London's most famous bridges are going to be lit up so they look more impressive than ever

London's most famous bridges will be illuminated in what is being touted as the largest free public art installation in the world.

The City of London Corporation this week voted to give permission for work to begin on the Illuminated River Project, which will see six bridges in the territory it governs over the River Thames lit up.

The kinetic installations are destined to illuminate 15 bridges in total, from Albert Bridge to Tower Bridge, with the lighting on each designed to encapsulate each bridge's history.

The City's bridges, managed by Bridge House Estates, include the Millennium Bridge, Blackfriars, Southwark, London Bridge and Tower Bridge.

American light artist Leo Villareal and London architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands won an international competition in 2016 to stage the installation, beating 105 entries from teams around the globe.

Some bridges already bear night-lighting.

The team's concept uses the latest LED technology, designing softer illuminations than the current decorative lighting, which the project says has the potential to reduce existing energy consumption by as much as 50 per cent, and reduce future maintenance costs.

The installation is set to cost about £20 million, and the Illuminated River Project has been raising money through trusts and philanthropists, with work set to begin in phases, between 2019 and 2022.

City of London planning and transportation committee chairman Chris Hayward said the project was one of the largest free public art installations in the world, and he was "delighted" that the project was coming to fruition.

“As the fourth largest funder of arts in the UK, it is essential that the City Corporation continues to support innovative ways to experience the City’s infrastructure and maintain its position as a global financial and business centre, as well as a world-leading cultural and creative destination,” he said.

“Unprecedented in its scale and hugely exciting, Illuminated River will celebrate the aesthetic of London’s built environment and enhance the experience for the Square Mile’s growing night-time and cultural economy.”