Pécs is getting its first Winter Light Grove, and it’s going big. For one dazzling season, the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter transforms into an illuminated fairy forest where imagination does most of the walking. Wander along mysterious paths where fairies, woodland animals, storybook figures, and glowing symbols spring to life. Slip through sparkling light tunnels, step beneath radiant gates, and watch large-scale projections paint the night sky. It’s a twilight playground built for wonder.
Story of Lights lands in Pécs
From October 24, 2025, to February 1, 2026, the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter becomes a nightly light park: Enchanted Forest of Lights (Fények Elvarázsolt Erdeje), the Pécs stop of DECOLED’s Story of Lights series. The numbers are unapologetically extravagant: more than 80 installations, around 250,000 bulbs, and 5 km of light garlands spread across roughly 6,000 m². Projections choreograph the route across courtyards and squares, turning the evening into chapters of a walking story. The quarter’s iconic chimney—about 98 feet tall—gets its own luminous crown, while visitors meet programmable “Twinkly” LED artworks that change with clever precision.
Built by hand, tuned to Pécs
Behind the glow: a 12-person crew built the park in about a week, packing some 900 work hours on site, with more than 20 specialists handling design and logistics. The look is tailored to the venue and to Pécs itself. The 98-foot Zsolnay factory chimney is lit using classic industrial rope techniques, and smart LEDs draw multicolored light sketches that keep the experience fresh as you move.
Not just lights—this is a winter meeting place
The ambition is bigger than spectacle. Organizers want a new winter community space for the city. “The Light Festival already showed how exceptional light can be for Pécs,” said Márk Hummel, managing director of Zsolnay Heritage Management. “With the Enchanted Forest of Lights, winter gets its own glow that adds a new shade to the city’s tourism offer.” DECOLED’s concept stitches together light, art, and local stories so visitors don’t just see installations—they leave with moments and memories. “Zsolnay symbolizes creativity and the courage to create,” added DECOLED CEO Eva Poláčková. “We brought a fairy forest to life where light becomes story and visitors become part of it. We want people to take home not only photos but feelings.”
When to go—and when not to
The light park is open daily from 17:00 to 21:00 between October 24, 2025, and February 1, 2026, and closed on October 30–31, November 1, and December 24–25 and 31. Every night after sunset, the quarter turns into an enchanted realm where light does the storytelling—perfect for kids, date nights, and anyone in the market for a mood-lifting wander.
Step into the story
This isn’t passive gazing. Interactive installations and bespoke photo points invite you into the narrative. Pose with lit-up characters, stroll through bright tunnels, frame yourself under shimmering sculptures, and take the kind of photos that actually keep the moment alive. Bring your partner, your friends, your family—this one plays well across generations.
Front-row projection show
Each evening, the facade of the Zsolnay Quarter Gallery becomes a stage for a one-of-a-kind light show. Animated projections and special effects carry you straight into the glowing heart of the fairy world. Let your imagination run; the visuals will keep pace.
Tickets and passes
– Child, Student, Senior (65+): 2,900 HUF (about 7.90 USD). Friday–Sunday: +500 HUF (+1.36 USD).
– Adult: 3,300 HUF (about 9.00 USD). Friday–Sunday: +500 HUF (+1.36 USD).
– Family (2 adults + 2 children, or 1 adult + 3 children): 11,800 HUF (about 32.08 USD). Friday–Sunday: +700 HUF (+1.90 USD).
– Under 2: free.
– Season pass (named, unlimited entry): Child/Student/Senior 8,900 HUF (about 24.21 USD); Adult 10,500 HUF (about 28.56 USD).
Buy online or at the on-site box office.
Getting there and parking
The Zsolnay Vilmos Street parking garage, right by the south entrance at Pécs, Zsolnay Vilmos Street (Zsolnay Vilmos utca) 16, is free for visitors. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the main gate and offers 200+ spaces. Street parking nearby is also free where available, though spaces vary by time and traffic. One heads-up: dogs are not allowed inside the Light Park.
A festival, but make it nightly
The schedule here is simple: it’s Pécs all season long. Week by week from November 10, 2025, through February 1, 2026, the light park runs continuously in the city, with only the listed closure days breaking the flow. Think of it as a seasonal residency, not a touring pop-up.
Who’s behind the glow
The show comes from DECOLED | Story of Lights, the team behind magical light installations across European cities, towns, malls, and public spaces. For more than 25 years they’ve turned streets, parks, and historic sites into glittering narratives that brighten winter nights and lift moods. DECOLED began in 1997 as a family business founded by Vítězslav Poláček, later joined by his wife, Eva Poláčková, and their son, also Vítězslav. From garage beginnings, production and storage now span more than 60,000 m². With over a thousand public installations, DECOLED has become a major player first in the Czech market, then across Europe, delivering projects in 13 countries.
About Story of Lights
Story of Lights blends emotion, design, and technology with site-specific storytelling—handcrafted light sculptures and carefully choreographed experiences that feel tailored to their host city. In 2025, the series lights up five Hungarian locations: Pécs, Szolnok, Gödöllő, Zalaegerszeg, and Fertőd. In Pécs, it’s an all-evening invitation: step into a world where reality tilts toward fairy tale, then carry the glow home.
