Jerusalem, city of lights

The festival is an initiative of the Jerusalem and Heritage Office, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Golden Gate also known as the Mercy Gate (R) and the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound in Jerusalem's Old City (photo credit: THOMAS COEX / AFP)
The Golden Gate also known as the Mercy Gate (R) and the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound in Jerusalem's Old City
(photo credit: THOMAS COEX / AFP)
The ancient architecture of Jerusalem’s Old City will radiate with color from June 26 to July 4, when the 11th annual Jerusalem Light Festival arrives. Each night, visitors can wander through the city’s cobblestone alleys to enjoy a phantasmagoric circus of light, created by VJs – visual jockeys – from around the world. Old walls will come alive with vibrant video displays, prodigious sculptures will shoot off fireworks and fountains will be flooded with light. At a disco party, hundreds of mirrors will create thousands of illuminated reflections, and pianos – whose notes correspond with the colors of the rainbow – will lend visitors a multi-sensory, interactive experience.
At the Dung Gate, a sign boasting festival’s name in a font that combines Hebrew and Arabic will highlight the mission of artistic directors Merav Eitan and Gaston Tzohar, who hope to use the festival to create cross-cultural connections in a religious space, using modern technology and art. The event will host a record number of local and international light artists, who hail from Brazil, India, New Zealand, Serbia, and the United States.
The festival is an initiative of the Jerusalem and Heritage Office, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority. It will be running nightly (except on Friday) from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., and until midnight on Saturday.