Monopoli, in the province of Bari, is preparing to experience one of the most scenic urban transformations in recent years. Starting Dec. 5, the town and waterfront will be involved in Illuminandia, a 15,000-square-meter Christmas park that uses typical Apulian illuminations, made from carved wooden structures, to create an immersive path of art and light. The event, which will last until February, officially kicks off with the lighting of the large, 22-meter-high illuminations tree in Vittorio Emanuele Square, transforming the historic center and adjacent streets into an open-air gallery of lights, symbols and art installations. The idea for Illuminandia came from Faniuolo Illuminazioni, a historic Putignano company with more than 150 years of experience, which wanted to go beyond the traditional concept of Christmas decoration. The event aims to propose a multisensory experience, combining art, technology and symbolic storytelling, with the goal of offering visitors a diffuse urban narrative that combines past and contemporary.
The route of the illuminations will traverse the entire historic center, from the main squares to the most characteristic alleys, to the seaside promenade. Streets and squares will be animated by hundreds of light installations, each with its own symbolic meaning, transforming the city into an ecosystem of light designed to be explored on foot. The enjoyment of the works thus becomes an invitation to observe, walk and rediscover the town in a new light, literally and metaphorically. The centerpiece of Illuminandia will be Vittorio Emanuele Square, where the Star Swings Park will rise. Here a 22-meter-high luminaria tree will be surrounded by twelve five-meter monumental swings, each dedicated to a sign of the zodiac, in a poetic reference to heaven and destiny. In the same square, the traditional Apulian soundbox will be transformed into the Christmas Harmonic House, a structure 11 meters high by 7.5 meters wide, designed as Santa’s home, a selfie point and a stage for performances, workshops and musical moments.
Just a few steps away, in Piazza Palmieri, the 15-meter-high Snow Dome will offer a sensory experience: visitors will be able to lie down on an installation reminiscent of an ice island and admire a starry ceiling in motion, with musical and visual effects that combine the childlike wonder of Christmas with moments of reflection and quiet typical of the beginning of the New Year. Garibaldi Square, on the other hand, will host the six-meter-high Luminous Nativity, created by master papier-mâché artist Domenico Galluzzi, which adds a dimension of sacredness to the display. The light path will extend to several other areas of the city. The facade of the City Palace and the Rendella Library will be decorated with light curtains and holly arches. Largo Castello will host a large Light Fountain, while a 10-meter cone will be set up in Falcone and Borsellino Square. Installations will also be present along Via Garibaldi to Porta Vecchia, from Largo Plebiscito to Via Umberto I, Via Porto, Via Comes, Via Barbacana, Via Cialdini and Via Camicia, ensuring a widespread and continuous experience of light and symbolism. The Dec. 5 opening will feature an event open to citizens. A Christmas train will run through the streets of the center spreading music and scents of sweets, accompanying visitors to the lighting of the installations. The Elves of the Village will distribute sweets to children, while the evening will continue with musical performances, including the SoulKeys and Sergio Sylvestre, known to the public as Big Boy, who will perform songs from his album Merry Christmas Everyone, officially kicking off the city festivities.
Faniuolo Light, founded in Putignano, has more than a century and a half in the Apulian lighting industry, exporting local art to cities such as New York, Tokyo, Dubai and Madrid. The company combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary technological and stylistic innovations, creating installations that tell stories through light. Each project represents a bridge between historical memory and innovation, confirming the role of light as a universal language of identity, aesthetics and culture.
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| Monopoly lights up: the Illuminandia Christmas park is born |
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