Greeting to the Sun

Greeting to the Sun is the Sea Organ's partner, and it takes ten minutes of strolling to feel why the two belong together. Also designed by Nikola Bašić and completed in 2008, it is a circle roughly 22 metres across, laid flat into the stone of the Riva, made of 300 layered glass plates. Beneath the glass, solar cells collect energy during the day, and when the sun sets they power a programmed display of coloured lights that ripple across the surface in patterns meant to reflect the movement of planets and the sea. It is a public space, and that is the charm. People sit on the edge, children run across the glass, and photographers lie flat to catch the reflections. After dark the circle becomes the evening centre of the waterfront, and the sound of the Sea Organ drifts over from the next stretch of promenade.

The installation sits at the western end of the old town peninsula, on the same strip of Riva as the Sea Organ, so most visitors combine them as a single outing. The disc is made of walkable glass, so you can step directly onto it, and its edge makes a natural low bench. The display is gentle rather than dramatic: bands of blue, violet, orange and green move slowly across the plates, with the sequence designed to feel like a quiet counterpart to the sky and the water.

Evenings are when the place comes alive, and the first hour after sunset is the best time to go. The glass is brightest against a darkening sky, the temperature is comfortable even in summer, and locals fill the promenade for the passeggiata, the traditional evening stroll. In daylight the circle looks like an unusual pale paving feature, and many visitors walk past without realising what it is, so it is worth saving for dusk rather than visiting at noon.

There is a small learning point too. The installation is solar powered and self-contained, which was an unusual design statement when it opened and still gives the structure a quiet environmental appeal. Plaques nearby explain the concept in English, and the design links to the Sea Organ through a shared idea: using natural forces, in this case waves and sunlight, to create an experience people can enjoy without any admission fee.

Practical details are minimal. Wear comfortable shoes, because the walk along the Riva is on hard stone, and take a light jacket in the shoulder seasons. The area is flat and generally accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, although the Sea Organ steps themselves are stairs. Cafes and bars sit a short distance inland, so a drink after the light show is easy to arrange.

For photographers, a tripod or a steady surface helps, and a low angle gives the best reflections. Visit once at golden hour and again at full dark if you have time, because the experience changes noticeably between the two.