Imagine Peace Tower
The Imagine Peace Tower is a work of art conceived as a beacon to world peace by the legendary artist, musician, and peace advocate, Yoko Ono. The work is designed in the form of a wishing well from which a powerful tower of light beams. The words IMAGINE PEACE are inscribed on the well in 24 different languages.
The light tower is composed of a number of individual lights that join together to form a single beam. Six of the lights travel through corridors across a platform that surrounds the well and are reflected upwards to the sky with mirrors. An additional nine lights shine straight up to the sky, strengthening the tower of light. The strength, intensity, and brilliance of the light tower continually change as particles in the air fluctuate with the changing weather and atmospheric conditions unique to Iceland.
The inauguration of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER took place during a private ceremony on 9 October 2007 on Viðey Island, Reykjavík, Iceland. The artwork was dedicated to the memory of John Lennon on what would have been his 67th birthday. Since then it has lit up the evening sky annually from 9th of October to 8th of December. It is also lit during the winter solstice for one week, on New Year's Eve, and on Spring Equinox for one week.
The electricity for the light comes entirely from Reykjavik Energy, which produces electricity from geothermal power. The construction and installation of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER were done in collaboration between Yoko Ono, the City of Reykjavik, Reykjavik Art Museum, and Reykjavik Energy.
Iceland has been ranked as the most peaceful country in the world seven years in a row, according to the annual Global Peace Index compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace.
LIGHTING TIMES
The tower is illuminated 1 hr. after sunset until midnight from 9 October until 8 December (John Lennon's birthday and day of death). From Winter Solstice the beam can be seen lighting up the night sky into the morning of a New Year, as well as on Yoko Ono's birthday and in the week of Spring Equinox. The ever-changing weather conditions on the island impact the strength, intensity and brilliance of the tower.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is lit annually
• 9th October – 8th December
• 21st – 31st December
• 18th February
• The week of Spring Equinox
It is lit from around 1 hour after sunset until midnight each night except on John & Yoko’s birthdays and on New Year’s Eve when it remains lit until sunrise. On 9th October it lights up at 8 pm and from 20th – 27th March it lights up at 9 pm.
Relative times:
• 8 pm Reykjavík
• 9 pm London/Liverpool
• 4 pm New York
• 1 pm Los Angeles
• 5 am Tokyo
• Other times here.