Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece, The Starry Night, has long captivated art lovers with its swirling landscape and vibrant colors. Now, a new park in Bosnia and Herzegovina is bringing this iconic painting to life in a three-dimensional form. The park, aptly named the “Starry Night park,” is a 25-acre replica of van Gogh’s 1889 painting, set within a larger 172-acre retreat celebrating the cultural heritage of central Bosnia.
The brainchild behind this ambitious project is Bosnian businessman Halim Zukic. Inspired by the tractor marks in a meadow near his hometown of Visoko that resembled the painting, Zukic embarked on a mission to turn his land into a living canvas of The Starry Night. With a team of two dozen gardeners and 20 years of dedication, Zukic meticulously crafted the park, ensuring that every detail reflected van Gogh’s emotional language of night and nature.
To recreate the painting’s swirling features, the park is adorned with 130,000 lavender bushes, aromatic herbs like chamomile, echinacea, sage, and wormwood, and thousands of trees. Footpaths wind through the landscape, streams have been expanded into lakes, and vibrant colors echo the brilliance of van Gogh’s original work. While the park is set to open in May 2025, some plants and trees still need time to mature fully, ensuring that visitors will experience the park in all its splendor.
Zukic’s dedication to capturing van Gogh’s visual language is evident in every aspect of the park. From the shapes and proportions to the overall ambiance, the Starry Night park is a testament to his passion for bringing art to life. As Zukic himself states, “Having money is not enough. You need time for a park.” And with years of hard work and attention to detail, it’s clear that Zukic has succeeded in creating a living masterpiece that pays homage to one of the most beloved paintings in art history.
As visitors walk through the Starry Night park, they will not only be surrounded by the beauty of nature but also by the spirit of van Gogh’s timeless masterpiece. It’s a testament to the power of art to inspire and transform, turning a simple plot of land into a living work of art that will enchant visitors for years to come.
