Sea Organ and Sun Salutation

Ul. Ćirila Ivekovića 4, 23000, Zadar, Croatia

With Sea Organ and Sun Salutation, architect Nikola Bašić has created two spectacles that harness the beauty of Zadar’s famous sunsets. Sea Organ is a musical instrument fashioned from pipes and holes drilled through stone stairs that descend to the water. A kind of music—whistling, percussion, hypnotic sighs—is released as the sea sloshes forward and pushes air through the pipes. To grab prime seats on the steps, get there a half hour before the sun drops.

A stone’s throw away, Sun Salutation features a series of circles made from photovoltaic glass panels set into the pavement. The panels gather energy from the sun throughout the day, and come evening, lighting elements beneath the glass create a mesmerizing display that simulates the solar system. The solar energy collected by Sun Salutation also helps power the entire waterfront.

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Sun Salutation and Sea Organ

Located on the western end of the Riva, Zadar’s seafront walkway, the Sea Organ and the nearby Sun Salutation are must-see attractions both created by architect Nikola Bašić. The Sea Organ is composed of stairs extending into the sea which are fitted with pipes and whistles that moan and sing with the surf. The Sun Salutation is a set of 300 glass plates in the shape of a circle under which lies a series of sun-activated electric modules. These two pieces use sound and light respectively to harness the power of nature to make living art; they’ve both become symbols of Zadar, which, like Venice to which it once belonged, has deep ties to the sea that surrounds it as well as to the sky overhead.

Carl Sagan would have loved this...

Although not made up of billlions and billions of stars, it is made up of millions and millions of photo cells that absorb sunlight and becomes a huge visual kaleidoscope at night. The light patterns and colors change every few seconds, making it one of the best light shows on the planet. And to top it all off, it is accompanied by the Sea Organ - an organ driven by sea water that has a deep bass sound as if whales are speaking to each other right at the sea wall. These two installations are not to be missed when in lovely Zadar. Many restaurant choices in old town make the stop even more worthwhile.

Sun Salutation in Zadar, Croatia

This photo was taken at the “Sun Salutation” art exhibit in Zadar, Croatia. At sunset the installation turns on and displays a colorful pattern of lights that mimic the solar energy collected throughout the day.

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