Several European countries have had the honor of hosting both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Here is a list of European countries that have hosted either the Summer or Winter Olympics:
Most Recent Years:
- 2012 London, UK
- 2014 Sochi, Russia
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro
- 2018 PyeongChang, South Korea
- 2020 Tokyo, Japan
- 2022 Beijing, China
- 2024 Paris, France
Summer Olympics:
- France:
- Paris - 1900
- Paris - 1924
- Paris - 2024
- United Kingdom:
- London - 1908
- London - 1948
- London - 2012
- Sweden:
- Stockholm - 1912
- Germany:
- Berlin - 1936
- Munich - 1972
- Finland:
- Helsinki - 1952
- Italy:
- Rome - 1960
- Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo - 2026 (upcoming)
- Greece:
- Athens - 1896, 2004
- Russia (as part of the USSR):
- Moscow - 1980
- Sochi - 2014
- Spain:
- Barcelona - 1992
- Norway:
- Oslo - 1952
- Netherlands:
- Amsterdam - 1928
Winter Olympics:
- France:
- Chamonix - 1924
- Grenoble - 1968
- Albertville - 1992
- Austria:
- Innsbruck - 1964, 1976, 2012 (inaugural Winter Youth Olympics)
- Switzerland:
- St. Moritz - 1928, 1948
- Norway:
- Oslo - 1952
- Lillehammer - 1994
- Italy:
- Cortina d'Ampezzo - 1956
- Turin - 2006
- Yugoslavia (now Slovenia):
- Sarajevo - 1984
- Spain:
- Barcelona - 1992 (although primarily a Summer Olympics, it included some winter sports)
- Russia:
- Sochi - 2014
- Sweden:
- Stockholm - 1912 (although primarily a Summer Olympics, it included some winter sports)
- Germany:
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen - 1936
- Japan:
- Sapporo - 1972
- Nagano - 1998
- Tokyo - 2020
These European countries have had the privilege of hosting either the Summer or Winter Olympic Games, showcasing their ability to organize and celebrate some of the world's most prestigious sporting events.
While in Paris in 1894, the Baron Pierre de Coubertin decided to restore the Olympic Games and two years later in 1896 the world’s first modern era games were held in Athens, Greece. Later in 1915, as war raged across Europe, he set up and established the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland to ensure the success of future games.
The first female athletes did not compete in the games until the year 1900, and the first official Winter Games were not held until 1924. Also due to war the 1916 summer games in Berlin, the 1940 summer games in Tokyo, and the 1944 summer games in London were all cancelled. In 1994, all future Winter Games were decided to be held alternately every two years between summer games.