Queen Ziggy, Bristol

Picture it鈥擝ristol, 2012. The bunting鈥檚 barely hung for the Diamond Jubilee when, overnight, a certain wall on Upper Maudlin Street acquires a new sovereign. Not the sort you鈥檒l find on coins, but a monochrome Queen Elizabeth II, crown polished, pearls gleaming鈥� and a bolt of red and blue lightning slicing across her face. It鈥檚 a clear nod to Bowie鈥檚 Ziggy Stardust鈥攔oyalty meets glam rock, all in one sideways glance. Locals dubbed her 鈥淨ueen Ziggy,鈥� and while Banksy never stepped forward to claim parentage, the timing, wit, and Bristol postcode all pointed in his direction.

The spot itself has a past鈥攊t鈥檚 no stranger to Banksy鈥檚 handiwork鈥攁nd it sits right by the Grand Appeal charity, fundraising lifeline for the Children鈥檚 Hospital next door. The mural鈥檚 arrival sparked a flurry of interpretations. Was it a love letter to the Queen, a pop-culture mash-up, or a cheeky riff on power and celebrity? Maybe all three. After all, Bowie and the monarchy have each ruled their own kingdoms鈥攋ust not usually on the same wall.

For the wandering visitor, Queen Ziggy isn鈥檛 background scenery鈥攊t鈥檚 an unmissable flash of personality in the city鈥檚 visual conversation. That lightning bolt, cutting through the grey, has a way of pulling you up short, reminding you that Bristol鈥檚 walls don鈥檛 just host art鈥攖hey throw opinions, jokes, and sly winks into the street. Here, tradition doesn鈥檛 gather dust; it gets remixed with a soundtrack, a splash of colour, and the sort of irreverence that refuses to fade.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Queen Ziggy
Sight Location: Bristol, England (See walking tours in Bristol)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Banksy Tour in Bristol

Walking Tours in Bristol, England

Create Your Own Walk in Bristol

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bristol is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Bristol Introduction Walking Tour

If you listen closely, Bristol doesn鈥檛 just speak鈥攊t mutters, shouts, and occasionally winks. This southwest city in England has been shaping itself for over a thousand years, starting as a settlement where the rivers Frome and Avon meet. Long before that, the surrounding hills hid Iron Age hillforts and Roman villas. Its name, Brycgstow in Old English, meant 鈥減lace at the bridge鈥濃€攁... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Famous Bristol Statues Walking Tour

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The... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles

Banksy Tour in Bristol

Bristol wears its street art like a second skin鈥攍ayered, loud, and impossible to ignore. In the middle of this visual conversation is a figure who went from spray-painting in the shadows to shaping the way the world looks at graffiti: Banksy. Growing up here in the 1970s, he first made his mark in the late 鈥�80s and early 鈥�90s with crews like the DryBreadZ Crew, working freehand under cover... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.9 Km or 4.3 Miles

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