The Town Hall is one of the illuminated buildings

The £1.2m City of Light project is being run by Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Vision and will eventually see 30 buildings bathed in light by 2006.

The buildings which will be lit up include the Port of Liverpool Building, the Town Hall and the Walker Art Gallery.

The city's creative director Sue Woodward said the project was the biggest lighting programme ever undertaken in the UK, as Liverpool prepares for its tenure as Capital of Culture in 2008.

"It aims to establish Liverpool as the UK's City of Light by 2006 and builds on the experience of many European cities which used lighting programmes as a key element in their regeneration," she said.

Council leader Mike Storey said: "We are going to see a dramatic improvement in the city centre environment and nowhere will it be seen more than when Liverpool's outstanding buildings are seen, literally, in a new light.

Buildings lit up in Liverpool for New Year celebrations Great George's Dock Building Port of Liverpool Building The Sessions House Walker Art Gallery Central Library Picton Reading Room Liverpool Museum Wellington Column Steble Fountain The Cenotaph and Monuments at St George's Plateau; St Luke's Church Town Hall

"However, this is not just about making great buildings look even better - important though that is.

"By making the city centre more attractive we are encouraging its regeneration and stimulating night-time economic activity.

"Liverpool is fast becoming a 24-hour city and we want visitors to be able to appreciate our beautiful architecture day and night."

Liverpool Vision chief and Cityfocus spokesman Jim Gill added: "It reinforces one of Liverpool's real strengths - its high quality architecture.

"Our lighting designs emphasise the quality of the buildings aiming to show them off at their best."

Funding for the scheme is being provided by Cityfocus with £460,000 from the Single Regeneration Budget and £350,000 each from the Northwest Development Agency and the European Objective One Programme.

The owners of buildings are also making a significant contribution to installation and meeting future operation of and maintenance costs.

A massive fireworks display to coincide with the launch was due to take place at 1730 GMT on Wednesday at the Stable fountain, St George's Plateau in the city's cultural quarter.