It has long been known where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held. Voting for the candidate cities took place in Durban (South Africa) on July 6, 2011. All candidates for the right to host athletes from around the world in 2018 were worthy. But the victory was won by an amazing city called Pyeongchang (South Korea). Let's find out what the capital of the Winter Olympics of 2018 is, and also see what was not enough to win the vote to other candidate cities.
Munich - the city of modernization
German Munich offered to re-equip the Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski resort and facilities that provided for holding the Olympics in the distant 1936 year. Financially strong and reliable Germany has long been home to half of the regular sponsors of all winter sports. In order for the 2018 Olympics to be held at the proper level, more than forty million euros were ready to allocate in Munich. But even the influence of Thomas Bach, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, was not enough for Munich to win the vote. If you are applying for the next 2018 Olympics to be held in the German city of Munich, you should recall the unwritten rule of the International Olympic Committee that the Olympics cannot be held twice in a row on the same continent. Only once did this happen - in 1994 the city of Lillehammer in Norway accepted the Winter Games, after the city of Albertville in France did it in 1992.
Annecy - return to the roots
The French city of Annecy proposed returning to the origins of the Olympic movement. It is known that the first Winter Olympics was held in the city of Chamonix in 1924, and after 1994 the Olympic Games were always held in cities far from mountain ranges, such as Turin, Salt Lake City, Vancouver, Nagano.
Despite the fact that both Munich and Annecy were relatively financially prepared for the 2018 Olympics to be held on their territory, the local population strongly opposed it. In Munich, 26% of the population voted negatively, in Annecy - 51%. This is explained by the fact that people are worried about their settlements, since they consider this event anti-environmental. The assessment report of the city of the applicant Annecy indicated information about inconvenient traffic interchanges, as well as the large distance between the four Olympic villages, which served as key arguments against him.
Pyeongchang - the perfect city for the Olympics
The South Korean city of Pyeongchang has become the place where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held . Factors such as the huge budget of 100 million euros for the Olympics, the functional and ultra-compact Olympic Park, which they built specifically for the competition, played in his favor. Recall that this is the third application of Pyeongchang for hosting world-class sports competitions , the previous two (2010 and 2014) were unsuccessful. In 2014, in order to become the official capital of the Olympic Games, Pyeongchang was only missing four votes. The victory was won by Sochi, who held this year one of the most ambitious Olympic Games in the history of sports.
Significant event for South Korea
The decision on where the next Olympics-2018 will be was made at the meeting of the IOC in 2011, July 6. The head of the IOC, Jean Rogge, informed everyone present that the 23rd Winter Olympic Games will be held in Pyeongchang. For this candidate city, 63 members of the International Olympic Committee voted. When choosing the city in which the 2018 Olympics will take place, the IOC members undoubtedly took into account the fact that the residents of Pyeongchang, unlike the residents of Munich and Annecy, support the idea of holding competitions on their territory.
The victory of the South Korean city, which did not apply for the first time, can be called quite natural. In Guatemala in 2007, they lagged behind Sochi by only a few votes, and during that time they managed to strengthen their positions. One of the decisive factors in their victory was the slogan "New Horizons for the Olympic Movement!" And he fully reflects the role of Pyeongchang in the history of the Games - holding competitions in this city opens the door to the new region for the Olympic movement! Prior to that, Asia hosted the Winter Olympics twice, and both times - in Japan.
Geographic data of the capital of the Olympic Games 2018
South Korean county Pyeongchang is located in Gangwon-do province, 182 kilometers from the capital of Korea - Seoul. This is an amazingly beautiful place that attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world all year round. In summer, people who want to relax in the mountains come here, in winter, lovers spend time comfortably in ski resorts. The population of the city in which the 2018 Olympics will be held is only 48 thousand people.
The main competitions will be held not only in Pyeongchang, but also in Gangneung and Jeongseon counties. These three settlements are located only thirty kilometers from each other, which, of course, is a big plus in the formation of tourist routes for the duration of the Olympics.
Gangwon-do Province is an amazing tourist resort
Gangwon-do is the heart of winter sports in Korea. The pristine nature of mountains, gorges and valleys makes this place ideal for rafting. In summer, the sandy coast in the east of the province is an excellent option for a passive beach holiday, and in winter skiing among fabulous landscapes is an unforgettable adventure. Spring and autumn are striking in their colors and amazing landscapes. You can relax in Gangwon-do at any time of the year.
Pyeongchang - the capital of the 2018 Olympics
Almost all competitions in skiing and other snow sports will take place in Alpencia (mountain cluster in Pyeongchang). This ski resort will become the Olympic stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Olympic Games will also take place. In addition to Alpencia, athletes from all over the world will receive the ski resorts Phoenix Park and Enphen.
Tourists who come to Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics can enjoy local attractions such as the Korean Botanical Garden of Wild Plants, Odesan Mountain National Park, Samyang Tegwalen Pasture.
Recommended Hiking Routes
In addition to Pyeongchang, competitions will be held in the cities of Gangneung and Jeongseon. All competitions in ice sports will be held in Gangneung. Tourists, in addition to the grandiose events of the 2018 Olympics, can also catch the Tano festival, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is held in Gangneung annually. Among the attractions of this city, one can single out the Songeczhan mansion, built more than three hundred years ago, and the Ochzhukkhon estate, where the prominent scientist and politician Yulgok was born and lived in the 16th century.
As for Jeongseon County, by the beginning of the Olympic Games in 2018, a ski resort called Chunbon will be built here. Here, fans will be able to enrich their impressions of their stay in South Korea with visits to places of interest such as Hvaamdongul Cave, where gold was mined in the 20th century, the traditional Jeongseongjang Market, Unamjeong Restaurant, which serves traditional Korean dishes that are delicious to the king himself. You can enjoy the scenic landscapes in Jeongseon by taking the Auraji train ride on a bicycle.
Other attractions in Gangwon-do
While walking in South Korea, you should pay attention to the Seoraksan Mountains National Park, which is located between the Sokcho and Yinzhe districts, as well as the Tegymgul and Hvansongul caves near the city of Samcheok, the Namis and Chundo islands and the picturesque Soyankho lake near the city of Chuncheon.