Lodz is sometimes called Poland’s mural capital, and it’s hard to argue: large-scale paintings decorate the walls of more than 170 buildings here. Lodz murals make up an open-air gallery that you can visit for free and without queues – all you need is comfortable shoes and a fully charged phone.
We’ve put together a trail that runs from Manufaktura via plac Wolności (Liberty Square) and Pomorska Street to the southern part of Piotrkowska Street, with an extra stop for keen walkers. At the end, we suggest how to turn a day of murals into an evening everyone will be talking about.
Why Lodz is a city of murals
Many of the city’s murals were created during the Urban Forms Gallery Festival and the International Graffiti Festival. At the invitation of the Urban Forms foundation, artists came here from all over the world – including Spain, Brazil, Chile and Portugal – and painted alongside artists from Poland. But this urban gallery isn’t only about paint: you’ll also find installations made of metal rods, car parts, pieces of mirror and even moss.
The Lodz murals trail – 9 stops
1. Manufaktura – the mural by Mikołaj Rejs
Start at the former Poznański factory, home to a mural by Mikołaj Rejs. It’s a good warm-up before a longer walk, and you can have breakfast or a coffee at one of the places on the Manufaktura market square.
2. Plac Wolności and Pasaż Róży
From Manufaktura it’s less than 20 minutes on foot to plac Wolności. At Piotrkowska 3, step into Pasaż Róży (Rose’s Passage). It isn’t a mural but an installation by Joanna Rajkowska made of pieces of mirror – still, it’s hard to leave it out of any trail of street art in Lodz.
3. Pomorska 67 – Love Letter by Aryz
From plac Wolności, turn into Pomorska Street and head east. At number 67 you’ll find Love Letter by the Spanish artist Aryz, who left several works in Lodz. Stand on the opposite side of the street – up close, it’s hard to take in the whole wall.
4. Pomorska 79 – The Second Life of the Factory
Less than 200 metres further on, at number 79, you’ll see Drugie życie fabryki (The Second Life of the Factory) by AndrzejPoprostu. The title suits the whole city perfectly, as its old spinning mills have been turned into museums, cultural centres, restaurants and flats.
5. Rewolucji 1905 r. 58 – the mural by takie.pany
Just nearby, at Rewolucji 1905 r. 58, the takie.pany collective commemorated the Lodz uprising during the 1905 Revolution. It’s a good example of how murals in Lodz don’t just decorate walls but also tell the story of the city.
6. Sienkiewicza and Traugutta – Artur Rubinstein
Now head south-west to the junction of Sienkiewicza and Traugutta streets. Here the Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra painted a portrait of Artur Rubinstein, the outstanding pianist born in Lodz. Rubinstein is also commemorated by a monument with a piano on Piotrkowska Street, so it’s easy to make a little Rubinstein detour.
7. Piotrkowska 152 and Roosevelta 5
Go back to Piotrkowska Street and walk south along the promenade. At Piotrkowska 152 you’ll see a work by the Lodz group Design Futura – one of the first contemporary murals in the city, which made it into Guinness World Records and was for a time the largest graffiti in the world. Just around the corner, at Roosevelta 5, there’s a mural by the Brazilian twins Os Gemeos.
8. Strefa Piotrkowska 217
A few hundred metres further south, in the Strefa Piotrkowska 217 courtyard area, you’ll find a mural by the duo Zadek & Polak. It’s a good place to end the walking part of the trail and sit down for lunch or a coffee on Piotrkowska Street.
9. For keen walkers: Vhils and INTI
West of Piotrkowska, on the corner of Żeromskiego and Kopernika streets, the Portuguese artist Vhils didn’t paint a portrait – he carved it into the wall, and it’s one of the most unusual works in Lodz. Further out, in the Retkinia district at al. Wyszyńskiego 80, the Chilean artist INTI covered the wall of a tall block of flats with a mural known as I believe in goats. Public transport is the easiest way to get there.
A sample day of murals
- 10:00 – start at Manufaktura with a coffee and the Mikołaj Rejs mural,
- 11:00 – plac Wolności, Pasaż Róży and Pomorska Street,
- 13:00 – the Rubinstein portrait on the corner of Sienkiewicza and Traugutta,
- 14:00 – lunch on Piotrkowska Street, then Piotrkowska 152 and Roosevelta 5,
- 16:00 – Strefa Piotrkowska 217, or a trip out to the works by Vhils and INTI,
- 20:00 – two hours on a private tram.
Practical tips
- Length of the trail – the walking part from Manufaktura to Strefa Piotrkowska 217 is about 6–7 km. With breaks for photos and coffee, it takes half a day.
- Time of day – murals are best seen and photographed in daylight, so set off before noon.
- Map – you can download a map of the city’s street art from the website of Łódzka Organizacja Turystyczna (the Lodz Tourist Organisation).
- Respect the residents – many works decorate residential buildings, so don’t wander into private courtyards unless you need to.
- Bike – the more distant stops are easy to link up by bike or scooter.
Murals by day, a tram by night
After a whole day on your feet, the best way to rest is on the move – on a private tram. Two hours with music, club lighting and only your group on board is the perfect end to a day of sightseeing. The ride can start from almost any tram stop; the route can take you, for example, near Manufaktura, along Kościuszki Avenue and past EC1, and it usually ends in the centre. A photo shoot by the murals followed by the tram also makes a great plan for a hen party in Lodz. We describe the other occasions – from birthdays to corporate events – on our TramParty Lodz page.
Frequently asked questions
How many murals are there in Lodz?
According to Łódzka Organizacja Turystyczna, murals decorate the walls of more than 170 buildings, which is why Lodz is described as the largest urban gallery in Poland. Many of the works were created during the Urban Forms Gallery Festival.
How much time do you need to see the murals?
Set aside half a day for the walking trail in this article. If you also want to see the works by Vhils and INTI, add time to get there by public transport or bike.
Can we book a tram party after sightseeing?
Yes. The tram can set off from almost any stop in Lodz, and we usually agree a final stop in the centre, near Piotrkowska Street. You’ll find the details and the enquiry form on our TramParty Lodz page.
Book your private tram party
After a day of murals, round off the evening with two hours on a private tram with music and club lighting. Send us an enquiry and we’ll prepare an offer.
