Utrecht has many beautiful murals and many talented artists. You will find graffiti and enormous murals in all neighborhoods, with more being added every week. But where exactly are the beautiful walls and what is the story behind them? We looked all that up for you. And put ten paintings in the spotlight and you can view them yourself with our route map. You will get to know the city in a surprising way while walking or cycling.
1. Janisdeman
The well-known Utrecht street artist Jan Heinsbroek created this enormous mural of a bookcase under the name Janisdeman in 2019. It was a worldwide hit on social media and after this Jan painted many other bookcases in various countries. The contents of the cupboard were created in collaboration with local residents. They all handed in their favorite books, which the artist then painted on the wall together with Deeffeed. They used spray cans for this work. Janisdeman Mimosastraat/Amsterdamsestraatweg, Utrecht North-West
2. De Strakke Hand
The Sleeping Mars by Hendrick ter Brugghen (1629) is part of the ‘Dutch Masters’ series. The Centraal Museum took the initiative for these murals to raise awareness of the paintings from their collection. The artist collective De Strakke Hand painted these. They are known for their immense replicas of paintings on walls. This painting can actually be seen in the museum. De Strakke Hand Westplein, Utrecht Lombok
3. De Verfdokter
This beautiful mural at the Ondiep health center was made by the Utrecht artist Robert-Jan Brink, also known as the Paint Doctor. He painted this wall on behalf of two general practitioners who were retiring and wanted to give a gift to the neighborhood. Symbols have been incorporated into the mural that refer to the practices in the center. Such as the esculapian, stethoscope, medicinal herbs and the physiotherapy doll. The Paint Doctor painted with brushes and paint. De Verfdokter Boerhaveplein, Utrecht Ondiep
4. Philipp Jordan
Philipp Jordan is the creator of this special work. The originally German artist also calls himself Teddies in Space and once came to Utrecht to study at the art academy. His source of inspiration is his childhood. That is why you see many teddies, rockets and fantasy animals in his works. The surface is often dark with leaves and flowers sprayed over it with aerosols. Teddies in Space, Hopakker, Utrecht
5. Roald van den Broek
The tattoo and graffiti artist Roald van de Boer made this mural in the Bloemenbuurt in consultation with local residents. It was his largest work to date. He has been writing graffiti since he was 15 and now he mainly makes tattoos, this work is a perfect combination of his two talents. Roald van den Broek 2de Daalsedijk, Utrecht North-West
6. Munir de Vries
In 2017, Munir de Vries made this special wall on Croeselaan. You will see various buildings from the area incorporated here, such as the main building of the Rabobank, also known as the binoculars. Local residents have contributed ideas about this painting and have also been incorporated into it. Munir de Vries Croeselaan, Utrecht Dichterswijk
7. Pipsquaek was here
What a spectacle this mural is! You really need some time to look at it all properly. The Amsterdam artist duo Pipsqueak was here, made it for the hip restaurant LE:EN, which is just around the corner. In their work you often see a child interacting with an animal. They often stare directly at you, which makes you aware and therefore responsible for each other. The backgrounds are full of small images and words. The figures and texts are applied with stencils. Pipsqueak was here Utrecht Rotsoord
8. Daniel Roozendaal
Illustrator Daniel Roozendaal designed and painted this beautiful mural in 2015 along the Tour de France route. That year it started from Utrecht. You see the two Dutch yellow jersey winners; Joop Zoetemelk and Jan Janssen. The cyclists passed this enormous painting and the image was seen on television all over the world! Daniel graduated from the University of the Arts in Utrecht. Daniel Roozendaal, Thomas a Kempisweg, Utrecht
9. Aafke Bouman
Aafke Bouman made this mural ‘Night Tour’ in Molenstraat in 2022, which refers to the Corona time. The many walks through the city were her inspiration for this beautiful work. Aafke graduated cum laude from the HKU in 2017 and works as an illustrator. She made this work for the City Canvas project, in honor of the celebration of Utrecht’s 900th anniversary. Aafke Bouman Molenstraat, Utrecht Center
10.KBTR
‘Last but not least’ we would of course mention the famous Utrecht KBTR. You will encounter this doll throughout the city and should of course not be missing from our list. Here you see the KBTR on a bird, like in the Niels Holgerson cartoon series. Of course he’s sitting on a goose because of the street he’s painted on. KBTR Gansstraat, Utrecht
Of course, this is just a small selection of the many great murals in Utrecht. Be sure to follow us on our Instagram page @streetartutrecht for many more beautiful things.
Would you like to admire Utrecht street art yourself?
STREET ART TOUR (WITH GUIDE)
from €14,50 p.p.
Accompanied by a guide, you will discover many beautiful murals and interesting graffiti while walking or cycling through the city. Along the way, the guide will tell you all about the works of art and their creators.
STREET ART MAP
€12,50
Discover a lot of beautiful street art in Utrecht with our fun digital street art map. Download it directly on your phone and go out when it suits you. Along the way you will learn everything about the works of art you encounter.
