Wall Poems of Leiden
Muurgedichten

Roses are red, violets are blue, if you’re also a lover of poetry, this romantic path of wall art is for you!

• Paint the town with beautiful words! This was the goal in 1992, when one vignette painted on a building blossomed into over 100 poems across the city of Leiden. Here’s how the story goes: On the 75th anniversary of popular Leiden literary magazine De Stilj, an idea was proposed to paint 20 poems from its founder (which may or may not have been approved by the city). After the first vignette went up, it was agreed to continue the art installation with famous works by Shakespeare, Rimbaud, Basho, and William Butler Yeats. The project was supposed to be complete in 2005 with poem 101, but since it’s gained the town so much attention they’ve continued to add more.
• Currently there are more than 110 poems to find across Leiden’s walls. Any bookworm will stand in awe of the beautifully hand-painted poems from some of history’s most beloved texts. That being said, this is definitely a great date spot for couples! Don’t miss it: Some of the stand out poems include the oldest known Dutch text by a Flemish monk circe 1100, a poem written in the South Sulawesi Buginese language, and a set of “shape poems.”
• The artwork is spread out over the small, but charming university town of Leiden. All of the wall poems are located in public spaces, so it’s completely free to visit. Guided group tours can be arranged for a specific price, which can range from a short walk in the heart of the city to an extensive 2 ½ hour bike ride. You can find out about the private tours by emailing You can also totally explore the walls on your own! Download an interactive map with all the poem locations, or follow one of the various walking or cycling routes provided by Muurgedichten’s website. Tip: Make sure you’ve got Google Translate handy, as the poems are all written in their native languages!