Graffiti Street, Graffiti pedestrian alley in Ghent, Belgium
Graffiti Street, officially called Werregarenstraat, is a narrow alley in the center of Ghent, running between Hoogpoort and Onderstraat, with walls covered floor to ceiling in spray-can art. The alley is short and tight, so both sides of the walls can be taken in at the same time while walking through.
At some point the city of Ghent began to officially tolerate this alley as a free zone for graffiti, turning what had been an ordinary back street into a recognized space for street art. Since then, artists from across the region have come here and painted over the walls again and again.
The alley's official name is Werregarenstraat, but everyone calls it Graffiti Street. Visitors walking through can sometimes catch artists at work, spraying new layers directly over older pieces, since no single work is meant to last forever.
The alley sits right next to the town hall and is easy to find on foot while exploring the center of Ghent. It has no barriers and is accessible for most visitors, though the passage is very narrow.
Some artists have recreated parts of the Ghent Altarpiece as graffiti here, translating a centuries-old painting into the language of the street. The contrast between the old city buildings on either side and the fresh spray paint makes the passage feel like an unlikely meeting point between two worlds.
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