15.10.2026
Why Do Pula’s Lighting Giants Glow After Dark?
The Lighting Giants are eight shipyard cranes at Pula’s Uljanik shipyard, lit at night by 73 programmable RGB LED spotlights. Designed by Pula lighting designer Dean Skira and first switched on in 2014, the installation celebrates Pula’s shipbuilding heritage. It is free to watch from the waterfront.
By day, Pula’s skyline is shaped by Roman monuments, Mediterranean rooftops and the working harbour. After sunset, another set of landmarks takes over.
Lighting Giants at a glance
| What | Eight Uljanik shipyard cranes turned into a light installation |
| Designer | Dean Skira, architectural lighting designer |
| First lit | May 2014, during the Visualia festival of light |
| Lighting | 73 programmable Philips RGB LED spotlights, up to 16,000 colour and intensity variations |
| Cranes | Capacities of 200, 150 and 45 tonnes |
| When | Schedule: Originally 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM, 15 minutes on the hour every hour. |
| Where to watch | Pula waterfront, Forum, towards the Amphitheatre |
| Price | Free |
Illuminating Pula’s industrial heritage
Shipbuilding has shaped Pula since the Uljanik shipyard was established in 1856, and its cranes became part of the skyline.
Dean Skira had the idea as early as 2000, when the city authorities were considering moving the shipyard. Instead of removing the cranes, he proposed to highlight them. Backed by the Pula Tourist Board, the shipyard and private sponsors, the cranes were first lit during the Visualia festival of light in 2014. Skira describes the installation as a dynamic sculpture in the night landscape, honouring the generations of workers who built the city’s ships.
How do the Lighting Giants work?
Each of the 73 RGB LED spotlights weighs around 40 kg and is controlled remotely. The system can produce up to 16,000 variations of colour and intensity, and shields prevent light spilling into the surroundings. The shipyard’s engineers worked with Skira so the lights would not interfere with the cranes’ operation.
Colours change for holidays, festivals and events. Green and yellow, for example, are Pula’s official colours. From a distance, the illuminated shapes resemble origami figures hovering over the harbour.
Where can you see them?
The Lighting Giants are visible from several points around Pula Bay, but the waterfront is among the easiest and most atmospheric. Start at the Forum and Temple of Augustus, walk towards the harbour as the light fades, then continue to the Amphitheatre to see an illuminated Roman arena and a contemporary industrial artwork in one evening.
Free to experience
No ticket is needed. It fits easily into an evening in Pula: after dinner, after a concert at the Amphitheatre or at the end of a day in the old town.
Where to stay
Frequently asked questions
What are Pula’s Lighting Giants?
Eight Uljanik shipyard cranes lit at night by 73 programmable LED spotlights, designed by Dean Skira.
When were they first lit?
In May 2014, during the Visualia festival of light.
Is it free?
Yes, no ticket is required.
Where is the best place to watch?
The Pula waterfront near the Forum and the harbour.