Lichtjesroute
Encyclopedia
The is a festival
held every autumn in Eindhoven, in the southern Netherlands
. It starts with a parade on 18 September, celebrating the liberation of Eindhoven during World War II
on that date in 1944. The is celebrated not only to commemorate the liberation, but also to create an illusion of "fairytales in light".
, the Federation of Neighbourhood Associations , the Eindhoven Installer Association , and the tourist board Association for Foreign Traffic . The committee had the idea to give the celebrations some extra light. The inhabitants of Eindhoven were asked to help by making their houses shine in any way possible for one day. Because many things were still in short supply so soon after the war, this was mostly restricted to candles at the windows.
After 1947, the Foundation for Liberation Commemoration took over coordination of all festival activities. The original day of lights was transformed into a "route of lights". In several places throughout the city, dubbed Focal Points or Fire Points (: ), celebration lighting illuminated the area for four days, between 20:00 and 24:00 each day.
In the following years, the amount of Fire Points grew steadily. By 1969, 25 years after the liberation, the route had grown to a length of no less than 40 kilometres (24.9 mi). This would be the last year the was celebrated for more than a decade.
In 1984, a number of enthusiasts decided it was time to give the a new life. Through a mailing, a thousand corporations were asked for financial support, and the local media called for volunteers to help make the new a reality.
The , as revived in 1984, consists of a route through the centre of Eindhoven and through the suburbs of Stratum, Strijp
, and Woensel
. The route is about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) long and is especially popular with smaller children. Families usually travel the route by car; officials have also made it friendly for cyclists who want to follow the route. The route is indicated by reflecting "pointer" signs that show an arrow and a red picture of a light bulb. On some signs, the text (cycle route) is also added, to indicate areas where cyclists should follow an alternate route.
Along the route, various frames with ornaments made from lights are mounted onto lamp posts. The ornaments depict various objects and animals; some have World War II–themed imagery. Ornaments are usually grouped by common themes—all animals are located together, for example. The placement of the ornaments changes each year, but in some places, the same ornaments are shown each year. For example, (Half-moon Street) is always decorated with half-moon crescent shapes. The area always has ornaments of astrological sign
s, because the streets there are named after characters from Greek
and Roman mythology
. In (White Village), there are no ornaments—but red, white, and blue lamps, symbolic of the flag of the Netherlands
, are placed on the bay windows, where they shine onto the white houses.
Special resting places are designated on the route, where people can stop for a snack or walk around; one such area is , a square and small park in a residential area. These points are usually the busiest on the route, and as a result, traffic jams are common there.
s with light-emitting diode
s (LEDs); an initial batch of one thousand LED bulbs was installed. Over time, the incandescent lights will be retired; wholesale replacement of the existing bulbs would be too expensive. Compact fluorescent lamp
s, used to save energy in other applications, are not a viable solution because they are not suitable for outside lighting.
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
held every autumn in Eindhoven, in the southern Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It starts with a parade on 18 September, celebrating the liberation of Eindhoven during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on that date in 1944. The is celebrated not only to commemorate the liberation, but also to create an illusion of "fairytales in light".
Origin
During the first commemoration of the liberation of Eindhoven, a (Committee of Party Lighting) was formed. Committee members included the Municipal Energy company , PhilipsPhilips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, the Federation of Neighbourhood Associations , the Eindhoven Installer Association , and the tourist board Association for Foreign Traffic . The committee had the idea to give the celebrations some extra light. The inhabitants of Eindhoven were asked to help by making their houses shine in any way possible for one day. Because many things were still in short supply so soon after the war, this was mostly restricted to candles at the windows.
After 1947, the Foundation for Liberation Commemoration took over coordination of all festival activities. The original day of lights was transformed into a "route of lights". In several places throughout the city, dubbed Focal Points or Fire Points (: ), celebration lighting illuminated the area for four days, between 20:00 and 24:00 each day.
In the following years, the amount of Fire Points grew steadily. By 1969, 25 years after the liberation, the route had grown to a length of no less than 40 kilometres (24.9 mi). This would be the last year the was celebrated for more than a decade.
In 1984, a number of enthusiasts decided it was time to give the a new life. Through a mailing, a thousand corporations were asked for financial support, and the local media called for volunteers to help make the new a reality.
The route today
Strijp
Strijp is a former village in the Dutch province of North Brabant, now a neighbourhood of Eindhoven.Strijp was a separate municipality until 1920, when it became part of Eindhoven. The Philips Stadion, home of football team PSV Eindhoven is based in Strijp...
, and Woensel
Woensel
Woensel is a former village in the Dutch province of North Brabant, now part of Eindhoven.An important rural village in North Brabant, Woensel is mentioned in a document from 1107; it was the seat of a deanage of the diocese of Liège. According to the German mythologist Jacob Grimm is the name...
. The route is about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) long and is especially popular with smaller children. Families usually travel the route by car; officials have also made it friendly for cyclists who want to follow the route. The route is indicated by reflecting "pointer" signs that show an arrow and a red picture of a light bulb. On some signs, the text (cycle route) is also added, to indicate areas where cyclists should follow an alternate route.
Along the route, various frames with ornaments made from lights are mounted onto lamp posts. The ornaments depict various objects and animals; some have World War II–themed imagery. Ornaments are usually grouped by common themes—all animals are located together, for example. The placement of the ornaments changes each year, but in some places, the same ornaments are shown each year. For example, (Half-moon Street) is always decorated with half-moon crescent shapes. The area always has ornaments of astrological sign
Astrological sign
Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the zodiac. According to astrology, celestial phenomena reflect or govern human activity on the principle of "as above, so below", so that the twelve signs are held to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes...
s, because the streets there are named after characters from Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
and Roman mythology
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
. In (White Village), there are no ornaments—but red, white, and blue lamps, symbolic of the flag of the Netherlands
Flag of the Netherlands
The flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue. Since 1937, the flag has officially been the national flag of the Netherlands and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.-Description:...
, are placed on the bay windows, where they shine onto the white houses.
Special resting places are designated on the route, where people can stop for a snack or walk around; one such area is , a square and small park in a residential area. These points are usually the busiest on the route, and as a result, traffic jams are common there.
Sustainability
In 2006, the Foundation started replacing the incandescent light bulbIncandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
s with light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
s (LEDs); an initial batch of one thousand LED bulbs was installed. Over time, the incandescent lights will be retired; wholesale replacement of the existing bulbs would be too expensive. Compact fluorescent lamp
Compact fluorescent lamp
A compact fluorescent lamp , also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light, and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent lamp; some types fit into light fixtures formerly used for incandescent lamps...
s, used to save energy in other applications, are not a viable solution because they are not suitable for outside lighting.