Special report: 2008 Olympic Games     

    ZHENGZHOU, China, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Luoyang city in central China's Henan Province released on Saturday the route of the Beijing Olympic torch relay, which is scheduled on Sunday.

    According to a statement released by the Henan provincial organizing committee for the Olympic torch relay, the 6.9-km route starts at the western plaza of the emperors' temporary abodes site in the Sui and Tang dynasties, dating back to about 1,000 years ago, and ends with the Luoyang Sports Gymnasium.

    "The route, where the city's ancient and modern cultures meet, is a concentrated representation of Luoyang's charm," the statement said.

    Also released on Saturday was the finalized torchbearer name list of the leg. Each of the 208 torchbearers, including kung fu masters, soldiers, teachers and physically challenged dancers, will run 33 meters with the torch. The relay takes one hour and 21 minutes.

    Luoyang, known as the "city of peonies", boasts several parks with a long history of the peony cultivation.