Street and Urban Art in Flensburg, Germany

Hi, it’s Tati again, this time we will be day tripping to Flensburg, the most northern City of Germany, close to the Danish border. 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰

The cute little historical harbor also holds a little museum.

Flensburg’s City Center: Small cobblestone streets and old merchant houses.

Nordtor at the end of Norderstraße close to the Phänomenta Museum.

The city up in the very North belonged to Denmark until 1864. (Fun fact: Large parts of northern Germany used to be Danish - up to the district of Altona in Hamburg - which now holds a lot of Street Art. ;-) The Danish minority in Flensburg still holds political power, (Süd-Schleswiger-Wählerverband, SSW)  and is granted to send deputies to the parliament of Schleswig-Holstein. 

Another remarkable thing about the 90.000 inhabitant town is that it is home to one of the strongest Handball teams in the German Bundesliga (highest National League), the SG Flensburg-Handewitt. They won the German Championship three times and even the Champions League in 2014. 

Two birds with one stone: Tourist Info and Merch Store of the successful handball team SG Flensburg-Handewitt. 

I started my Street Art stroll right from the Main Station - basically it is almost all the way straight towards Nordstraße where the majority of the art works are located. Urbanshit collected a nice map overview here (but be warned: some of the art works vanished already ;-).

Street Art in Flensburg: Danish-German Open Air Gallery

In 2024 the NORD:SYD - an open air gallery showcasing both Danish and German artists (and one Austrian one, to be precise) has been curated for the first time. 

Among the artists are Frida Stiil Vium (DK), Stine Hvid (DK), Kim Grambow (DK), N.M. Katzenmalerin (DE) (we will take a closer look at the wonderful Cat Painter a little later in the article), Tona (DE), TABBY (AUT).

Darth Vader in a Suit by Tabby. Idk it somehow gives me Donald Trump Vibes and shudders. What do you feel when you see it?

Loved the mural of KIM  - the flower child basically asked for a selfie - see! ;-)
Check out how the art work came to be on the artist’s Instagram. 

Beyond Street Art in Flensburg: Venturing into New Hobbies

As you might have guessed from my past article on Street Art in Lüneburg, I have a thing for horses. So, no surprise, I couldn’t go past this shop window without taking a picture.

Spoiler: I may have found a new hobby now next to Street Art Hunting - Hobby Horsing! 

It is a fun sport where people take a broom or a hobby horse and their wild imagination to create horse like movements. 

Urban Art in Flensburg: Flying Shoes

At the Norderstraße you will be able to spot a bunch of shoes high up in the sky: People created an artwork from the remainders of old railway cables and - you guessed it right - a lot of shoes.

Shoes, shoes, shoes as far as the eyes can see.

When I continued my walk, I also passed the Norderstraße 147  (Next to Norder 147)- here you’ll find a mural collection created by young international artists. 

Flower Welder of MC Rosey at Norder 147.

Fongpuiyann is a young artist from Hongkong (originally from Macau) he created this alien skeleton that gets chased by Koi carp.

The Ukrainian artist Katarse created a pink alien car at Norder 147.

Street Art in Flensburg: On a Cat Scavenger Hunt

Remember last time we did spot the ghosts in Lüneburg and I am happy to invite you in on yet another spotting game: In Flensburg you will be able to spot cats. To be precise, the aforementioned cats of N.M., who is an artist from Flensburg and is also known as the “Katzenmalerin” (Cat Painter).

Here are some of her works for you (and one other animal might have sneaked into the photo gallery as well - can you spot the reference?) 

Urban Art in Flensburg: Is it a muske-cat?

For sure, the mouse knows how to lead the way.

Urban Art in Flensburg: Caught in the Act - Cake loving Cat.

Urban Art in Flensburg: Caught in the act! N.M.'s racoon is painting...a cat of course!

Urban Art in Flensburg: A cat sporting the "Friesennerz" - araincoat that just has to be part of the capsular wardrobe in Northern Germany.

Urban Art in Flensburg: This face expression - Grumpy Cat sure has some competition in Flensburg.

Urban Art in Flensburg: Apparently, the facade got a refresher, and the cat was allowed to stay.

Is this a homage to N.M ? Banksy-Style "Ceiling-Cat" by TABBY.

Nice tweak to the Flensburg Code of Arms: Instead of Lion N.M. put cats into the picture.

Street Art in Flensburg: A familiar Guest From Hamburg - Fraujule

On my stroll throughout the city I also came across a familiar artist from Hamburg: Fraujule.

Her powerful messages on plates are thought provoking and most of the time uplifting. More on her in my An Artsy Walk in Hamburg Post.

"Love is a word of action."

Open up your heart!

Riot + Love

After Street Art Spotting in need For a refuel?
Harbour Front and Plenty of Coffee Spots in Flensburg

Both the Nordstraße and the Harbour Area hold restaurants and cafés - some are more on the franchise side, others are more unique and owner-led. 

What made my hipster heart beat faster: I got to enjoy a matcha latte with pea milk and a yummy cheese cake in the sun at the Coffee Roastery and Café ONOMA. And it was just d-e-l-i-s-h!

The coffee spot can be found at a sunny backyard.

Street Art in Flensburg: Murals in the town’s North

Behind the Phänomenta and the Nordtor (Nordgate) the Old Town is fading out and one ventures in a more industrial, structurally challenged harbor area - Flensburg’s North.
But do not shy away, there is also some more Street Art in Flensburg to discover. 

Beautiful, sad mural from an unknown artist near the Lidl Parking Lot. To me it looks as if the pollution turned the water dark and now there is nothing left to drink anymore. What do you see? At https://maps.app.goo.gl/uxb7tzH2hs9cTSku5

Da Vinci inspired facade by an unknown artist.

Creative backyard stating: "We should never forget that rules and laws are nothing but experiments."

Mural Commission from Caro Pepe created for Latinaflensburg, a festival created by the Spanish Department of the University and organized by students only.

This building was turned into a street art canvas by the local association "Flensburger Norden" (Flensburg’s North). Their goal is to make small changes for the better - be it flower beds, book boxes or daily cleanups. Inspiring!

The art association “Kunst und Kulturbaustelle 8001” (Art and Culture Construction Sight 8001) is powered by volunteer work - the are hosting workshops, events and offer cultural space. At the Location “Ex-Sultan Market” one can admire murals 

Mural by Felix Graf at the Ex-Sultan Market's Facade.

Various unknown artists colored the walls of the cultural meeting space. This message made me smile: Flensburg loves you! <3

Political Mural by unknown artists at the Ex-Sultan Market. The woman vomits the toxic beliefs our society burdens on females.

I really liked how the artist integrated the windows into the art work! The blue creature reminds me a little of the colourful "Dia de Los Muertos" skulls from Mexico.

Street Art in Flensburg: Last but not least, I left a little piece of art behind

The pengu-brie sticker. I created the painting of a hybrid version of a penguin and colibri, thus the pengu-brie was born. It will from now on follow us anywhere and will leave some artsy traces behind. 

(Street) Art in Flensburg: Would you like to take a Deeper Dive? 

Due to time constraints, I was not able to meet up with our Flensburg-based subcultours artist Anastasia - yet she forwarded me her must-sees for an artsy Flensburg experience - besides her own subcultours workshop of course :-).

1. Museumsberg (Museum Hill) - wonderful to take a walk to and marvel at the two museums (who gave the name to the hill). Ideal also for families with kids. She highly recommends the guided tours.
   
   

2. The Yeah (Young Eccentric Art House) at Rote Straße - a super cool collective of artists running a concept store where you can buy ceramics, unique art works and wood works. Next to it you’ll find the Gallery Kruse, which is also offering contemporary art.
   
   

3. Her all-time favorite concept store is Mosa! at Norderstraße - the place to be when in need of a flower bouquet or unique interior pieces. Cherry to the pie: It is neighboring the Coffee Shop "Isa Café" that sells homemade cakes and holds vegan + gluten-free options. 

Street Art in Flensburg: It’s a wrap - Flensburg, the pleasure was mine!

Now that we got to explore Urban Art and Street Art from various angles and collected many perspectives, I can only encourage you to go check out Flensburg yourselves! It is just about a 2 hour train ride from Hamburg and worth a visit for sure. And, because I did not get to do it, go see the Danish Border if you get the chance.

Until our next adventure - stay curious!

Love,

Tati

Author and PR professional Tatjana Büchler (Photo Credits: Sarah Buth)