Puy du Fou España upgrades 360-degree projection system

TOLEDO, Spain – Puy du Fou España historical theme park located near Toledo, Spain, has upgraded its projection system for "El Último Cantar," with the acquisition of nine Christie Griffyn^® 4K35-RGB pure laser projectors for the show’s immersive 360-degree projection system.

The new installation forms part of Puy du Fou España’s ongoing technology upgrade and continuous improvement program for its 2026 season, during which the park expects to welcome more than 1.9 million visitors after closing 2025 with record attendance figures.

Opened in 2021 and recognized by IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, as “Best Show in the World,” "El Último Cantar" tells the story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid Campeador, one of the most legendary figures in Spanish medieval history. The show combines moving scenery, live performance, and immersive projection in a unique rotating theatre.

The production features six stages arranged around a moving grandstand. Projection plays a key role in the visual storytelling, extending the physical limits of the scenery and surrounding the audience with high-resolution images that move with the grandstand and follow the dramatic evolution of the story.

“Projection is a natural extension of the scenery and allows us to break beyond the physical limits of the traditional stage to create total audience immersion,” says José Antonio García, technical director of Puy du Fou España. “Just before the curtains open to reveal each stage, the projected images show a scene similar to the one the audience is about to discover, creating a seamless visual continuity between projection and physical set.”

The installation combines 15 Christie projectors, including the eight new Griffyn 4K35-RGB, to create the 360-degree immersive environment across moving curtains and large-format projection surfaces measuring approximately 12 meters high by 20 meters wide (39 ft x 65 ft), while four Christie 4K30 projectors project onto a large rear screen. “These new systems offer greater stability, image quality and operational efficiency, while also reducing maintenance and noise, optimizing performance and service life without increasing energy consumption,” says García. “The elimination of mercury lamps and the long life of the laser light source fit perfectly with our environmental responsibility plans.”

The Griffyn 4K35-RGB features 3DLP technology, native 4K resolution (4096 x 2160), 36,500 ISO lumens and a pure RGB laser illumination source with up to 25,000 hours of operation at full brightness. The projector also delivers premium color reproduction, supporting Rec. 709, DCI-P3 and up to 98% of the Rec. 2020 color space.

“One of the projector’s main features is the electronic color convergence adjustment, which allows us to align the three primary colors pixel by pixel using the remote control,” explains García. “We are also very satisfied with the RGB laser technology, particularly the purity of color, the sharpness of textures, and the way the projected image integrates visually with the stage lighting.”

To preserve the scenic illusion and prevent projected images from spilling onto the physical sets or audience, the show uses positioning systems that track the movement of its mobile stage elements in real time.

“The intent of the projection is to immerse the audience in the story,” adds the park. “At certain moments, it also adds scale to the scenes and, at others, creates a stronger sense of speed.”

Marcos Fernández, regional sales manager at Christie, added: “Puy du Fou has trusted Christie for more than 15 years for some of its most ambitious productions, both in France and Spain, and we are proud to continue supporting the technological evolution of its shows.”

He adds: “El Último Cantar" is a magnificent example of how projection can be organically integrated into scenic storytelling to create deeply immersive experiences. The Griffyn 4K35-RGB projectors provide the brightness, color fidelity, stability and efficiency required for such a demanding environment.”

The collaboration between Puy du Fou and Christie began in France in 2009 and was later extended to the Spanish park, where Christie projection technology has been used since the launch of "El Sueño de Toledo" in 2019. Over the years, Puy du Fou España has incorporated various Christie models, including the HS, GS, Boxer and Griffyn Series, consolidating a projection infrastructure designed for large-scale immersive shows.