Skip linksSkip to Content
play
Live
Navigation menu
  • News
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • US & Canada
    • Latin America
    • Europe
    • Asia Pacific
  • Middle East
  • Explained
  • Opinion
  • Sport
  • Video
    • Features
    • Economy
    • Human Rights
    • Climate Crisis
    • Investigations
    • Interactives
    • In Pictures
    • Science & Technology
    • Podcasts
    • Travel
play
Live

In Pictures

Gallery

Pictures: Opening ceremony

Three-hour spectacle opens two-week sports festival as crowd of 60,000 people gather in London’s Olympic stadium.

Save

Share

facebooktwitterwhatsappcopylink
A general view of the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium.
Published On 28 Jul 201228 Jul 2012
The Olympic rings converge together above performers.
Advertisement
A performer playing the role of Britain(***)s Queen Elizabeth II parachutes from a helicopter.
The ceremony was created by artistic director Danny Boyle, the British film maker known for his movie Slumdog Millionaire. 
Boyle focused heavily on the industries that revolutionised Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The event is thought to have cost $42m.
The opening event kicks off a two-week festival of sport in which 16,000 athletes from 204 countries share the thrill of victory, and despair of defeat, with 11 million visitors.
Advertisement
Artists performed in an Olympic Stadium packed with a buzzing crowd of 60,000 people.
Actor Rowan Atkinson, known for his role as Mr Bean, took part in the ceremony.


  • About

    • About Us
    • Code of Ethics
    • Terms and Conditions
    • EU/EEA Regulatory Notice
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Cookie Preferences
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Sitemap
    • Work for us
  • Connect

    • Contact Us
    • User Accounts Help
    • Advertise with us
    • Stay Connected
    • Newsletters
    • Channel Finder
    • TV Schedule
    • Podcasts
    • Submit a Tip
    • Paid Partner Content
  • Our Channels

    • Al Jazeera Arabic
    • Al Jazeera English
    • Al Jazeera Investigative Unit
    • Al Jazeera Mubasher
    • Al Jazeera Documentary
    • Al Jazeera Balkans
    • AJ+
  • Our Network

    • Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
    • Al Jazeera Media Institute
    • Learn Arabic
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights
    • Al Jazeera Forum
    • Al Jazeera Hotel Partners

Follow Al Jazeera English:

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • instagram-colored-outline
  • rss
Al Jazeera Media Network logo
© 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network

You might also like:

live israeli attacks kill 76 no aid relief yet for... | thailand readies homecoming for stolen ancient sta... | russia ukraine war list of key events day 1185... | german woman arrested after mass stabbing at hambu... | vietnam orders ban on popular messaging app... | need answers will sri lankas tamils find war closu... | live israeli attacks kill 85 in gaza as starvation... | florida court orders ex mexican security chief to ...