Arthotel Lasserhaus: Delighted

When water meets light

Art, water, and light converge in a luminous dialogue as the Water Light Festival Brixen returns from April 29 to May 16. Let yourself drift through shimmering installations and quiet reflections—an experience that begins, quite perfectly, at the Arthotel Lasserhaus.

Reflection, refraction, movement: when water meets light, art begins to emerge—a quiet spectacle unfolding in Brixen. Every two years, enhanced by layers of technology, color, and sound, it transforms into a singular, multi-day experience.

A place shaped by art and history

Swap the first letter, and Lasserhaus becomes Wasserhaus—German for “water-house”—hardly a stretch, given its setting in the water city of Brixen. Just moments from the old town, it sits in the even older quarter of Stufels, long known as the artists’ district. Cross the Adler Bridge, the Eisack flowing beneath your feet, and the path leads you straight to this artful retreat.

An inspiring starting point

The historic house, within whose walls contemporary art enters into dialogue with classical works, offers a wonderful prelude to surrendering to the immersive experience that Brixen unfolds during the Water Light Festival.

An open-air gallery

No sooner do you step outside than art seems to spill beyond the house and into the city itself. Waterside sites and cultural landmarks, the Hofburg, the Fortress of Franzensfeste, and the City Gallery are cast in an entirely new light. Even the Boutique Hotel Badhaus, part of the Lasserhaus, draws you into its courtyard, where two light installations by Petar Šćulac quite literally illuminate the interplay of light, shadow, and architecture.

A city that invites reflection

In this way, Brixen becomes an open-air gallery—one that reflects, but also invites reflection.

This year’s festival theme, “Water is Life – Light is Art,” is also part of IMAGINE PEACE, a broader EU project connecting five light festivals across Europe.

Photos: Brixen-Tourismus: Pierluigi Orler / Matthias Gasser / Santifaller Photography; Freiundzeit; Franziska Unterholzner; Paolo Valentini

Note: The photos in this article from the Water Light Festival depict installations from previous editions.