Festival of Lights Zagreb opens with record installations across the Croatian capital

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

The Croatian capital lit up on Wednesday evening as the eighth edition of the Festival of Lights Zagreb officially opened on the Gradec plateau, with the iconic Zagreb Cathedral and the historic Upper Town providing a dramatic backdrop to the start of the event.

Mayor Tomislav Tomašević opened the festival, marking the beginning of several days during which both Upper and Lower Town will once again become the centre of a spectacular light display that blends art, design and modern technology.

Streets, squares and historic buildings across Zagreb have been transformed into a large open-air gallery, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience the city in a completely different light.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tomašević highlighted the scale of this year’s edition.

“When you visit all 21 locations and experience all 26 installations, I am confident you will agree that this is the best Festival of Lights Zagreb so far,” he said.

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

The mayor also noted the festival’s growing international reputation, pointing out that Forbes has ranked it among the most significant events in Europe, alongside major global spectacles such as the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Winter Olympic Games.

Record installations and international artists

This year’s festival features a record 26 light installations across 21 locations, with artists from several European countries taking part.

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

Creative teams from the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Slovakia and Spain have joined Croatian artists to present a range of innovative projections, light sculptures and immersive installations that combine artistic vision with cutting-edge technology.

The displays illuminate some of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks, inviting residents and visitors alike to explore the city through colour, motion and sound.

A new addition to this year’s festival is the free Festival of Lights (FOL) mobile application, available on both Google Play and the App Store.

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

The app helps visitors navigate between installations and discover all festival locations more easily, making it simpler to plan a walking route through the illuminated city.

Among the highlights is a spectacular 3D mapping projection created in collaboration with the conservation organisation World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on the Gradec plateau.

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

The visual presentation focuses on the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems, combining striking imagery with an important environmental message.

Visitors can explore the festival installations on foot or by bicycle, with organisers promising a few unexpected visual surprises along the way.

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

The Festival of Lights Zagreb runs until Sunday, 22 March, offering several evenings of illuminated art, creative technology and unique urban experiences across the Croatian capital.