Christie's laser projectors are illuminating a new projection mapping show at the 17th-century Leh Palace in India, transforming the historic monument into a canvas of light, motion, and storytelling.
Implemented by India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the permanent multimedia experience titled “Secrets in Stone” was created and delivered by CS Direkt Events & Exhibitions. Using projection technology, the show animates the palace façade with vivid imagery precisely mapped to its architectural contours.
Set at an elevation of more than 3,500 metres (11,500 feet) in the Himalayas, the installation is one of the world’s highest permanent projection mapping experiences and presented a rare combination of creative and technical complexity. To deliver the visual scale and clarity required for this large-format outdoor attraction, CS Direkt deployed two 30,000-lumen Christie 3DLP laser projectors and one additional 12,000-lumen Christie 1DLP laser projector, supported by dedicated media servers, DVI extension, and signal distribution infrastructure.
The team placing strong emphasis on bringing the façade of Leh Palace to life after dark through content designed to complement the monument’s distinctive architectural character. Images were accurately mapped across its irregular façade, allowing projected imagery to interact with windows, recesses, ledges, textures, and strong vertical geometry.
Operating in Leh’s demanding high-altitude settings required robust engineering around the projection systems to ensure dependable performance in freezing temperatures, dust, strong winds, and low-oxygen conditions. The projectors were housed in custom weatherproof enclosures featuring temperature and humidity control, protected airflow management, and ruggedised mounting systems. The setup was further reinforced by extensive site integration measures, including projector foundations, trenching and underground cable laying, as well as winter testing and calibration, all of which helped safeguard the projection infrastructure, ensuring stable operation and precise image alignment for this permanent installation in one of Asia’s most challenging environments.
