It’s not just Tomorrowland that gets Boom moving! At the heart of the De Schorre park – which just happens to be in Boom – seven wooden giants watch over visitors. These forest trolls invite us to experience a fairytale immersion just 45 minutes’ drive from Brussels! Designed by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these mythical creatures are made from recycled materials. Follow us, we’ll take you for a ride.
Forest trolls: recycled wood sculptures that tell the tale of an ecological epic
Coming to life among the trees of the De Schorre estate, these monumental wooden trolls seem to have stepped straight out of a Nordic tale. Made from pallets, branches and recycled materials, these giants, ranging from 7 to 18 metres in height, embody the union between art and nature. Artist Thomas Dambo, a former rapper with a passion for folklore, mobilized 200 volunteers over a 25-week period to fashion these sylvan guardians.
Each creature has its own story, revealed by poems engraved on surrounding stones. We meet Kamiel, the masked troll who changes face daily. Nora, the youngest of the clan, still shy with her wagging tail. These installations, designed for the 15ᵉ anniversary of the Tomorrowland festival, carry an ecological message: “Little humans must learn to share the Earth”. A philosophy that particularly resonates in this venue dedicated to electronic music. From now on, ephemeral art will rub shoulders with eternal works!
A walk in search of mysterious creatures
Only the most curious among you will find the seven trolls scattered across the 30-hectare park. The challenge? Spot Una and Joures lying in the grass, Arvid carving ancestral trunks, or Hannes working on giant beads. Armed with an interactive map (available via QR code at the entrance), visitors set off on their quest with one instruction: respect the silence of the woods so as not to disturb the giants’ peace and quiet.
This life-size treasure hunt appeals to families and recycled art enthusiasts alike. Between fantasy and ecology, the trolls of Flanders offer an enchanted interlude just 30 minutes from Brussels. These wooden sentinels remind us that magic exists when we dare to leave the beaten track!