where speed skater Guido Caroli carried it into the Olympic Ice Stadium during the opening ceremony, marking Italy’s first hosting of the Winter Olympics.