One of the largest castles in Europe, the Citadel of Namur has been bathed in colorful light as part of Namur's city beautification program boosting tourism.
Originally built in 937 and rebuilt several times, the Citadel of Namur has since the Middle Ages held a strategic defensive position for the city in its role as the capital of Wallonia in Belgium. Nowadays the City of Namur wants to engage its citizens as well as tourists by providing a spectacular illuminated Citadel by night.
The architectural lighting project is part of a city beautification plan for the City of Namur, illuminating the historic citadel and emphasizing the overall beauty of the area. The new lighting system also respects the fauna and flora of the — more than 80 hectares large — historical monument as the lights may easily be dimmed remotely and controlled using the cloud-based Philips ActiveSite lighting management system. The new system also supports the city's sustainability and economic goals by providing energy efficiency up to 75% compared to conventional lighting while at the same time attracting tourists, many of which are expected to stay overnight in the city to enjoy the landmark at the night skyline.
"As one of the most beautiful historical sites in Europe, the recently restored Citadel of Namur, deserved attractive and dynamic lighting that emphasizes its architectural splendor and the beauty of the area," said Arnaud Gavroy, Elderman of the City of Namur and responsible for the Citadel. "The LED technology enables us to downsize our energy cost and to reduce at night the light pollution significantly. We are very happy with the result and want to thank Signify and the other partners for this job well done."
In Belgium, the Citadel of Namur is considered as one of the most appreciated tourist attractions. "The impact of this new lighting project is huge and is a major contribution to city's beautification strategy. Furthermore, it underlines our deep knowledge and expertise in supporting projects of historical, architectural and cultural significance," said Gert Roeckx, Country Leader Signify Belgium.
The Color Kinetics system allows the City of Namur to host spectacular dynamic lights shows. The newly illuminated Citadel was inaugurated on October 13, 2017, with a stunning light show to highlight the impressive history of the Citadel and its significance as a European monument.
Project summary:
About the project: The City of Namur asked for a sustainable — both economically and ecologically — lighting system for the illumination of its Citadel as part of Namur’s city beautification strategy. The new lighting system was completed in October 2017.
Technology used: In total more than 230 Color Kinetics luminaires were installed: 80 ColorReach RGBW and 150 ColorReach Compact RGBW (now specified with
ReachElite) remotely controlled by cloud-based Philips ActiveSite software.
