Salutation to the Sun

Nikola Bašić famous Croatian Architect
Nikola Bašić famous Croatian Architect

 

Salutation to the sun or Monument to the Sun or The Greeting to the Sun is an installation in Zadar, a work of a famous architect Nikola Bašić. It is located in Zadar harbor, on the western point of the Zadar peninsula, right next to the Sea Organ, which is also his famous work. After the initial popularity, the famous architect and academician feared that the interest in these now-famous tourist attractions would fall, but that was exactly the opposite. The Greeting to the Sun consists of three hundred multilayer glass panels set at the level of the Riva, in the form of a circle of 22 meters in diameter.

 

 

The Salutation to the Sun, Zadar, Croatia, photo by Fabio Šimićev, photo credit by TB of Zada
The Salutation to the Sun, Zadar, Croatia, photo by Fabio Šimićev, photo credit by TB of Zadar

This unique urban installation absorbs sunlight during the day, and with the sunset, the lighting elements embedded in the circle produce a remarkably impressive light game.  The Solar System planets are also displayed on the Riva.

On the chrome ring that surrounds the photo-voltage solar modules on the Sun, are inscribed the names of Zadar saints. Next to their names and the date of their feast are the declination and the altitude of the Sun north or south of the equator, the length of the sunlight in the meridian on that day, and in that place on the waterfront, which makes this Monument kind of a calendar.

Nikola Bašić came to this idea while working on the urban planning of the west part of the Peninsula. He wanted to create new interesting places on the shore, an urban point that would have the character, the personality, in one word – the soul!

He thought the best way to express the character of these places is in cooperation with the sea and the sun and he surely succeeded!

We recommend you to visit Monument to the Sun during the evening to enjoy the sunset!

ABOUT AUTHOR

Andreja Pruša Horvatić

"There are countless beautiful stories proving that what I’ve been doing for the past eight years, with varying levels of enthusiasm is truly meaningful."

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