Modern & artDalmatia

Monument to the Sun in Zadar: a solar circle that glows at dusk

The Monument to the Sun (Pozdrav Suncu, also called the Greeting to the Sun) is an installation on the western tip of the Zadar peninsula, at the entrance to the port. Designed by the Croatian architect Nikola Bašić and completed in 2008, it sits right next to his Sea Organ. It is a good example of how the city turned its waterfront into a place for sunset-watching and gathering.

In Zadar the Sun is set into the pavement: a 22-metre circle of glass plates that collects daylight and turns it into a light show at dusk. It doubles as a calendar of the saints of the peninsula.

WhereWestern point of the Zadar peninsula, at the entrance to the port, next to the Sea Organ

TypeModern installation: 22 m circle of glass plates with solar modules and lighting, 2008

Best forSunset lovers, architecture and design fans, families, evening walks

Getting thereOn the waterfront at the tip of Zadar's old town peninsula, a short walk from the Church of St Donatus

The story of the Monument to the Sun

Zadar's old town stands on a peninsula, and its western tip, at the entrance to the port, looks out over the Zadar Channel and the islands towards some of the Adriatic's most celebrated sunsets. This is where the architect Nikola Bašić planned two linked installations along the waterfront: the Sea Organ, which turns the movement of the sea into sound, and the Monument to the Sun, which does the same job for light. The Sun was built in 2008.

The monument is a circle 22 m in diameter, made of 300 multi-layered glass plates set level with the stone paving of the quay. Under the glass lie photovoltaic solar modules and lighting elements. By day the modules absorb sunlight, turn it into electricity and feed it into the grid; at sunset the lights built into the circle switch on and produce a light show along a specially programmed scenario. The switching times were calculated by Maksim Klarin, a teacher at the Zadar Maritime School, for a span of 50 years starting in 2008.

Smaller circles on the same level represent the planets of the Solar System. The sizes of the Sun and planets are proportional to each other, as are the distances from the centre of each plate, but the two scales differ, because at true proportions the planets would lie hundreds of metres to tens of kilometres from the Sun. A chrome ring around the Sun carries the names of the titular saints of the churches of the Zadar peninsula, each with its feast day and astronomical data such as the declination of the Sun and the length of daylight, so the installation also works as a calendar.

The whole system produces about 46,500 kWh a year, around half of the energy needed by the Zadar waterfront. Because the installation is exposed to sun, moisture and salt, it needs regular upkeep, and a large renovation and upgrade project was completed in March 2019. Together with the Sea Organ it has turned the tip of the peninsula into a favourite gathering place and one of the city's main sights.

Curiosities about the Monument to the Sun

The Sun is made of 300 glass plates in a circle 22 m wide, and it sits flush with the pavement so you can walk right over it.
The light show's start and end times were programmed for 50 years from 2008 with the help of a teacher at the Zadar Maritime School.
The chrome ring lists the names of the titular saints of the churches on the Zadar peninsula, with their feast days and the Sun's height at noon.
Smaller circles represent the planets, each with its name in Croatian and its astronomical symbol; planets and Sun are not drawn to one common scale.
The solar modules under the glass produce about 46,500 kWh per year, around half of the energy needed by the Zadar waterfront.
The Sun communicates through light and the neighbouring Sea Organ through sound, and both were designed by Nikola Bašić.

Tours near Monument to the Sun

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Experience Zadar Archipelago with Antares sailing shared tour

★ 5 (77 reviews) · 4 h

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Private Boat Tour To Pakleni Islands and Red Rocks

★ 5 (41 reviews) · 5 h

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Full Day Sailing Tour

★ 5 (39 reviews) · 9 h

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Quad Tour the Hidden Trails of Dalmatia from Zadar

★ 5 (38 reviews) · 3 h

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Visiting the Monument to the Sun

The monument lies at the entrance to the port on the western point of the peninsula, right beside the Sea Organ, so the two are easily seen together.
Evening is the best time: the lights built into the circle switch on at sunset, when the view over the Zadar Channel and the islands is at its most striking.
Walk across the plates and read the chrome ring to find the saints' names, feast days and solar data.
Look for the smaller planet circles on the waterfront to the west of the Sun.
The Church of St Donatus is also within the same stretch of Zadar, so the monument fits into a walk through the old town. Check local information for any current restrictions around the installation.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Monument to the Sun is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Monument to the Sun

Questions

What is the Monument to the Sun in Zadar?

It is an installation by architect Nikola Bašić on the Zadar waterfront: a 22 m circle of 300 glass plates with solar modules beneath that lights up at night. It is also known as the Greeting to the Sun or Pozdrav Suncu.

Where is the Monument to the Sun?

It is at the entrance to the port on the western point of the Zadar peninsula, right next to the Sea Organ.

When was the Monument to the Sun built?

It was built in 2008, and a major renovation and upgrade was completed in March 2019.

How does the Monument to the Sun work?

Photovoltaic modules under the glass absorb sunlight and feed electricity into the network, and lighting elements switch on after sunset to create a light show.

What are the names written around the circle?

The chrome ring carries the names of the titular saints of the churches on the Zadar peninsula, with their feast days and astronomical data, so the monument works as a calendar.

How much energy does it produce?

The whole system produces about 46,500 kWh a year, around half the energy needed by the Zadar waterfront.