Brande: Murals, Cultural Venues and Routes

Brande brings together a history of public art, cultural venues, church architecture and routes of varying lengths. This gives the city several concrete starting points when planning a trip: the large-scale gable murals, a historic locomotive workshop now used for events, a range of church buildings and walking routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Brande, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your stay.

Public Art

The Gavlmalerierne in Brande were created in the summer of 1968 after several months of work, resulting in 23 colourful, large-scale works of art. Brande was named Årets By (Town of the Year) in 1969, in part because of the Gavlmalerierne. Public art has been a characteristic feature of the city ever since. The murals were originally conceived as an open-air gallery with no fixed opening hours.

Another way to explore the city’s cultural history is RemisenBrande, a historic locomotive workshop. The old roundhouse was fully renovated and inaugurated in 2006. Today, it provides a venue for conferences and cultural events throughout the year. The two cultural attractions offer different perspectives: the murals can be understood through their date of creation and the 1969 award, while RemisenBrande tells the story of its former use as a workshop and its current role.

Churches and Architecture

Brande Baptist Church has unusual, unconventional architecture and numerous symbols. Discarded materials such as fieldstones, glass and rough-hewn wood were used in the entrance area. Brande Church offers another architectural point of interest: it is located in the centre of Brande, is originally Romanesque and was later extended. This sequence is important to the building’s history: its Romanesque origins and later extensions belong to different construction phases.

Routes and River History

For outdoor plans, there are two routes to choose from, with different lengths and details on how they can be used. The Branderuten is about 18 km long, can be walked and is marked along the route with pictograms on posts. The Hjertestien in Brande was established by the Danish Heart Association, is about 7 km long and can be used for both walking and cycling. The figures make it easy to compare the routes: the Branderuten is longer, while the Hjertestien also offers the option of a bike ride. If needed, check local trail conditions and signage before setting out.

The Brande Å also gives the area a distinctive landscape feature: it winds through Brande and flows into the Skjern Å at the northern edge of town. The oldest watermills on the Brande Å were Stampen and Langkær Mølle; both ground grain for the region’s farmers. This adds the river’s historic agricultural use to the area’s stories of routes and art.

Discover more destinations: Smedebæk, Hampen, Engesvang, Ejstrupholm, Nørre Snede.

For an overview of the wider area: Ikast-Brande Municipality.