Do you love looking for imaginative street art? We certainly do, and when we visited Düsseldorf, we discovered an entire street of graffiti to explore – Kiefernstrasse. You gotta see it!
One of the highlights of our weekend getaway to Düsseldorf was taking a walk after breakfast down the famous graffiti street called Kiefernstrasse.
Sometimes contested, other times dissident, Kiefernstrasse has always been known for its creative and artistic residents.
A Brief History of Kiefenstrasse
The apartment blocks where you find this vibrant street art were built in the early 1900s for workers of the local steelworks. After the business closed, the buildings were left to the city.
The plan, originally, was to bulldoze it and develop it into an industrial district. Somehow, this was waylaid in the late 1970s, and the city started placing immigrant families into the apartments, which were far below normal standards.
At the same time, squatters started to move in, and the city kept trying to get rid of them, but the people who lived there were resilient. Only living on the left side of the street, the odd-numbered addresses, they began to make it their own.
In the 1980s, the residents started painting the apartment blocks with elaborate graffiti, attracting artists to its community.
After a turbulent history with the city, Düsseldorf decided to embrace the culture and art of Kieferenstrasse and now advertises it proudly.
All along the street, you will find framed newspaper clippings and information about the buildings, the history, and the people.
Our Rating
As far as streets dedicated to graffiti, this is one of the best ones we’ve visited. It was easy to find, and better yet, all the houses are grouped together in one short part of the street, so you’re not walking a long way between them.
I love that the city has finally acknowledged this vibrant community, and now it’s such a popular place to go.
Conclusion
Kiefernstrasse is just a road—a road waiting for you to enjoy its vibe, its culture, its joie de vivre.
There’s nothing like a free art walk after a good breakfast in a new city. Try it.
Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.