Sports | Tuesday 19 September, 2017 4:20 am |

Lausanne, Switzerland stands as the home to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making the dynamic city the official Olympic Capital of the world. Striding the limelight with the famed five-coloured rings incorporated in its identity, the city is home to a prosperous history that entails more than 100 years of culture and sports.

Lausanne boasts its Olympic pride in a distinct showcase at The Olympic Museum (TOM), the only museum of its kind in the world. The official museum, inaugurated by the IOC embodies the universal values of sports illustrated through culture, sharing and education. Renovated back in 2013, the museum was transformed into a three-floored complex that has been modernized with state of the art facilities, sustainable technology and new themed exhibits.

The museum offers a wide cultural programme featuring visual learning materials, interactive activities, events and mini exhibitions to satiate the experience. During their visit, locals and tourists of all ages can marvel in over 1,500 memorabilia and 150 screens that relishes great Olympic moments. Permanent exhibitions with themes of The Olympic World, The Olympic Games and The Olympic Spirit can be toured in the museum, featuring Olympic highlights including official Olympic torches and medals, equipments of Olympian athletes and filmed interviews. The museum also houses the TOM Café, giving guests a chance to experience scrumptious culinary creations while enjoying the superb views of its terraces, and the TOM Shop, the only store in the world outside the Games’ host countries to offer exclusive Olympic Games items.

The Olympic experience is complemented with a stroll at the Olympic Park. The magnificent park covering 8,000 m2 of land serves as a gift of the city council and people of Lausanne to the IOC . Fashioned in a distinctive Renaissance architecture, the park features more than 40 sculptures and sport installations made by renowned artists with an objective to pay homage to the world of sport. A tour of the park starts at the bottom of the terrace that leads to a path that is 1,363 feet long which, according to ancient Greek measurements, is equivalent to the length of a stadium. The verdant setting is rich with ecological projects such as the planting of local flora and faunas, as well as colourful flowers, forming an extra added measure of beauty to the astounding view of Lake Geneva and the Alps.

Walter Loser, Lausanne Tourisme’s Project Manager for the GCC Market said, “Lausanne enriches the value of Olympism with different Olympic movements that can be felt and witnessed around the city. The Olympic Museum plays an essential contribution to society as it emphasizes the significant practice of sportsmanship beyond the seasonal commemorations of the Games and competitions.”

For more information, visit www.lausanne-tourisme.ch