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The Olympic flame passes through the romantic lagoon city on Thursday VeniceThe torchbearers take a boat ride down the Grand Canal, through the San Marco Basin, facing the famous Doge’s Palace, one of the most scenic passages in front of San Marco’s Basilica. Milan Cortina Winter Games.
At dusk, the flame reaches Venice’s Piazzale Roma, the main bus terminal for people arriving in the city. It crosses Cannaregio’s Ponte delle Guglie to the arched Rialto Bridge, where it loads a boat and sails across the Grand Canal to the wooden Accademia Bridge.
Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Francisco Ramon was one of Thursday’s torchbearers.
“It’s an indescribable emotion,” he told The Associated Press.
Venice has historically been an important link between Eastern and Western civilizations, as evidenced by its Byzantine architecture and history of trade in spices, silks and art. In modern times it is the capital of countries around the world Veneto region, which includes the host city Cortina located in dolomite To the north. On a clear day, the snow-capped mountains can be seen from Venice’s historic center.
After another pedestrian passage, the flame will again be taken by boat across the lagoon to the island of San Giorgio, and then through the San Marco Basin back to Piazza San Marco, where it will pass the historic Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica.
Venice is the 46th stage of the 63-day torch relay, which starts in Rome and covers 12,000 kilometers (nearly 7,500 miles), winding through all 110 Italian provinces before ending at Milan’s San Siro stadium for the opening ceremony on February 6.
This is the first time in nearly 20 years since the 2006 Turin Olympics that Italy will host the flame. The Winter Olympics will last until February 22, with the closing ceremony taking place in Verona, Veneto region.