Šibenik marking 130 years since becoming first city in the world with AC-powered public lighting

Šibenik

On this day 130 years ago, Šibenik lit up in a way no other city in the world had before.

On 28 August 1895, at precisely 20:20, the streets of Šibenik were illuminated by 216 lightbulbs and 12 street lamps powered by hydroelectric energy from the Krka River – just two days after the famous Niagara Falls power plant began operating.

Thanks to this pioneering step, Šibenik became not only the first city in Croatia to have electricity but also the first in the world to introduce public lighting powered by alternating current.

This groundbreaking moment came about through the vision of then-mayor Ante Šupuk and engineer Vjekoslav Meischner.

While other Dalmatian towns declined the project out of fear of the unknown, Šupuk recognised its potential and seized the opportunity to transform his city.

“It was not a big town at the time – just 6,000 to 7,000 residents – yet two extraordinary men came together and achieved a miracle,” Merica Mikuličin of the Mihovil Tourist Guide Association, told HRT.

Marko Šupuk, a descendant of the mayor, said:

“Šibenik was the first city in the world with public lighting, and although it is rarely spoken about, we remain proud. It is part of our family and part of our history.”

What makes Šibenik’s achievement even more remarkable is its timing. While Niagara’s hydroelectric plant began operation just two days earlier, the American city of Buffalo would not introduce AC-powered public lighting until a year later.

Krka

Šibenik, however, saw its streets illuminated on the very evening the Krka power plant was put into operation.

The hydroelectric plant operated until the First World War before being dismantled. Its remains have been preserved as a protected cultural monument of the Republic of Croatia and a striking example of early industrial architecture.

“It is not only a cultural treasure but also a witness to the dawn of the civilisation we know today,” said Nella Slavica, Director of Krka National Park.

The technological achievement of 1895 has been recognised among the leading engineering projects in the world. To this day, Croatia’s national power company, HEP, marks 28 August as its official day in honour of Šibenik’s pioneering role.

Šibenik

Šibenik will celebrate the 130th anniversary this Sunday with a special evening programme filled with light, music and technology.

The celebration will begin at 20:20 in Robert Visiani Park with the “Light is Life” installation, followed by a striking 3D mapping display projected onto the façade of the former Hotel Krka.

At 20:40, installations titled “Tesla’s Coil” and “Human Chain” will be presented outside the Šibenik City Museum, symbolically connecting the city’s pioneering electrical history with today’s innovations.

From 21:00, the waterfront on Obala dr. Franje Tuđmana will host a concert by popular Šibenik tenor Marko Škugor, whose performance has become a tradition of the annual commemoration.

The highlight of the evening is scheduled for 22:30 – the first-ever drone show in Dalmatia. Hundreds of synchronised drones will light up the sky above Šibenik, forming dazzling images inspired by the city’s connection to electricity: lightbulbs, flashes of lightning, and symbols recalling the historic night in 1895 when Šibenik first shone.

For the duration of the programme, Šibenik’s seafront will be closed to traffic between 20:00 and 23:00 and transformed into an open-air stage for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Organisers are inviting everyone to join the celebration and be part of a unique spectacle as Šibenik marks 130 years of its pioneering role in the history of light.