Somewhere between the mountain sunrise and the swish of a curling stone, this city does something few former Olympic hosts manage to do: it remembers. Not just in plaques or dusty commemorative banners, but in the skate marks still etched into the ice at the Utah Olympic Oval. In the kids launching off ski jumps at Utah Olympic Park. In the volunteers who still wear their 2002 jackets like sacred heirlooms. Olympism is in the soul of the former (and future) Olympic city.

From Edwardian grandeur to postwar grit to multicultural celebration, the 1908, 1948, and 2012 Olympic Games in London didn’t just happen in the city; they transformed it—and in turn, helped reshape the Olympic Movement.

The Olympics Games breathed new life into Barcelona, in a way that host cities have emulated since. Barcelona didn’t just host the Games. It used them as a canvas to paint its way into the 21st century.

Every Olympic Games tells a story — not just through breathtaking performances and iconic moments, but through the lovable (and sometimes quirky) mascots that capture the spirit of the host city and nation. These characters aren’t just for children. They embody cultural pride, creative vision, and sometimes even political symbolism.