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Brussels comic strip, a walk through the murals

The comic strip route, an extraordinary cultural visit in Brussels

According to some estimates, Belgium would be the only country to have as many comics artists per square kilometer as any other country in the world … In 1991, the communal authorities and the Belgian center of comics have undertook the project of creating a Brussels comic strip trail.

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Initially, this project allowed to hide some gables or walls of the city while claiming from its inhabitants and visitors, its place as world leader in the capital of comics. Soon, the project grew. Today, Brussels has a little more than forty frescoes in the extreme center and a dozen, hidden in some neighborhoods, off the beaten track. Brussels comic strip trail .

Find all the addresses of each fresco on the map at the bottom of the article.Brussels comic strip .

The wall called BD Broussaille was the first to be realized, it was inaugurated in July 1991 and measures a little more than 45 m². Brussels comic murals.

The first of his murals was Broussaille, created in 1991 (the current version dates from 1999) – Photo credit: JP Martel

Comics have always been a source of pride for Belgium, with a little over 700 comic book authors, the country is in first place far ahead of many countries. In Brussels, visitors can not miss out on this national pride, here the comics are anchored like nowhere else in this world! Specialized shops, museums, statues, murals, art is everywhere in the Belgian capital!Brussels comic strip .

The history of comics in Brussels dates back to the 1929s with the first drawings of Hergé and his famous adventurer better known as Tintin . Some magazines are booming at this time thanks to Disney characters published in the Journal of Mickey, or to superheroes.

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Unfortunately during the Second World War, it is increasingly difficult to import American comics, so many artists will embark on comics by creating their own heroes and their own stories. Over the next 50 years, the comic strip has grown considerably, supported by dozens of publishers, becoming a market in its own right over the years.

Today, some Franco-Belgian series like Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Asterix or Tintin are a worldwide success!

This worldwide renown allows the city of Brussels to welcome thousands of visitors to discover the comic strip route. This atypical visit is worth the detour even if you are not a big fan of comics, it allows to know more about the cultural wealth of the country but it is also a very good way to discover the Belgian capital in a fun way!

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Photo credit: Visit Brussels

Here is an interactive map of all the comic strip murals and their locations:

Brussels’ comic strip .

Camille L.

Passionate about foreign languages, cooking and writing. I wish to share with you the places, the meetings and the gastronomic discoveries which gave relief to my travels.
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