PHOTOS: Olympics Opening Ceremony Bursts With Color

The five Olympic rings are displayed in lights at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (Photo credit unknown)

Fireworks explode during the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games at the National Stadium — the Bird's Nest — in Beijing.
Photograph by : Yang Lei/Reuters

Beijing, China, August 8, 2008—Illuminated Olympic rings take center stage amid a sea of spectators during the three-hour plus opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Held in the iconic National Stadium—also known as the ''Bird's Nest''—,the much-anticipated opening ceremony drew over cheering crowd of over 91,000.

Beijing, China, August 8, 2008—Moving in perfect harmony, red-costumed dancers perform on intricately decorated floor's during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

The complex choreography of the show—intended to showcase achievements of Chinese culture and history—took nearly seven years to plan and cost around $40 billion U.S. dollars, BBC News reported.

Beijing, China, August 8, 2008—Fireworks light up the sky over the Beijing National Stadium—also known as the Bird's Nest—during the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

The spectacular display of human show at the Opening Ceremony.

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni attends the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the National Stadium, August 8, 2008. The stadium is also known as the Bird's Nest.

REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (CHINA)

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni attends the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the National Stadium, August 8, 2008. The stadium is also known as the Bird's Nest.

REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (CHINA)