Brussels Bruxelles (French) Brussel (Dutch)
The Grand Place / Grote Markt
Coat of arms
Nickname: Europe's capital, Comic City [1]
Location of Brussels in Belgium and the EU
Coordinates: 50°50′48″N 4°21′9″E / 50.84667, 4.3525
Country	Belgium
Founded	979
Founded (Region)	June 18, 1989
Government
- Municipality Mayor	Freddy Thielemans
Area
- Region	161. The symbols of the Brussels include the flag and the emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region, both depicting the Iris pseudacorus (yellow iris a flower native to the A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. Brussels ( Belgium) is considered to be the de facto Capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the Institutions The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The City of Brussels ( French: Bruxelles-Ville or Ville de Bruxelles, Dutch: Stad Brussel) is the largest Municipality of This is a list of Mayors or Burgomasters of the City of Brussels. Freddy Thielemans (born September 11, 1944 in Laeken) is a Belgian socialist politician and since 2001 the current mayor of Brussels. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 0 km² (62. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 2 sq mi)
- Municipality	32. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The City of Brussels ( French: Bruxelles-Ville or Ville de Bruxelles, Dutch: Stad Brussel) is the largest Municipality of 6 km² (12. 6 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population (2007)
- Region	1,067,162
- Density	6,601/km² (16,391/sq mi)
- Metro	1,350,000
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Website: www.brussels.irisnet.be (region) www.brucity.be (municipality)

Brussels (French: Bruxelles, pronounced [bʁysɛl]; Dutch: Brussel, pronounced [ˈbrɵsəɫ]) is the largest city in Belgium, and the administrative heart of the European Union (EU). The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The City of Brussels in the Brussels-Capital Region is the country's capital. The City of Brussels ( French: Bruxelles-Ville or Ville de Bruxelles, Dutch: Stad Brussel) is the largest Municipality of ^[2] Brussels has grown from a 10th century fortress town founded by Charlemagne's grandson into a city of over one million inhabitants^[3][4]. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his

Brussels is also capital of the Brussels-Capital Region, of Flanders and of the French Community of Belgium. Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The French Community of Belgium (Communauté française de Belgique Franse Gemeenschap van België Französische Gemeinschaft Belgiens is one of the three official communities It is not, however, the capital of the Walloon Region (Wallonia), whose capital is Namur. The Walloon Region, commonly called Wallonia, is one of the three Regions of Belgium. Wallonia, or Wallonie, (Wallonie Wallonien Wallonië Waloneye is the Meridional part of Belgium belonging to the Romance linguistic field Namur ( Namen in Dutch, Nameur in Walloon, Namurcum in Latin) is a City and municipality in

Depending on the context, the word Brussels may mean the largest municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region officially called the City of Brussels (ca. The City of Brussels ( French: Bruxelles-Ville or Ville de Bruxelles, Dutch: Stad Brussel) is the largest Municipality of 140,000 inhabitants), the Brussels-Capital Region (1,067,162 inhabitants as of 1 February 2008) or, the metropolitan area of Brussels (ca. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common 1,350,000 inhabitants^[5]).

Brussels is often considered the de facto capital of the European Union, and hosts key EU institutions such as the Commission, Parliament and the Council. The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU The Council of the European Union is the principal decision making institution in the European Union (EU Hence, many other pan-European organisations are also headquartered in the city. NATO is also based in Brussels. The North Atlantic Treaty

Etymology

The name Brussels comes from the old Dutch Bruocsella, which means marsh (bruoc) and home (sella) or "home in the marsh".

History

Middle Ages

The origin of the settlement that was to become Brussels lies in Saint Gaugericus' construction of a chapel on an island in the river Senne around 580. Saint Gaugericus, in French Saint Géry (also known as Gorik Gau; in Walloon, Djèri) (ca Saint Gaugericus, in French Saint Géry (also known as Gorik Gau; in Walloon, Djèri) (ca The Zenne ^[6]

The official founding of Brussels is usually situated around 979, because Duke Charles transferred the relics of Saint Gudula from Moorsel to the Saint Gaugericus chapel in Brussels, located on what would be called Saint Gaugericus Island. Charles of Lorraine ( Laon, 953&ndash993 in Orléans) was the son of Louis IV of France and Gerberga of Saxony and younger brother of King Moorsel is a village in East Flanders, Belgium, a Deelgemeente of the city of Aalst. Saint Gaugericus Island (île Saint-Géry Sint-Gorikseiland was the largest Island in the Senne ( Zenne) River in Brussels, The Holy Roman Emperor Otto II gave the duchy of Lower Lotharingia to Charles, the banished son of King Louis IV of France in 977, who would construct the first permanent fortification in the city, doing so on that same island. The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states The Duchy of Lower Lorraine or Lower Lotharingia encompassed part of modern-day Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany west of the Rhine Charles of Lorraine ( Laon, 953&ndash993 in Orléans) was the son of Louis IV of France and Gerberga of Saxony and younger brother of King Louis IV ( 10 September 920 – 30 September 954) called d'Outremer or Transmarinus (both meaning "from overseas"

1555 map of the city

The county of Brussels was attributed to Lambert I of Leuven, count of Leuven around 1000. Lambert I of Leuven (The Bearded (born in Leuven, Belgium c950 died in Florennes, Belgium Sept 12, 1015 was the first Count of Leuven counts of Leuven and counts of Brussels were originally petty barons of the central region of Belgium. In 1047, his son Lambert II of Leuven founded the Saint Gudula chapter.

Because of its location on the shores of the Senne on an important trade route between Bruges and Ghent, and Cologne, Brussels grew quite quickly; it became a commercial centre that rapidly extended towards the upper town (St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral, Coudenberg, Zavel area. The Zenne Bruges (Brugge is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Ghent (ˈɡɛnt Gent ʝɛnt in Dutch, Gand in French, and formerly Gaunt in English) is a City and a Coudenberg or Koudenberg (older Dutch for cold hill) is a small hill in Brussels where the Palace of Coudenberg was built . . ), where there was a smaller risk of floods. As it grew to a population of around 30,000, the surrounding marshes were drained to allow for further expansion. The Counts of Leuven became Dukes of Brabant at about this time (1183/1184). The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184 The title " Duke of Brabant " was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of In the 11th century, the city got its first walls. ^[7]

After the construction of the first walls of Brussels in the early 13th century, Brussels grew significantly. In order to let the city expand, a second set of walls was erected between 1356 and 1383. The second walls of Brussels (tweede stadsomwalling seconde enceinte were a series of fortifications erected around the Belgian city of Brussels between 1356 Today, traces of it can still be seen, mostly because the "small ring", a series of roadways in downtown Brussels bounding the historic city centre, follows its former course. History In the 16th century Brussels had a second set of defensive walls built to accommodate the expanding city

In the fifteenth century, by means of the wedding of heiress Margaret III of Flanders with Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, a new Duke of Brabant emerged from the House of Valois (namely Antoine, their son), with another line of descent from the Habsburgs (Maximilian of Austria, later Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, married Mary of Burgundy, who was born in Brussels). Margaret of Dampierre ( 13 April 1350 &ndash 16/ 21 March 1405) was Countess of Flanders (as Margaret III) Countess Philip the Bold (Philippe le Hardi also Philip II Duke of Burgundy ( January 15, 1342, Pontoise &ndash April 27, 1404 See also France in the Middle Ages, Early Modern France Unexpected inheritance The Capetian dynasty seemed secure both during and Antoine of Burgundy (August 1384 &ndash October 25 1415, in the Battle of Agincourt) was Duke of Brabant Lothier and Limburg. Mary, called Mary the Rich ( 13 February, 1457 &ndash

Brabant had lost its independence, but Brussels became the Princely Capital of the prosperous Low Countries, and flourished. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt

Renaissance

Grand Place after the 1695 bombardment by the French army

Charles V, heir of the Low Countries since 1506, though (as he was only 6 years old) governed by his aunt Margaret of Austria until 1515, was declared King of the unified Spain, in 1516, in the Cathedral of Saint Gudule in Brussels. The bombardment of Brussels by French troops of King Louis XIV on August 13 14 and 15 1695 and the resulting fire were together the most destructive event in the Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

Upon the death of his grandfather, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor in 1519, Charles V became the new archduke of the Austrian Empire and thus the Holy Roman Emperor of the Empire "on which the sun does not set". Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states This article is about the history the use of this phrase For more general information see Empire, Imperialism and articles on the various historical entities It was in the Palace complex at Coudenberg that Charles V abdicated in 1555. Coudenberg or Koudenberg (older Dutch for cold hill) is a small hill in Brussels where the Palace of Coudenberg was built This impressive palace, famous all over Europe, had greatly expanded since it had first become the seat of the Dukes of Brabant, but it was destroyed by fire in 1731. All that remains is an archaeological site.

In 1695, French troops sent by King Louis XIV bombarded Brussels with artillery. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent The bombardment of Brussels by French troops of King Louis XIV on August 13 14 and 15 1695 and the resulting fire were together the most destructive event in the Together with the resulting fire, it was most destructive event in the entire history of Brussels. The Grand Place was destroyed, along with 4000 buildings, a third of those in the city. The reconstruction of the city centre, effected during subsequent years, profoundly changed the appearance of the city and left numerous traces still visible today. History In the 16th century Brussels had a second set of defensive walls built to accommodate the expanding city

Revolution

Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Wappers (1834)

In 1830, the Belgian revolution took place in Brussels after a performance of Auber's opera La Muette de Portici at De Munt or La Monnaie theatre. The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the Egide Charles Gustave Baron Wappers ( 23 August 1803 - 6 December 1874) was a well-known Belgian painter. The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the Daniel François Esprit Auber ( January 29, 1782 – May 13, 1871) was a French Composer. La muette de Portici ( The mute girl of Portici) originally entitled Masaniello ou La muette de Portici, is an Opera in five acts The Koninklijke Muntschouwburg ( de Munt) (Dutch, or le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie ( la Monnaie) (French (both meaning Royal Theatre The Koninklijke Muntschouwburg ( de Munt) (Dutch, or le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie ( la Monnaie) (French (both meaning Royal Theatre On July 21, 1831, Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, ascended the throne, undertaking the destruction of the city walls and the construction of many buildings. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leopold I ( Leopold George Christian Frederick (in German Leopold Georg Christian Friedrich) Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, later Following independence, the city underwent many more changes. The Senne had become a serious health hazard, and from 1867 to 1871 its entire urban area was completely covered over. Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity The covering of the Senne (voûtement de la Senne overwelving van de Zenne was one of the defining events in the history of Brussels. This allowed urban renewal and the construction of modern buildings and boulevards which are characteristic of downtown Brussels today. Urban Renewal (similar to Urban Regeneration in British English) is a controversial U

Modern history

The city has hosted various fairs and conferences, including the fifth Solvay Conference in 1927 and two world fairs: the 1935 world fair and the Expo '58. The International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry, located in Brussels, were founded by the Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay Expo 58, also known as the Brussels World’s Fair, Brusselse Wereldtentoonstelling or Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, was held from

Beginning on May 10, 1940, Brussels was bombed by the German army; however, most of the war damage to the city took place in 1944–1945. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The North-South Junction was built, completed in 1952. The North-South connection is a railway link through the centre of Brussels, Belgium, that connects the major national and international railway stations in the city The first Brussels premetro was finished in 1969, and the first line of the Brussels Metro was opened in 1976. Brussels Metro (Métro de Bruxelles Brusselse metro is a Metro system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. Brussels Metro (Métro de Bruxelles Brusselse metro is a Metro system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. The Heysel Stadium disaster took place in Brussels on May 29, 1985. The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred owing to Football hooliganism in which a retaining wall of the Heysel Stadium in Brussels collapsed on May 29 Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The Brussels Capital Region was founded on June 18, 1989. Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar)

The Grand Place is the main market square in Brussels. It is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The construction of the Brussels Town Hall in the middle was initiated in 1402. The Town Hall (French Hôtel de Ville, Dutch Stadhuis) of City of Brussels is a Gothic building from the Middle Ages

Geography

Climate

Political centre

Capital of Belgium

The Royal Palace of Brussels

Although some believe, wrongly, that the capital of Belgium is the entire Brussels-Capital Region, article 194 of the Belgian Constitution lays down that the capital of Belgium is the City of Brussels municipality. The Royal Palace of Brussels ( Dutch: Koninklijk Paleis van Brussel, French: Palais Royal de Bruxelles) is the official palace of the The Constitution of Belgium dates back to 1831 Since then Belgium has been a Parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of Ministerial ^[9] Arguments that article 194's use of lower case for "ville de Bruxelles" and "stad Brussel" makes a subtle difference and means that greater Brussels being represented as the capital cannot be legally defended.

However, although the City of Brussels is the official capital, the funds allowed by the federation and region for the representative role of the capital are divided among the 19 municipalities, and some national institutions are sited in the other 18 municipalities. Thus, while de jure only the City of Brussels is entitled to the title of capital city of Belgium, de facto the entire Region plays this role.

City of Brussels

Main article: City of Brussels

Brussels-Capital Region

 

City of Brussels

The City of Brussels is one of the municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region (the largest) and is the official capital of Belgium. The City of Brussels ( French: Bruxelles-Ville or Ville de Bruxelles, Dutch: Stad Brussel) is the largest Municipality of

Somewhat in the way that the City of London is different from London, the City of Brussels is different from Brussels. For London as a whole see the main article London. The City of London is a geographically London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. However, the expansion of the City of Brussels was frozen at a later stage than the City of London. As a result, in addition to the old centre of Brussels, the towns of Haren, Laeken and Neder-Over-Heembeek, as well as Avenue Louise/Louizalaan (a main shopping street, similar in design to the Parisian Champs Elysées) and the Bois de la Cambre/Terkamerenbos (the largest park in Brussels) are included within the limits of the City. Haren is the name of several places Haren (Groningen, province of Groningen Netherlands Haren (North Brabant, province of North Brabant Laken ( Dutch) or Laeken ( French) is a residential suburb in north-west Brussels ( Postal code: B-1020 Belgium. Neder-over-Heembeek is a northern part of the City of Brussels municipality in Belgium. Louizalaan ( Dutch) or Avenue Louise ( French) is one of the most important thoroughfares of Brussels. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (ʃɑ̃zeliˈze) is the most prestigious avenue in Paris. Ter Kamerenbos ( Dutch) or Bois de la Cambre ( French) is an urban public Park on the edge of the Sonian Forest in Brussels

Flanders and the French community

The Brussels-Capital Region is one of the three federated regions of Belgium, alongside Wallonia and the Flemish Region. Wallonia, or Wallonie, (Wallonie Wallonien Wallonië Waloneye is the Meridional part of Belgium belonging to the Romance linguistic field The Flemish Region ( Dutch: Vlaams Gewest) is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium alongside the Walloon Region Geographically and linguistically, it is a (bilingual) enclave in the (unilingual) Flemish Region. Regions are one component of Belgium's complex institutions, the three communities being the other component: the Brussels inhabitants must deal with either the French (speaking) community or the Flemish Community for matters such as culture and education. The French Community of Belgium (Communauté française de Belgique Franse Gemeenschap van België Französische Gemeinschaft Belgiens is one of the three official communities The term Flemish Community has two distinct though related meanings Culturally and sociologically it refers to Flemish organizations media social and cultural

Brussels is also the capital of both the French Community of Belgium (Communauté française de Belgique in French) and of Flanders (Vlaanderen); all Flemish capital institutions are established here: Flemish Parliament, Flemish government and its administration. The French Community of Belgium (Communauté française de Belgique Franse Gemeenschap van België Französische Gemeinschaft Belgiens is one of the three official communities Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The Flemish Parliament ( Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power The Flemish Government (Dutch Vlaamse Regering) is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region.

International centre

Brussels has become a significant centre for international institutions, notably those of the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The city also plays host to the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is based in the city along with 1000 other international organisations and 2000 international corporations. The North Atlantic Treaty Brussels is third in the number of international conferences it hosts^[10] also becoming one of the largest convention centres in the world. ^[5] The presence of the EU and the other international bodies has led to there being more ambassadors and journalists in Brussels than Washington D.C.. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ^[11] International schools have also been established to serve this presence. ^[5]

European Union

Main article: Brussels and the European Union

The European Commission in the Berlaymont building

Brussels is considered as the de facto capital of the European Union due to its history of hosting the EU's institutions, even though the EU has not declared any official capital city. Brussels ( Belgium) is considered to be the de facto Capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the Institutions The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. The Berlaymont (often nicknamed "the Berlaymonster" or "the beast" is a European governmental building in Brussels, Belgium. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union The city plays host to the official seats of the European Commission (in the Berlaymont building) and the Council of the European Union (in the Justus Lipsius building facing it). The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. The Berlaymont (often nicknamed "the Berlaymonster" or "the beast" is a European governmental building in Brussels, Belgium. The Council of the European Union is the principal decision making institution in the European Union (EU The Justus Lipsius building has been the headquarters of the Council of the European Union since 1995. ^[12][13] Furthermore three quarters of the work of the European Parliament takes place in the city at its Brussels hemicycle (its official seat is Strasbourg). The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU Espace Léopold ( French, commonly used in English or Leopoldruimte ( Dutch) is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels ( Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région ^[14]

Brussels began to host institutions in 1957, with the executives of the EEC and Euratom which were originally shared with Luxembourg but quickly met in Brussels for practical reasons. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom is an international organisation which is semi-independent of but completely controlled by the European Community The city of Luxembourg (Lëtzebuerg Luxemburg also known as Luxembourg City (Stad Lëtzebuerg Ville de Luxembourg Luxemburg Stadt is a commune with city In 1965 Brussels gained the right to host the merged Commission and Council, with some concessions to Luxembourg, and over the following years the Parliament established an increasing presence in Brussels, although was required to maintain its presence in Strasbourg by the treaties. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région ^[12][13] Between 2002 and 2004, the European Council also fixed its seat in the city. The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. ^[15]

Today the presence has increased considerably with the Commission alone occupying 865,000m² within the "European Quarter" in the east of the city. The concentration and density has caused concern that the presence of the institutions has caused a "ghetto effect" in that part of the city. A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure ^[16] However the presence has contributed significantly to the importance of Brussels as an international centre. ^[11]

Culture

Architecture

The Atomium in Heysel Park

The architecture in Brussels is diverse, and spans from the mediaeval constructions on the Grand Place to the postmodern buildings of the EU institutions. The Atomium is a monument built for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Postmodernism literally means 'after the modernist movement' While " Modern " itself refers to something "related to the present" the movement of modernism Brussels ( Belgium) is considered to be the de facto Capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the Institutions

Main attractions include the Grand Place, since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Gothic town hall in the old centre, the St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral and the Laken Castle with its large greenhouses. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Royal Castle of Laken is the official residence of the King of the Belgians. Another famous landmark is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace of Brussels ( Dutch: Koninklijk Paleis van Brussel, French: Palais Royal de Bruxelles) is the official palace of the

The Atomium is a symbolic 103-metre (338 ft) metre tall structure that was built for the 1958 World’s Fair. The Atomium is a monument built for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Expo 58, also known as the Brussels World’s Fair, Brusselse Wereldtentoonstelling or Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, was held from It consists of nine steel spheres connected by tubes, and forms a model of an iron crystal (specifically, a unit cell. In Mineralogy and Crystallography, a crystal structure is a unique arrangement of Atoms in a Crystal. The architect A. Waterkeyn devoted the building to science. Next to the Atomium is the Mini-Europe park with 1:25 scale maquettes of famous buildings from across Europe. Mini-Europe is a park located in Bruparck at the foot of the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium. This article is about the architectural or sculptural model For the Italian animator please see Bruno Bozzetto.

The Manneken Pis, a bronze fountain of a small peeing boy is a famous tourist attraction and symbol of the city. Manneken Pis ( Dutch for little man pee) also known in French as the petit Julien, is a very famous Brussels

Other landmarks include the Cinquantenaire park with its triumphal arch and nearby museums, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels Stock Exchange, the Palace of Justice and the buildings of EU institutions in the European Quarter. Jubelpark ( Dutch for "Jubilee Park" or Parc du Cinquantenaire ( French for "Park of the Fiftieth" pronounced /paʀk də sɛ̃kɑ̃tnɛʀ/ The Brussels Stock Exchange (BSE (Bourse de Bruxelles Beurs van Brussel was founded in Brussels, Belgium by Napoleonic decree in 1801 The Law Courts of Brussels or Brussels Palace of Justice ( Dutch: Justitiepaleis van Brussel, French: Palais de justice de Brussels ( Belgium) is considered to be the de facto Capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the Institutions

Cultural facilities include the Brussels Theatre and the La Monnaie Theatre and opera house. The Koninklijke Muntschouwburg ( de Munt) (Dutch, or le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie ( la Monnaie) (French (both meaning Royal Theatre There is a wide array of museums, from the Royal Museum of Fine Art to the Museum of the Army and the Comic Museum. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium ( French Les Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique; Dutch: Koninklijke Musea voor Schone The Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art (Dutch Belgisch Centrum voor het Beeldverhaal, french Centre belge de la Bande dessinée) chronicles the history of Brussels also has a lively music scene, with everything from opera houses and concert halls to music bars and techno clubs.

Cinquantenaire triumphal arch

The city centre is notable for its Flemish town houses. Jubelpark ( Dutch for "Jubilee Park" or Parc du Cinquantenaire ( French for "Park of the Fiftieth" pronounced /paʀk də sɛ̃kɑ̃tnɛʀ/ Also particularly striking are the buildings in the Art Nouveau style by the Brussels architect Victor Horta. Art Nouveau ( nu vo anglicised /ˈɑːt nuːvəu/ ( French for 'new art' also known as Jugendstil ( German for 'youth style' is an international Victor Baron Horta ( January 6 1861 - September 9 1947) was a Belgian Architect and designer In the heyday of Art Nouveau new Brussels suburbs were developed, and much buildings are in this style. The architecture of the quarter Schaerbeek, Etterbeek Ixelles, and Saint-Gilles is particularly worth seeing. Schaarbeek ( Dutch) or Schaerbeek ( French) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium Etterbeek is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. Elsene ( Dutch) or Ixelles ( French) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium Saint-Gilles is the name of several places most of them named after Saint Giles. Another example of Brussels Art Nouveau is the Stoclet Palace, by the Viennese architect Josef Hoffmann. The Palais Stoclet (French or Stocletpaleis (Dutch is a Mansion built in Brussels, Belgium between 1905 and 1911 for financier Adolphe For the Polish-American pianist see Józef Hofmann. Josef Hoffmann ( December 15, 1870 Brtnice The modern buildings of Espace Leopold complete the picture. Espace Léopold ( French, commonly used in English or Leopoldruimte ( Dutch) is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels (

The city has always had a great artist scene. The famous Belgian surrealist René Magritte, for example, studied in Brussels. René François Ghislain Magritte ( 21 November 1898 - 15 August 1967) was a Belgian Surrealist artist The city is also a capital of the comic strip; some treasured Belgian characters are Lucky Luke, Tintin, Cubitus, Gaston Lagaffe and Marsupilami. This article is about the comic book and TV series For the mobster see Lucky Luciano. This is about the comics series and its fictional dog character for the fore-limb joint see Elbow. Marsupilami is a Fictional Comic book animal created by André Franquin, first published on January 31, 1952 in the Throughout the city walls are painted with large motifs of comic book characters, and the interiors of some Metro stations are designed by artists. The Belgian Comics Museum combines two artistic leitmotifs of Brussels, being a museum devoted to Belgian comic strips, housed in the former Waucquez department store, designed by Victor Horta in the Art Nouveau style. The Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art (Dutch Belgisch Centrum voor het Beeldverhaal, french Centre belge de la Bande dessinée) chronicles the history of Victor Baron Horta ( January 6 1861 - September 9 1947) was a Belgian Architect and designer Art Nouveau ( nu vo anglicised /ˈɑːt nuːvəu/ ( French for 'new art' also known as Jugendstil ( German for 'youth style' is an international

The King Baudouin Stadium is a concert and competition facility with a 50,000 seat capacity, the largest in Belgium. See also Heysel Stadium disaster The King Baudouin Stadium (French Stade Roi Baudouin, Dutch Koning Boudewijnstadion The site was formerly occupied by the Heysel Stadium, which in 1985 saw one of the worst disasters in European football, when 39 deaths and over 400 serious injuries were suffered after English hooligans fell on Italian football fans, sparking a mass panic. See also Heysel Stadium disaster The King Baudouin Stadium (French Stade Roi Baudouin, Dutch Koning Boudewijnstadion

Arts

Brussels contains over 40 museums,^[17] including the Museum of Modern Art^[18], and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium ( French Les Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique; Dutch: Koninklijke Musea voor Schone The museum has an extensive collection of various painters, such as the Flemish painters like Brueghel, Rogier van der Weyden, Robert Campin, Anthony van Dyck, and Jacob Jordaens. Flemish painting flourished from the early 15th century until the 17th century Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c 1525 &ndash September 9, 1569) was a Netherlandish Renaissance Rogier van der Weyden, also known as Rogier de le Pasture (1399/1400 &ndash June 18, 1464) is with Jan van Eyck, considered one of the Robert Campin (c 1375 &ndash 26 April 1444) now usually identified with the artist known as the Master of Flémalle, is usually considered the first Jacob Jordaens ( May 19, 1593 - October 18, 1678) was one of three Flemish Baroque painters, along with Peter Paul Rubens

Gastronomy

Brussels is known for its local waffle type. A waffle is a light batter cake cooked in a Waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape

Brussels is known for its local waffle, its chocolate, its french fries and its numerous types of beers . A waffle is a light batter cake cooked in a Waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape Chocolate ( pronounced or /-ˈələt/ comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical Cacao tree French fries ( North American English; sometimes not capitalized chips ( British English) fries or French-fried potatoes (formal Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea The Brussels sprout was first cultivated in Brussels, hence its name. This article is about the plant For the pencil game see Sprouts (game.

The gastronomic offer includes approximately 1,800 restaurants, and a number of high quality bars. The Belgian cuisine is known among connoisseurs as one of the best in Europe. In addition to the traditional restaurants, there is a large number of cafés, bistros and the usual range of international fast food chains. The cafés are similar to bars, and offer beer and light dishes, coffee houses in the usual sense are the Salons de Thé. Also widespread are brasseries, which usually offer a large number of beers and typical national dishes.

The Belgian cuisine is characterized by the combination of French cuisine with the more hearty Flemish fare. Notable specialities include Brussels waffles (gaufres) and mussels (usually as "moules frites," served with fries). A waffle is a light batter cake cooked in a Waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape The common name mussel is used for members of several different families of Clams or Bivalve Molluscs, from both saltwater and freshwater habitats The city is a stronghold of chocolate and pralines manufacturers with traditional companies like Godiva, Neuhaus and Leonidas. Numerous friteries are spread throughout the city, and in tourist areas, fresh, hot, waffles are also sold on the street. A friterie (in French-speaking Belgium and some parts of Northern France or frituur or frietkot (in Flanders) is a traditional Chip

In addition to the regular selection of Belgian beer, the famous lambic style of beer is only brewed in and around Brussels, and the yeasts have their origin in the Senne valley. Lambic is a very distinctive type of Beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) In mild contrast to the other versions, Kriek (cherry beer) enjoys outstanding popularity, as it does in the rest of Belgium. Kriek is a style of Belgian Beer fermented with sour (also called Morello cherries. Kriek is available in almost every bar or restaurant.

Economy

Further information: Economy of Belgium

Serving as the centre of administration for Europe, Brussels' economy is largely service-oriented. Belgium belongs to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD and is one of the founding members of the European Community It is dominated by regional headquarters of multinationals, by European institutions, by various administrations, and by related services, though it does have a number of notable craft industries, such as the Cantillon Brewery, a lambic brewery founded in 1900. Cantillon Brewery (Brasserie-Brouwerij Cantillon is a small Belgian traditional family Brewery based in Brussels and founded in 1900 Lambic is a very distinctive type of Beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels)

Languages

Languages spoken at home (Capital Region, 2006)^[19]
     French only     French & Dutch     French w/ another non-Dutch language     Dutch only     Neither French nor Dutch

See also: Frenchification of Brussels

Originally a Dutch-speaking city, Brussels is nowadays officially bilingual French-Dutch. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname ^[20][21] French is the mother tongue of the majority of the population and the lingua franca. A lingua franca (from Italian, literally meaning Frankish language, see etymology under Sabir and Italian below is any Language widely Research in the city's archives shows that Dutch was by far the most widely used language in local administration until the French occupation (1793-1815),^[22] even though French had been the language of the local governors since the Burgundian era. See also Civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians The Burgundian party was a political allegiance in France that formed during the reign of ^[23] From 1880 on, more and more Dutch-speaking people became bilingual, resulting in a rise of monolingual French-speakers after 1910. Halfway through the 20th century the number of monolingual French-speakers carried the day over bilingual people. ^[24]

During the 19th century, as literacy progressed, most dialect-speakers turned to French rather than to Dutch as their language of culture. The main reasons for this were the higher prestige of the French language at the time (even the Flemish elites had adopted French), the perception that Dutch was the language of rural and poor Flanders and the fact that the Belgian administration was solely conducted in French. Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The education system was almost exclusively French-speaking, which hampered the spread of the Dutch standard language and contributed to low-class image of Dutch. ^[25] As a result, people would often speak a Dutch dialect in private but French in public occasions. Even today, it is not uncommon to meet (older) French-speaking "Bruxellois" who are unable to express themselves in standard Dutch but who speak or at least understand the Brabantian dialect. Standardization The first attempts on standardizing the Dutch language in the 1540s were based on the Brabantian dialect specifically that of Antwerp and its surroundings

A linguistic curiosity is Marols (Marollien), a variant of the Dutch dialect of Brussels heavily influenced by the Walloon of Liège, which used to be spoken mostly in the Marolles/Marollen, a central section of the city. Marols or Marollien was a Dialect spoken in Brussels. Essentially it is a Dutch Dialect incorporating many words of French Walloon ( Walon) is a Romance language spoken as a second language by some in Wallonia, Belgium. Liège (ljɛːʒ Older English: Luick, Walloon: Lidje, German: Lüttich; Latin: Leodium, Dutch Marolles ( French) or Marollen ( Dutch) is an ancient district of Brussels, situated between the Law Courts of Brussels (Palace of Justice Today, all Brussels dialects are on the verge of extinction. ^[26]

Nowadays, the Brussels Capital Region is officially bilingual French-Dutch. There are no official linguistic statistics since the State-run decennial linguistic census has been abolished after the fixation of the Belgian language border. A language border (also language boundary) is the line separating two Language areas The term is generally meant to imply a lack of Mutual intelligibility All studies carried out can only be estimations.

Manneken Pis is seen as a symbol of French and Dutch cohabitation in Brussels. Manneken Pis ( Dutch for little man pee) also known in French as the petit Julien, is a very famous Brussels ^[27]

As Brussels is the capital of a country of which 60% of the inhabitants are Dutch speakers, and the Brussels Region is completely surrounded by the Flemish region, it is logical that many Dutch speakers from the periphery come to the city for working, shopping and going out. So, although the lingua franca is French, knowledge of Dutch is considered highly desirable. ^[28] One of the consequences of this change of attitude towards the Dutch language is, for example, that most children in Dutch-speaking schools in Brussels do not speak Dutch at home. ^[29] Janssens estimates that 28. 23% of the population have a good to perfect knowledge of Dutch (either as a first or as a second language). For English this is 35. 4% and for French 95%, due to its role as lingua franca. ^[30][19]

The occasional imprecision of linguistic pairing can be quite amusing. Whilst some ancient streets have only their original Dutch name (e. g. Coudenberg), others were originally named in French and have had their later Dutch names revised. Coudenberg or Koudenberg (older Dutch for cold hill) is a small hill in Brussels where the Palace of Coudenberg was built For instance the Rue du Beau Site in Ixelles/Elsene bears two bilingual nameplates, the older giving, as the Dutch version, the hastily translated Schoon-Zicht Straat and the more recent giving the more idiomatic Welgelegenstraat. Elsene ( Dutch) or Ixelles ( French) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium Other such pairs are Regentiestraat/Regentschapstraat and Koopmansstraat/Koopliedenstraat.

Due to the city's growth beyond the limits of the Brussels Capital Region, the periphery, which is institutionally part of Dutch-speaking Flanders, has attracted a large French-speaking population. In some of the municipalities immediately bordering the Brussels Capital Region, the population became majority French-speaking during the second half of the 20th century, in a few cases currently numbering over 70%. This is one of the major sources of linguistic conflict in Belgium, particularly in the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde region. “Brussels judicial Arrondissement” redirects here Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (often abbreviated as BHV) is a Belgian electoral ^[31]

Education

Université Libre de Bruxelles

There are several universities in Brussels. The Université Libre de Bruxelles (or ULB) is a French -speaking University in Brussels A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects The two main universities are the Université Libre de Bruxelles, a French-speaking university with about 20,000 students in three campuses in the city (and two others outside),^[32] and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, a Dutch-speaking university with about 10,000 students. The Université Libre de Bruxelles (or ULB) is a French -speaking University in Brussels French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Flemish University located in Brussels, Belgium. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname ^[33] Both universities originate from a single ancestor university founded in 1834, namely the Free University of Brussels, which was split in 1970 at about the same time the Flemish and French Communities gained legislative power over the organisation of higher education. The Free University of Brussels can refer to either of the following universities in Brussels, Belgium: Université Libre de Bruxelles (French-speaking

Other universities include the Facultés Universitaires Saint Louis with 2,000 students,^[34] , the Catholic University of Brussels (Katholieke Universiteit Brussel)^[35] , the Royal Military Academy, a military college established in 1834 by a French colonel^[36] and two drama schools founded in 1982: the Dutch-speaking Koninklijk Conservatorium and the French-speaking Conservatoire Royal. The Katholieke Universiteit Brussel (English Catholic University of Brussels) is a Flemish university located in Brussels, founded in 1969 as The Royal Military Academy (RMA is the military University of Belgium. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname The Koninklijk Conservatorium is a Drama and Music College in Brussels, Belgium. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people ^[37][38]

Still other universities have campuses in Brussels, such as the Université Catholique de Louvain that has had its medical faculty in the city since 1973. The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known as UCL, is Belgium 's largest French -speaking University, and a successor institution ^[39] In addition the Boston University Brussels campus was established in 1972 and offers masters degrees in business administration and international relations. Boston University Brussels, officially named the Boston University Brussels Graduate Center, and also known as BUB, is part of Boston University's Metropolitan Due to the post-war international presence in the city, there are also a number of international schools, including the International School of Brussels with 1,450 pupils between 2½ to 18,^[40] the British School of Brussels, and the four European Schools serving those working in the EU institutions. The International School of Brussels (ISB is an English -language Day school providing an international education to students from over 60 countries within an The European Schools are Co-educational public Schools providing nursery, primary and Secondary education. There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union ^[41]

Transport

Brussels is connected with other European cities through the Eurostar high-speed rail network. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris

Connections

Brussels is served by Brussels Airport, located in the nearby Flemish municipality of Zaventem, and by the much smaller so-called Brussels South Charleroi Airport, located near Charleroi (Wallonia), some 50 km (30 mi) from Brussels. Brussels Airport (also called Brussel Nationaal/Bruxelles-National (Brussels National Zaventem is a Municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA also called Charleroi Airport, is located north of Charleroi, 46km (28 Charleroi (Tchålerwè is the largest city and municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Brussels is also served by direct high-speed rail links: to London by the Eurostar train via the Channel Tunnel (1hr 51 min); to Amsterdam, Paris and Cologne by the Thalys; and to Cologne and Frankfurt by the German ICE. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Thalys is an international high-speed train operator built around the high-speed lines between Paris, Brussels, Cologne and Amsterdam The InterCityExpress or ICE (German pronunciation) is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries

Public transport

The Brussels Metro dates back to 1976, but underground lines known as premetro have been serviced by tramways since 1968. Brussels Metro (Métro de Bruxelles Brusselse metro is a Metro system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. A comprehensive bus and tram network also covers the city. Brussels Tram (or streetcar system is a successful medium-sized system whose development demonstrates many of the quandaries that face local public transport planners Brussels also has its own port on the Willebroek canal located in the northwest of the city. Willebroek (old spelling Willebroeck) is a Municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp.

An interticketing system means that a STIB/MIVB ticket holder can use the train or long-distance buses inside the city. The commuter services operated by De Lijn, TEC and SNCB/NMBS will in the next few years be augmented by a metropolitan RER rail network around Brussels. The RER ( R éseau E xpress R égional, ɛʀøɛʀ "Regional Express Network" is a Rapid transit system in France serving

Since 2003 Brussels has had a car-sharing service operated by the Bremen company Cambio in partnership with STIB/MIVB and local ridesharing company taxi stop. Bremen (ˈbʁeːmən is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany (official name Stadtgemeinde Bremen / City Municipality of Bremen In 2006 shared bicycles were also introduced.

Road network

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat is one of the city's main streets

In mediaeval times Brussels stood at the intersection of routes running north-south (the modern Hoogstraat/Rue Haute) and east-west (Gentsesteenweg/Chaussée de Gand-Grasmarkt/Rue du Marché aux Herbes-Naamsestraat/Rue de Namur). The ancient pattern of streets radiating from the Grand Place in large part remains, but has been overlaid by boulevards built over the River Zenne/Senne, over the city walls and over the railway connection between the North and South Stations. The covering of the Senne (voûtement de la Senne overwelving van de Zenne was one of the defining events in the history of Brussels. History In the 16th century Brussels had a second set of defensive walls built to accommodate the expanding city The North-South connection is a railway link through the centre of Brussels, Belgium, that connects the major national and international railway stations in the city

As one expects of a capital city, Brussels is the hub of the fan of old national roads, the principal ones being clockwise the N1 (N to Breda), N2 (E to Maastricht), N3 (E to Aachen), N4 (SE to Luxembourg) N5 (S to Rheims), N6 (SW to Maubeuge), N8 (W to Koksijde) and N9 (NW to Ostend) ^[42]. Breda ( is a Municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. Maastricht ( Dutch; Limburgish and city dialect Mestreech; French: Maestricht or Maëstricht; Spanish: ( Ripuarian: Oche, Dutch: Aken, Spanish: Aquisgrán, Italian: Aquisgrana, French, Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Reims (alternative English spelling Rheims; riːmz in English and /ʁɛ̃s/ in French) is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne région of northern Maubeuge is a town and commune of northern France, in the département of Nord, situated on both banks of the Sambre Koksijde is a Municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders on the North Sea coast at the southwest side ||-||-||} Ostend  (  Oostende, French and German Ostende) is a Belgian City and municipality located in the Flemish Usually named steenwegen/chaussées, these highways normally run straight as a die, but on occasion lose themselves in a maze of narrow shopping streets.

As for motorways, the town is skirted by the European route E19 (N-S) and the E40 (E-W), while the E411 leads away to the SE. European route E19 passes through the following cities Amsterdam - Den Haag - Rotterdam - Breda - Antwerp - ||-||-||} European route E40 is the longest European route, more than 8000 km long connecting Calais in France via Belgium, Germany Brussels has an orbital motorway, numbered R0 (R-zero) and commonly referred to as the "ring" (French: ring Dutch: grote ring). Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation It is pear-shaped as the southern side was never built as originally conceived, owing to residents' objections.

The city centre, sometimes known as "the pentagon", is surrounded by the "Small ring" (Dutch: kleine ring, French: petite ceinture), a sequence of boulevards formally numbered R20. History In the 16th century Brussels had a second set of defensive walls built to accommodate the expanding city These were built upon the site of the second set of city walls following their demolition. Metro line 2 runs under much of these.

On the eastern side of the city, the R21 (French: grande ceinture, grote ring in Dutch) is formed by a string of boulevards that curves round from Laken (Laeken) to Ukkel (Uccle). Laken ( Dutch) or Laeken ( French) is a residential suburb in north-west Brussels ( Postal code: B-1020 Belgium. Ukkel ( Dutch) or Uccle ( French) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium Some premetro stations (see Brussels Metro) were built on that route. Brussels Metro (Métro de Bruxelles Brusselse metro is a Metro system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. A little further out, a stretch numbered R22 leads from Zaventem to Sint-Job.

Twin cities

The Sonian Forest at the outskirts of Brussels

Brussels is twinned with the following 14 cities:

See also

References

External links

• Brussels-Capital Region, official site
• Brussels travel guide from Wikitravel
• Interactive map
• Interactive 360 virtual tour
• Virtual tour 360° From Brussels !
  • Brussels Grand-Place
  • Manneken Pis
  • Jubilee¨Park
  • St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral
  • Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert

Coordinates: 50°51′N 4°21′E / 50.85, 4.35