The iconic torch from the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics will be on display in the Truist Park concourse during MLB All-Star week, marking 30 years since Atlanta hosted the Games.
The torch, which was lit at Centennial Olympic Park on July 19, 1996, and burned through the closing ceremony on August 4, will be on loan from the Atlanta History Center for the duration of All-Star festivities.
“This is a fitting way to honor the legacy of the 1996 Games and the city that has been synonymous with baseball for more than 150 years,” said Atlanta History Center president Sheffield Hale. “Atlanta is a sports town, and this torch belongs here this week.”
The torch was designed by sculptor Manolo Valdés and manufactured by the Spanish firm Tau Cerámica. It stands nearly 12 feet tall and is decorated with the iconic colors of the 1996 Games — gold, blue, and red.
The 1996 Olympics were the largest in history at the time, with more than 10,000 athletes from 197 countries competing. The Games are widely credited with accelerating Atlanta’s transformation into a global city, though they were also marked by the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, which killed two people and injured more than 100.
A moment of silence for the victims will be held during the All-Star Game pregame ceremony on Tuesday.
The torch will be displayed in Section 131 of Truist Park from Monday through Wednesday. Tickets to view it are free with admission to the Fan Fest at the Georgia World Congress Center.
