Italy: Christo 'walk on water' project opens on Lake Iseo Published duration 18 June 2016

image copyright Reuters image caption Christo, who paid for the installation himself, first conceived the idea in 1970

Thousands of people have tried out the latest installation by conceptual artist Christo - a 3km (1.9 mile) walkway on water in northern Italy.

Queues built up to get on the Floating Piers, made from more than 200,000 interlocking cubes wrapped in yellow nylon, as it opened on Lake Iseo.

Christo has warned the experience will be like walking on water - or on the back of a whale.

The Bulgarian-born artist once wrapped the German parliament in silver fabric.

Work has been going on since November to assemble and anchor the cubes to concrete slabs on the floor of Lake Iseo.

It is the artist's 23rd large-scale installation.

image copyright EPA image caption The project connects the village of Sulzano with the small islands of Monte Isola and San Paolo

image copyright EPA image caption Some visitors said they drove through the night to arrive in time for the dawn

image copyright AFP image caption Entrance is free and hundreds of thousands are expected to visit before it closes on 3 July

image copyright EPA image caption Some people took their shoes off to get a better feeling of what the project is about

image copyright AFP image caption There are no handrails, so lifeguards will be standing by on the walkway and on boats

image copyright Reuters image caption Christo, 81, says the colour of the fabric will change dramatically due to the effects of light and humidity