Discovering Ghent Through Street Art: A Mural Walking Tour

Ghent, Belgium, is a city rich in history, culture, and art. Beyond its medieval architecture and picturesque canals, Ghent has a vibrant street art scene. Offering a unique way to explore the city. This walking tour takes you on a journey through the city’s most stunning murals. Starting at the main train station at Gent-Sint Pieters and weaving through Ghent’s charming streets. With detailed overviews, walking times, and nearby attractions, this guide takes it all in.

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Tour Overview

• Starting Point: Gent-Sint-Pieters Station
• Duration: ~ 4-5 hours (including breaks and time to admire the murals)
• Total Walking Time: ~ 2 hours 45 minutes
• Route Highlights: 17 stunning murals, historical landmarks, parks, and local attractions.

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1. Gent-Sint-Pieters Station

• Address: Koningin Maria Hendrikaplein, 9000 Ghent
• Overview: Begin the tour at Ghent’s main train station, Gent-Sint-Pieters. Built in 1912, the station combines Art Nouveau and eclectic architectural styles. The intricate stained-glass windows depict scenes of Belgian heritage, whilst inside the detailed mosaics narrate stories of travel and connection. Its grand dome is an iconic feature, symbolizing the city’s historic importance as a transport hub. Take some time to explore its spacious halls, ornate details, and bustling atmosphere. Then step out to explore the must see street art of Ghent.
• Next Stop: ROA: GUM Mural
• Walking Time: 15 mins

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2. ROA: GUM Mural

• Address: Karel Lodewijk Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium
• Mural Overview: Renowned Ghent-based artist ROA creates intricate black-and-white murals of animals. The artist is fascinated by anatomy as well as just having a fascination for life. Created in 2020 it can be found on the Ghent University Museum (GUM) wall. He has in the past described the work as one of his most complex walls. Meticulous and full of detail it features four intersecting animal skeletons. All positioned along the length of the wall.
• Nearby Attractions: Citadelpark houses the Museum of Fine Arts (MSK) and (SMAK) the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art. The botanical gardens are just on the edge of the park as part of the Ghent University Museum (GUM).
• Next Stop: A Squid Called Sebastian: The Archive
• Walking Time: 10 mins

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3. A Squid Called Sebastian: The Archive

• Address: Voetweg 6, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: A man in a mask scrabbles on the floor amidst a floor full of papers. He is holding a magnifying glass as if trying to find something. Created in 2012 the papers represent the archive of the liberal workers union which is situated in the building.
• Nearby Attractions: Walk along the charming Overpoortstraat which leads to the square of Sint-Pietersplein
• Next Stop: Kitsune Jolene: Listen to your momma, darling
• Walking Time: 6 mins

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4. Kitsune Jolene: Chrysalis & Huidhonger

• Address: Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 111, 9000 Gent, Belgium
• Mural Overview: Two smaller pieces quite close to each other in little alcoves. Both works are reflections on the lockdown experience and created in 2020. Chrysalis shows a woman curled up in blanket at home. It’s a kind of chrysalis and reflective of a transformative moment. A little further up Huidhonger shows two women embracing. It roughly translates to ‘touch starvation’ and is a reminder of the importance of human connection.
• Nearby Attractions:
• Next Stop: Listen to your momma, darling
• Walking Time: 11 mins

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5. Kitsune Jolene: Listen to your momma, darling

• Address: Pekelharing 19, 9000 Gent, Belgium
• Mural Overview: A black-and-white mural featuring a Fox and Fox cub. It emphasizes themes of family and care with the message “Listen to your momma, darling”. The idea for the mural and the name of the piece came from the artists own mother. She had told her that “you should just start to paint” and so Kitsune did just that. The delicate shading and intimate composition create an emotionally resonant piece.
• Nearby Attractions: Close to the River Leie you can look across to the grand facade of the Gerechtsgebouw or City Courthouse
• Next Stop: Bue the Warrior & Co
• Walking Time: 7 mins

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6. Bué the Warrior & Co

• Address: Wellingstraat 32, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: A collaborative bit of Ghent street art with the cities own Bue the Warrior, Alex, Billy and MernyWerner. Brimming with playful characters and bright colours. It showcases Bué’s cheerful style and the spirit of community. Each character tells a small story, celebrating togetherness and creativity in Ghent’s urban landscape.
• Nearby Attractions: Wellingstaat has a number of 16th century workers houses which can be explored.
• Next Stop: Fio Silva: Heron and Birds
• Walking Time: 14 mins

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7. Fio Silva: Heron and Birds

• Address: Jan Verspeyenstraat 54, 9000 Gent, Belgium
• Mural Overview: Visiting Ghent for the second time in 2024. Fio Silva is an Argentinian artist known for her depiction of birds. She has visited Ghent to paint street art before and has a number of other murals in the city. This mural was supported by local arts organisation Wallin.
• Nearby Attractions: Nearby is the Begijnhofkerk Sint-Elisabeth (Church of St Elisabeth) and the cute little ‘Begijnhofdriespark’
• Next Stop: Cee Pil: The Lion’s Den
• Walking Time: 7 mins

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8. Cee Pil: The Lion’s Den

• Address: Prinsenhof 12, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: The image of a bear intertwines with that of a lion. The mural remembers the historic Prinsenhof neighbourhood. Here there used to be a zoo with lions and bears. As in many medieval cities it would be a source of entertainment for them to fight each other.
• Nearby Attractions: The area of Prisenhof is full of history and takes its name from ‘Princes Court’. It was here that Emperor Charles was born in 1500. He was a man who had a difficult history with the citizens of Ghent and nearby plaques tell the story.
• Next Stop: Werregarenstraat (Graffiti Alley)
• Walking Time: 9 mins

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9. Werregarenstraat (Graffiti Alley)

• Address: Werregarenstraat, 9000 Ghent
• Mural Overview: Ghent’s iconic legal graffiti zone where artists showcase their talent. Each visit offers new surprises, with bold tags and intricate stencils covering the walls. Commissioned in 1996 as a legal graffiti spot. This was an attempt by the city to prevent graffiti from being painted elsewhere.
• Nearby Attractions: Werregarenstraat is in the middle of the historic city. Close by is the busy square of Groentenmarkt, the City Pavilion and the impressive Town Hall.
• Next Stop: Hyuro’s ‘Covering the Uncovered’
• Walking Time: 5 mins

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10. Hyuro’s “Covering the Uncovered”

• Address: Bij Sint-Jacobs 9, 9000 Gent, Belgium
• Mural Overview: A mural for the ‘OMG Van Eyck was here’ project. It features what appears to be two people standing with a patterned cloth over their head. The piece celebrates the brothers Van Eyck. Artists who are known their work called ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (1432)’. A piece which is also known as the Ghent Alterpiece. The cloth has white roses on it. A reference to the flowers, nature and decorated cloths found within the alterpiece.
• Nearby Attractions: Bij Sint-Jacobs Square and the Vrijdagmarkt are perfect for antiques and local food.
• Next Stop: Resto: Brutus & Goliath
• Walking Time: 14 mins

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11. Resto: Brutus & Goliath

• Address: Willem de Beersteeg 27, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: Resto’s cheerful mural depicts Brutus, a sly looking dog, alongside a blue hued Goliath. It’s a piece created for the 2016 Sorry Not Sorry Festival. It’s said that Brutus was modeled on an actual dog who lived in the house the mural was painted on. It’s a fun piece and one that highlights the artist’s signature childlike characters. All ultimately designed to bring smiles to passers by.
• Nearby Attractions: When you get to the mural take some time to look out over the nearby River Leie.
• Next Stop: A Squid Called Sebastian: The Traveler
• Walking Time: 8 mins

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12. A Squid Called Sebastian: The Traveler

• Address: Sleepstraat 80, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: Street art created for Ghent’s ‘Sorry Not Sorry festival’. It is representative of the traveling artist. Those wandering spirits of the street art scene who travel from city to city painting as they go.
• Nearby Attractions: Enjoy the walk along the River Neie prior tor turning onto the bustling Sleepstraat
• Next Stop: Nuno Viegas ‘Paper Planes’
• Walking Time: 5 mins

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13. Nuno Viegas ‘Paper Planes’

• Address: Désiré Fiévéstraat 20, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: In August and September 2017, Wallin‘ organized the ‘Graffiti Goldrush’ project. Inviting Portuguese artists to Ghent, while Belgian artists had the opportunity to work in Portugal. The first artist to visit Ghent was Nuno Viegas. It shows two paper planes against an orange background. The planes all containing Viegas’s tag ‘Metis’. It’s a mural which references an event in his hometown of Quarteira. When in 2002 a mixtape was produced which brought together local rap collectives. The tape was called ‘Compilação 8125 Vol.1’
• Nearby Attractions: A little further down the street you can see the 2014 collaboration between Erica il Cane and Bastardilla.
• Next Stop: Reskate ‘Boycott’ Mural
• Walking Time: 3 mins

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14. Reskate ‘Boycott’

• Address: Doornzelestraat 35, 9000 Gent
• Mural Overview: “Boycott” is a mural created by Reskate, a talented artist duo from Barcelona. It was painted for the 2024 Licht Festival in Ghent. It weaves together powerful historical narratives of rebellion and resistance. Echoing the spirit of the Revolt of Ghent in the 16th century. Then citizens defied Emperor Charles V by refusing to fund his war in Italy, an act still celebrated today. It also confronts the dark legacy of King Leopold II, whose brutal exploitation of Congo claimed around 10 million lives. Additionally, it nods to a modern victory for free speech. Uniquely, the mural can take on a different appearance when viewed through ultraviolet light.
• Nearby Attractions: Explore the nearby docks.
• Next Stop: Bisser: Neuzekes and Cuberdons (the Candy War)
• Walking Time: 7 mins

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15. Bisser: Neuzekes and Cuberdons (the Candy War)

• Address: Berouw 128, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: This playful mural was painted in 2017 and portrays a battle inspired by the ‘Neuzekes War’ in Ghent. The Neuzekes or ‘Cuberdons‘ are local sweets which are sold in the city. A local delicacy the sellers have a history of being notoriously competitive when selling their product. The sweets are conical shaped and also resemble ‘noses’. Hence the name ‘Neuzekes’ which actually means ‘little nose’. Bisser’s playful style shines through as he imagines the rivalries playing out. His exaggerated creatures have skins made of the sweet treats. Whilst one seems to be delighting in the conflict, the other appears to be throwing a tantrum.
• Nearby Attractions: Explore the nearby ‘World of Kina’ which is a natural history museum aimed for kids. If you don’t want to see the museum you could always explore the grounds.
• Next Stop: Kitsune Jolene – Homecoming
• Walking Time: 5 mins

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16. Kitsune Jolene – Homecoming

• Address: Houtdoklaan 4, Gent
• Mural Overview: Featuring a robin and a portrait of fellow artist Rose George. This mural reflects Kitsune’s own experiences of traveling internationally before returning to her home city.
• Nearby Attractions: Explore the local streets in this dock region. Enjoy the walk the next mural along the water.
• Next Stop: Dzia – Octopus
• Walking Time: 11 minutes

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17. Dzia – Octopus

• Address: Houtdoklaan 4, Gent
• Mural Overview: A giant purple Octopus painted onto a huge shipping crane. It is an impressive site against the backdrop of the old docks. It was created for the cities 2024 Asfalt Festival.
• Nearby Attractions: The mural is accessed via a walk along the river and through the old docks. Enjoy the nature and the history of Ghent’s shipping past.
• Next Stop: Super A – The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
• Walking Time: 10 minutes

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18. Super A – The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

• Address: Australiëstraat, 9000 Gent, België
• Mural Overview: Super A is the alter ego of Dutch street artist Stefan Thielen. Known for his strikingly realistic murals of fantasy figures. He has cemented his place as a leading force in the Dutch street art scene. While many recognize Super A for his vivid bird imagery. He decided to take a different approach for Ghent, this time, focusing on horses. It was created for the ‘Sorry Not Sorry Festival 2017’.
• Nearby Attractions: Explore the old docks of Ghent and the nature of the area. There are also a number of other murals to be seen nearby.
• Next Stop: No more stops. There are plenty of buses here so take one back to the city and enjoy the rest of Ghent.

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Explore Street Art in Ghent with Street Art Cities

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The Street Art of Ghent was visited between 20-24 February 2025. All murals were visited and explored during this time. Big thanks to David Holdsworth, Ferdinand Feys and the street art cities platform for their help in creating this article.

For more reading about Ghent take a look at…

• Blocal Blogs Guide to Ghent Street Art
• Visit Gents – Street Art in Ghent
• Street Art Cities – Map of Ghent

For more Inspiring City articles you will like, take a look at…

• All the Murals of the 2024 London Mural Festival
• Where to Find Street Art in Oviedo
• The Best Murals to see in Lisbon
• Street Art to see in the Marvila District of Lisbon