Of course you don’t HAVE to do a self guided Comic Strip Mural Tour Of Brussels, you could of course take an organised tour, but a self guided tour is actually very easy, and a lot of fun! In between taking in everything else Brussels has to offer i.e. food, Belgian beer, history, architecture and statues of things peeing, to name but a few, a comic strip mural tour is one of my top recommendations for spending time in the Belgian capital, and as I said, it’s really easy to do of your own accord.
Here, let me show you …
Comic Strip Mural Tour Of Brussels
A self guided Comic Strip Mural Tour Of Brussels can start almost anywhere in the city, you simply need to find one of the many murals dotted around the city. With over 50 murals (I think … don’t quote me on that though) to track down, the reality is that you’re never too far from the starting point of your own Comic Strip Mural Tour.
Now the key to your self guided Comic Strip Mural Tour is not that first mural itself, although it’s probably pretty cool. The key is actually a small metal plaque located somewhere nearby. It’ll look a little bit like the below, and if you haven’t already guessed, it shows the 5 or 6 next closest Murals to where you are standing. You next move is to simply pick one of the dot on the metal map, and then proceed to make your way towards it before finding the next metal map and repeating the process.
So now that you know the ‘trick’, it’s time to have a look at a couple of the art works that you might bump into upon your self guided Comic Strip Mural Tour of Brussels.
I think L’Ange de Sambre might have been my favourite mural. The Comic Book Museum was also pretty cool.
Olivier Rameau
Artist: Dany
Where: Rue du Chêne
TinTin
Artist: Hergé
Where: Rue de l’etuve
Ric Hochet
By: Tibet & Duchâteau
Where: Rue des Bons Secours
Victor Sackville
Artist: Carin
Where: Rue du Marché au Charbon
Broussaille
Artist: Frank Pé
Where: Rue du Marché au Charbon
Néron
Artist: Sleen
Where: Place Saint-Gery
L’Ange de Sambre
Artist: Yslaire
Where: Rue des Chartreux
Cubitus
Artist: Dupa
Where: Rue de Flandre
Statue of Gaston Lagaffe
Where: Boulevard Pachéco
Comic Arts Museum
Brussels and Comic Murals – How it all began
So how did these types of self guided tour come about? Why all the murals in the first place?
Well, back in 1991 the Belgian Comic Strip Centrer joined forces with the local authorities of the city of Brussels, and initiated a project whereby empty walls within the city would have giant comic book characters adorned on them. The project was a chance to showcase to the world the cities deep routed history in comic strips.
That was the thought process at the conception of the project, but there was never any thought about creating a ‘tour’ or walking route between the different murals. That came around simply because people loved the murals, and wanted to see any many of them as possible, and it was possible owing to their close proximity to one another, and the ease of walking about the Brussels pentagon and surrounding neighbourhoods.
If anything, the murals opened up other areas of the Belgian capital to visitors, encouraging them to visit parts of the city they would have otherwise missed, had it not been for the murals.
Brussels Street Art
So those were just a sample of the 50+ comic mural located in and around Brussels. Pretty cool right!?
Now, hopefully you can appreciate the art, but maybe the comic strip/comic book characters aren’t your thing. Maybe you’re more of a street art guy or gal?
Well if that is the case, fear not, for I (and Brussels) have your back! Much like with the comic murals, if you set out and explore Brussels by foot, you will be rewarded.
Where?
That’s so cool! I don’t know much about comics but I love street art so this is definitely something I’d be interested in seeing for myself!
@Kylie – I’m in the same boat, know almost zero about comics, but can certainly appreciate the artwork.
Hi Neil, thanks for sharing this amazing information with us, I can’t wait to visit this beautiful place, where all comics on street. I am huge fan of comics and especially Batman comics.