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Brussels
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{{Short description|Federal region of Belgium, including the City of Brussels}}{{About|the Brussels-Capital Region|the municipality within it, which is the de jure national capital|City of Brussels|other places|Brussels (disambiguation)}}{{Redirect|Bruxelles|the Canadian community|Bruxelles, Manitoba}}{{Pp-move}}{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
- it has been imported raw for GetWiki
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Toponymy
{{See also|Names of European cities in different languages (B)}}Etymology
The most common theory of the origin of the name Brussels is that it derives from the Old Dutch , or , meaning {{gloss|marsh}} ( / ) and {{gloss|home, settlement}} ( / / ) or {{gloss|settlement in the marsh}}.Geert van Istendael Arm Brussel, uitgeverij Atlas, {{ISBN|90-450-0853-X}}{{in lang|nl}} Zo ontstond Brussel {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706142428www.bop.vgc.be/didmat/ogenblikken/achtergrond/ontstaan.html |date=2011-07-06 }} Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie - Commission of the Flemish Community in Brussels Saint Vindicianus, the Bishop of Cambrai, made the first recorded reference to the place in 695,BOOK, Jean Baptiste D’Hane,books.google.com/books?id=0c4aAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA405, Nouvelles archives historiques, philosophiques, et littéraires, François Huet, P.A. Lenz, H.G. Moke, C. Annoot- Braeckman, 1837, 1, Gent, 405, fr, 3 May 2018, 19 August 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210819155707/https://books.google.com/books?id=0c4aAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA405, live, when it was still a hamlet. The names of all the municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region are also of Dutch origin, except for Evere, which is possibly Celtic or Old Frankish.{{sfn|Tribot|Defawe|2006|p=3}}Pronunciation
In French, is pronounced {{IPA-fr|bÊysÉ›l||Fr-Bruxelles.ogg|}} (the x is pronounced {{IPAc-en|s}}, like in English, and the final s is silent) and in Dutch, is pronounced {{IPA-nl|ˈbrÊsÉ™l||Nl-Brussel.ogg}}. Inhabitants of Brussels are known in French as (pronounced {{IPA-fr|bÊysÉ›lwa||Fr-bruxellois.ogg}}) and in Dutch as (pronounced {{IPA-nl|ˈbrÊsÉ™laËrs||Sound file=Nl-Brusselaars.ogg}}). In the Brabantian dialect of Brussels (known as Brusselian, and also sometimes referred to as Marols or Marollien),{{sfn|Treffers-Daller|1994|p=25}} they are called Brusseleers or Brusseleirs.Originally, the written x noted the group {{IPAc-en|k|s}}. In the Belgian French pronunciation as well as in Dutch, the k eventually disappeared and z became s, as reflected in the current Dutch spelling, whereas in the more conservative French form, the spelling remained.Jean d’Osta, Dictionnaire historique des faubourgs de Bruxelles, édition Le Livre {{ISBN|978-2-930135-10-6}}. The pronunciation {{IPAc-en|k|s}} in French only dates from the 18th century, but this modification did not affect the traditional Brussels usage. In France, the pronunciations {{IPA-fr|bÊyksÉ›l||Fr-Bruxelles.oga}} and {{IPA-fr|bÊyksÉ›lwa|}} (for ) are often heard, but are rather rare in Belgium.Alain Lerond, Dictionnaire de la prononciation (1980), Larousse, pp. 477.History
{{For timeline}}
1430–1482
{{flagicon image|Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg}} Habsburg Netherlands 1482–1556{{flagicon image|Bandera cruz de Borgoña 2.svg}} Spanish Netherlands 1556–1714{{Coat of arms|Austrian Netherlands}} 1714–1746{{Coat of arms|Kingdom of France}} 1746–1749{{Coat of arms|Austrian Netherlands}} 1749–1794{{Coat of arms|French First Republic}} 1795–1804{{Coat of arms|First French Empire}} 1804–1815{{Coat of arms|Netherlands|text=United Kingdom of the Netherlands}} 1815–1830{{Coat of arms|Belgium|text=Kingdom of Belgium}} 1830–present| align = right| width = 24em| fontsize = 90%| bgcolor = #B0C4DE}}Early history
File:Charles de France fondateur de Bruxelles 976 MOD.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Charles of LorraineCharles of LorraineThe history of Brussels is closely linked to that of Western Europe. Traces of human settlement go back to the Stone Age, with vestiges and place-names related to the civilisation of megaliths, dolmens and standing stones (Plattesteen near the Grand-Place/Grote Markt and Tomberg in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, for example). During late antiquity, the region was home to Roman occupation, as attested by archaeological evidence discovered on the current site of Tour & Taxis, north-west of the Pentagon (Brussels’ city centre).NEWS, 6 August 2015, Bruxelles: des vestiges romains retrouvés sur le site de Tour et Taxis, fr-FR, RTBF Info,www.rtbf.be/info/regions/bruxelles/detail_decouverte-majeure-a-bruxelles-des-vestiges-romains-retrouves-sur-le-site-de-tour-et-taxis?id=9048235, 28 April 2017, 23 August 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170823022836/https://www.rtbf.be/info/regions/bruxelles/detail_decouverte-majeure-a-bruxelles-des-vestiges-romains-retrouves-sur-le-site-de-tour-et-taxis?id=9048235, live, WEB, Les Romains de Tour & Taxis — Patrimoine – Erfgoed,patrimoine.brussels/news/les-romains-de-tour-et-taxis, 28 April 2017, patrimoine.brussels, fr, 10 April 2017,patrimoine.brussels/news/les-romains-de-tour-et-taxis," title="web.archive.org/web/20170410140806patrimoine.brussels/news/les-romains-de-tour-et-taxis,">web.archive.org/web/20170410140806patrimoine.brussels/news/les-romains-de-tour-et-taxis, live, Following the decline of the Western Roman Empire, it was incorporated into the Frankish Empire.According to local legend, the origin of the settlement which was to become Brussels lies in Saint Gaugericus’ construction of a chapel on an island in the river Senne around 580.{{sfn|State|2004|p=269}} The official founding of Brussels is usually said to be around 979, when Duke Charles of Lower Lorraine transferred the relics of the martyr Saint Gudula from Moorsel (located in today’s province of East Flanders) to Saint Gaugericus’ chapel. When Holy Roman Emperor Otto II appointed the same Charles to become Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 977,{{sfn|Riché|1983|p=276}} Charles ordered the construction of the city’s first permanent fortification, doing so on that same island.Middle Ages
Lambert I of Leuven, Count of Leuven, gained the County of Brussels around 1000, by marrying Charles’ daughter. Because of its location on the banks of the Senne, on an important trade route between the Flemish cities of Bruges and Ghent, and Cologne in the Kingdom of Germany, Brussels became a commercial centre specialised in the textile trade. The town grew quite rapidly and extended towards the upper town (Treurenberg, Coudenberg and Sablon/Zavel areas), 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. In 1183, the Counts of Leuven became Dukes of Brabant. Brabant, unlike the county of Flanders, was not fief of the king of France but was incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire.In the early 13th century, the first walls of Brussels were built,WEB, Zo ontstond Brussel, This is how Brussels originated,www.bop.vgc.be/didmat/ogenblikken/achtergrond/ontstaan.html,www.bop.vgc.be/didmat/ogenblikken/achtergrond/ontstaan.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20071120140134www.bop.vgc.be/didmat/ogenblikken/achtergrond/ontstaan.html,">web.archive.org/web/20071120140134www.bop.vgc.be/didmat/ogenblikken/achtergrond/ontstaan.html, 20 November 2007, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie [Commission of the Flemish Community in Brussels], nl, and after this, the city grew significantly. Around this time, work began on what is now the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula (1225), replacing an older Romanesque church.{{sfn|Brigode|1938|p=185–215}} To let the city expand, a second set of walls was erected between 1356 and 1383. Traces of these walls can still be seen, although the Small Ring, a series of boulevards bounding the historical city centre, follows their former course.Early modern
(File:Brussel.1610.a.jpg|thumb|left|View of Brussels, {{circa|1610|lk=no}})In the 14th century, the marriage between heiress Margaret III of Flanders and Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, produced a new Duke of Brabant of the House of Valois, namely Antoine, their son.{{sfn|Blockmans|Prevenier|1999|p=30–31}} In 1477, the Burgundian duke Charles the Bold perished in the Battle of Nancy.{{sfn|Kirk|1868|p=542}} Through the marriage of his daughter Mary of Burgundy (who was born in Brussels) to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, the Low Countries fell under Habsburg sovereignty.{{sfn|Armstrong|1957|p=228}} Brabant was integrated into this composite state, and Brussels flourished as the Princely Capital of the prosperous Burgundian Netherlands, also known as the Seventeen Provinces. After the death of Mary in 1482, her son Philip the Handsome succeeded as Duke of Burgundy and Brabant.Philip died in 1506, and he was succeeded by his son Charles V who then also became King of Spain (crowned in the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula) and even Holy Roman Emperor at the death of his grandfather Maximilian I in 1519. Charles was now the ruler of a Habsburg Empire “on which the sun never sets” with Brussels serving as one of his main capitals.WEB, 21 April 2017, How Brussels became the capital of Europe 500 years ago,www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/42112/how-brussels-became-the-capital-of-europe-500-years-ago/, 13 August 2019, The Brussels Times, 14 July 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190714132914/https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/42112/how-brussels-became-the-capital-of-europe-500-years-ago/, live, BOOK, Jenkins, Everett Jr.,books.google.com/books?id=kSYkCQAAQBAJ&q=Charles+V+28+years+in+the+netherlands&pg=PA36, The Muslim Diaspora (Volume 2, 1500-1799): A Comprehensive Chronology of the Spread of Islam in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, 7 May 2015, McFarland, 9781476608891, 13 August 2019, Google Books, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414232943/https://books.google.com/books?id=kSYkCQAAQBAJ&q=Charles+V+28+years+in+the+netherlands&pg=PA36, live, It was in the Coudenberg Palace that Charles V was declared of age in 1515, and it was there in 1555 that he abdicated all of his possessions and passed the Habsburg Netherlands to King Philip II of Spain.{{sfn|Wasseige|1995|p=4}} This 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.{{sfn|Mardaga|1994|p=222}}{{sfn|Wasseige|1995|p=6–7}}File:Grand- Place BXL1695 -01.jpg|thumb|The Grand-Place after the 1695 bombardment by the French army]]In the 16th and 17th centuries, Brussels was a centre for the lace industry. In addition, Brussels tapestry hung on the walls of castles throughout Europe.Souchal, Geneviève (ed.), Masterpieces of Tapestry from the Fourteenth to the Sixteenth Century: An Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 108, 1974, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.), Galeries nationales du Grand Palais (France), {{ISBN|0870990861}}, 9780870990861, google books {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029113006books.google.co.uk/books?id=e-fZHUt8issC&pg=PA108 |date=29 October 2021 }}Campbell, ed. Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence, exhibition catalogue, Metropolitan Museum of Art 2002. In 1695, during the Nine Years’ War, King Louis XIV of France sent troops to bombard Brussels with artillery. Together with the resulting fire, it was the most destructive event in the entire history of Brussels. The Grand-Place was destroyed, along with 4,000 buildings—a third of all the buildings in the city. The reconstruction of the city centre, effected during subsequent years, profoundly changed its appearance and left numerous traces still visible today.{{sfn|Culot|Hennaut|Demanet|Mierop|1992}}Following the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Spanish sovereignty over the Southern Netherlands was transferred to the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg. This event started the era of the Austrian Netherlands. Brussels was captured by France in 1746, during the War of the Austrian Succession,{{sfn|Tucker|2009|p=753}} but was handed back to Austria three years later. It remained with Austria until 1795, when the Southern Netherlands were captured and annexed by France, and the city became the capital of the department of the Dyle.{{sfn|Oudiette|1804|page=XIII}}{{sfn|Duvergier|1835|p=300}} The French rule ended in 1815, with the defeat of Napoleon on the battlefield of Waterloo, located south of today’s Brussels-Capital Region.{{sfn|Galloy|Hayt|2006|p=86–90}} With the Congress of Vienna, the Southern Netherlands joined the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, under King William I of Orange. The former Dyle department became the province of South Brabant, with Brussels as its capital.Late modern
File:Wappers - Episodes from September Days 1830 on the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville in Brussels.JPG|thumb|left|Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Gustaf Wappers, 1834]]In 1830, the Belgian Revolution began in Brussels, after a performance of Auber’s opera La Muette de Portici at the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie.{{sfn|Slatin|1979|p=53–54}} The city became the capital and seat of government of the new nation. South Brabant was renamed simply Brabant, with Brussels as its administrative centre. On 21 July 1831, Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, ascended the throne,{{sfn|Pirenne|1948|p=30}} undertaking the destruction of the city walls and the construction of many buildings.Following independence, Brussels underwent many more changes. It became a financial centre, thanks to the dozens of companies launched by the Société Générale de Belgique. The Industrial Revolution and the opening of the Brussels–Charleroi Canal in 1832 brought prosperity to the city through commerce and manufacturing.{{sfn|Charruadas|2005}} The Free University of Brussels was established in 1834 and Saint-Louis University in 1858. In 1835, the first passenger railway built outside England linked the municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean with Mechelen.{{sfn|Wolmar|2010|p=18–20}}File:Bruxelles, Place Royale, -Brussels, Belgium--LCCN2001697909.jpg|thumb|The Place Royale/Koningsplein in the late 19th century]]During the 19th century, the population of Brussels grew considerably; from about 80,000 to more than 625,000 people for the city and its surroundings. The Senne had become a serious health hazard, and from 1867 to 1871, under the tenure of the city’s then-mayor, Jules Anspach, its entire course through the urban area was completely covered over.{{sfn|Demey|1990|p=65}} This allowed urban renewal and the construction of modern buildings of Haussmann-esque style along grand central boulevards, characteristic of downtown Brussels today.{{sfn|Eggericx|1997|p=5}} Buildings such as the Brussels Stock Exchange (1873), the Palace of Justice (1883) and Saint Mary’s Royal Church (1885) date from this period. This development continued throughout the reign of King Leopold II. The International Exposition of 1897 contributed to the promotion of the infrastructure.{{sfn|Schroeder-Gudehus|Rasmussen|1992}} Among other things, the Palace of the Colonies, present-day Royal Museum for Central Africa, in the suburb of Tervuren, was connected to the capital by the construction of an {{convert|11|km|mi|adj=mid|abbr=on|-long}} grand alley.Brussels became one of the major European cities for the development of the Art Nouveau style in the 1890s and early 1900s.{{sfn|Culot|Pirlot|2005}} The architects Victor Horta, Paul Hankar, and Henry van de Velde, among others, were known for their designs, many of which survive today.20th century
File:Solvay conference 1927.jpg|thumb|left|The 1927 Solvay ConferenceSolvay ConferenceDuring the 20th century, the city hosted various fairs and conferences, including the Solvay Conference on Physics and on Chemistry, and three world’s fairs: the Brussels International Exposition of 1910, the Brussels International Exposition of 1935 and the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair (Expo 58).{{sfn|Schroeder-Gudehus|Rasmussen|1992}} During World War I, Brussels was an occupied city, but German troops did not cause much damage. During World War II, it was again occupied by German forces, and spared major damage, before it was liberated by the British Guards Armoured Division on 3 September 1944. Brussels Airport, in the suburb of Zaventem, dates from the occupation.File:Scenes of jubilation as British troops liberate Brussels, 4 September 1944. BU508.jpg|thumb|British tanks arrive in Brussels on 4 September 1944, ending the German occupation ]]After World War II, Brussels underwent extensive modernisation. The construction of the North–South connection, linking the main railway stations in the city, was completed in 1952, while the first premetro (underground tram) service was launched in 1969,WEB, 2013, STIB – La STIB de 1960 à 1969, STIB – STIB from 1960 to 1969,www.stib.be/1960-1969.html?l=fr, dead,www.stib.be/1960-1969.html?l=fr," title="web.archive.org/web/20131221053137www.stib.be/1960-1969.html?l=fr,">web.archive.org/web/20131221053137www.stib.be/1960-1969.html?l=fr, 2013-12-21, 2013-09-15, STIB, fr, and the first Metro line was opened in 1976.WEB, 2013, STIB – Historique de la STIB de 1970 à 1979, STIB – History of STIB from 1970 to 1979,www.stib.be/1970-1979.html?l=fr, dead,www.stib.be/1970-1979.html?l=fr," title="web.archive.org/web/20131021155415www.stib.be/1970-1979.html?l=fr,">web.archive.org/web/20131021155415www.stib.be/1970-1979.html?l=fr, 2013-10-21, 2013-09-15, STIB, fr, Starting from the early 1960s, Brussels became the de facto capital of what would become the European Union (EU), and many modern offices were built. Development was allowed to proceed with little regard to the aesthetics of newer buildings, and numerous architectural landmarks were demolished to make way for newer buildings that often clashed with their surroundings, giving name to the process of Brusselisation.{{sfn|State|2004|p=51–52}}{{sfn|Stubbs|MakaÅ¡|2011|p=121}}Contemporary
The Brussels-Capital Region was formed on 18 June 1989, after a constitutional reform in 1988.NEWS, 2012-02-01, The Brussels-Capital Region, en, Belgium.be,www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/regions/brussels_capital_region, 2018-11-24, 24 November 2018,web.archive.org/web/20181124220302/https://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/regions/brussels_capital_region, live, It is one of the three federal regions of Belgium, along with Flanders and Wallonia, and has bilingual status. The yellow iris is the emblem of the region (referring to the presence of these flowers on the city’s original site) and a stylised version is featured on its official flag.WEB, LOI – WET,www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&nm=1991031159&table_name=titre, 22 April 2017, www.ejustice.just.fgov.be, fr, 1 March 2021,www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&nm=1991031159&table_name=titre," title="web.archive.org/web/20210301122421www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&nm=1991031159&table_name=titre,">web.archive.org/web/20210301122421www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&nm=1991031159&table_name=titre, live, In recent years, Brussels has become an important venue for international events. In 2000, it was named European Capital of Culture alongside eight other European cities.WEB, 17 August 2011, Association of European Cities of Culture of the Year 2000,www.krakow.pl/otwarty_na_swiat_en/international_organisations/8370,artykul,association_of_european_cities_of_culture_of_the_year_2000.html, 24 February 2017, Krakow the Open City, 7 January 2017,www.krakow.pl/otwarty_na_swiat_en/international_organisations/8370,artykul,association_of_european_cities_of_culture_of_the_year_2000.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20170107104000www.krakow.pl/otwarty_na_swiat_en/international_organisations/8370,artykul,association_of_european_cities_of_culture_of_the_year_2000.html,">web.archive.org/web/20170107104000www.krakow.pl/otwarty_na_swiat_en/international_organisations/8370,artykul,association_of_european_cities_of_culture_of_the_year_2000.html, live, In 2013, the city was the site of the Brussels Agreement.WEB, srbija.gov.rs, Brussels Agreement,www.srbija.gov.rs/specijal/en/120394, 2021-07-15, www.srbija.gov.rs, en, 15 July 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210715172858/https://www.srbija.gov.rs/specijal/en/120394, live, In 2014, it hosted the 40th G7 summit,WEB, Brussels G7 summit, Brussels, 04-05/06/2014 – Consilium,www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2014/06/04-05/, 6 February 2017, European Council, en, 7 February 2017,www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2014/06/04-05/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170207113117www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2014/06/04-05/,">web.archive.org/web/20170207113117www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2014/06/04-05/, live, and in 2017, 2018 and 2021 respectively the 28th, 29th and 31st NATO Summits.WEB, NATO Summit 2017,www.state.gov/p/eur/rt/nato/summit2017/index.htm, dead,web.archive.org/web/20170525125949/https://www.state.gov/p/eur/rt/nato/summit2017/index.htm, 25 May 2017, 27 July 2017, www.state.gov, en-US, WEB,www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/news_147856.htm, NATO Secretary General announces dates for 2018 Brussels Summit, 20 October 2017, nato.int, 13 October 2021, 11 May 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190511205459/https://www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/news_147856.htm, live, WEB,www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/news_183196.htm, NATO Secretary General announces date of the 2021 Brussels Summit, 22 April 2021, nato.int, 29 April 2021, 29 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210429060646/https://www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/news_183196.htm, live, On 22 March 2016, three coordinated nail bombings were detonated by ISIL in Brussels—two at Brussels Airport in Zaventem and one at Maalbeek/Maelbeek metro station—resulting in 32 victims and three suicide bombers killed, and 330 people were injured. It was the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgium.NEWS, Dearden, Lizzie, Brussels attacks timeline: How bombings unfolded at airport and Metro station,www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brussels-attacks-timeline-how-bombings-unfolded-at-airport-and-metro-station-a6945781.html,ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brussels-attacks-timeline-how-bombings-unfolded-at-airport-and-metro-station-a6945781.html, 1 May 2022, subscription, live, 22 March 2016, The Independent, 22 March 2016, NEWS, Brussels explosions: What we know about airport and metro attacks,www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869985, BBC News, 9 April 2016, 21 June 2018, 2 June 2018,www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869985," title="web.archive.org/web/20180602225244www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869985,">web.archive.org/web/20180602225244www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869985, live, NEWS,www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35880119, Victims of the Brussels attacks, 15 April 2016, BBC News, 12 March 2023, 12 March 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230312131723/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35880119, live, NEWS,www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/22/brussels-unveil-terror-victims-memorial-one-year-after-attacks, Brussels attacks: ‘Let us dare to be tender,’ says king on first anniversary, The Guardian, 22 March 2017, 10 March 2023, 10 March 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230310120735/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/22/brussels-unveil-terror-victims-memorial-one-year-after-attacks, live,Geography
Location and topography
{{Further|Geography of Belgium}}(File:Brussels by Sentinel-2, 2020-05-30.jpg|thumb|A 2020 satellite image of the Greater Brussels area)Brussels lies in the north-central part of Belgium, about {{cvt|110|km}} from the Belgian coast and about {{cvt|180|km}} from Belgium’s southern tip. It is located in the heartland of the Brabantian Plateau, about {{cvt|45|km}} south of Antwerp (Flanders), and {{cvt|50|km}} north of Charleroi (Wallonia). Its average elevation is {{cvt|57|m}} above sea level, varying from a low point in the valley of the almost completely covered Senne, which cuts the Brussels-Capital Region from east to west, up to high points in the Sonian Forest, on its southeastern side. In addition to the Senne, tributary streams such as the Maalbeek and the Woluwe, to the east of the region, account for significant elevation differences. Brussels’ central boulevards are {{cvt|15|m}} above sea level.WEB, Brussels in figures 1,visit.brussels/en/article/brussels-in-figures, 3 September 2017, visit.brussels, en, 3 September 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170903204837/https://visit.brussels/en/article/brussels-in-figures, live, Contrary to popular belief, the highest point (at {{cvt|127.5 |m}}) is not near the / in Forest, but at the / in the Sonian Forest.WEB, 2019-05-22, Le point le plus haut de la région Bruxelloise se trouve en forêt de Soignes,www.rtbf.be/info/regions/detail_le-point-le-plus-haut-de-la-region-bruxelloise-se-trouve-en-foret-de-soignes?id=10227678, 2021-02-10, RTBF Info, fr, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225513/https://www.rtbf.be/info/regions/detail_le-point-le-plus-haut-de-la-region-bruxelloise-se-trouve-en-foret-de-soignes?id=10227678, live,Climate
Brussels experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) with warm summers and cool winters.WEB, Brussels, Belgium Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase),www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=15460&cityname=Brussels,+Brussels+Capital,+Belgium&units=, 2019-07-02, Weatherbase, 27 July 2020,www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=15460&cityname=Brussels,+Brussels+Capital,+Belgium&units=," title="web.archive.org/web/20200727051223www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=15460&cityname=Brussels,+Brussels+Capital,+Belgium&units=,">web.archive.org/web/20200727051223www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=15460&cityname=Brussels,+Brussels+Capital,+Belgium&units=, live, Proximity to coastal areas influences the area’s climate by sending marine air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. Nearby wetlands also ensure a maritime temperate climate. On average (based on measurements in the period 1981–2010), there are approximately 135 days of rain per year in the Brussels-Capital Region. Snowfall is infrequent, averaging 24 days per year. The city also often experiences violent thunderstorms in summer months.{{Weather box|location = Uccle (Brussels-Capital Region) 1991–2020|width=|metric first = Yes|single line = Yes|Jan record high C = 15.3|Feb record high C = 20.0|Mar record high C = 24.2|Apr record high C = 28.7|May record high C = 34.1|Jun record high C = 38.8|Jul record high C = 39.7|Aug record high C = 36.5|Sep record high C = 34.9|Oct record high C = 27.8|Nov record high C = 20.6|Dec record high C = 16.7|year record high C = 39.7|Jan high C = 6.1|Feb high C = 7.1|Mar high C = 10.9|Apr high C = 15.0|May high C = 18.4|Jun high C = 21.2|Jul high C = 23.2|Aug high C = 23.0|Sep high C = 19.5|Oct high C = 14.9|Nov high C = 9.9|Dec high C = 6.6|year high C = |Jan mean C = 3.7|Feb mean C = 4.2|Mar mean C = 7.1|Apr mean C = 10.4|May mean C = 13.9|Jun mean C = 16.7|Jul mean C = 18.7|Aug mean C = 18.4|Sep mean C = 15.2|Oct mean C = 11.3|Nov mean C = 7.2|Dec mean C = 4.3|year mean C = |Jan low C = 1.4|Feb low C = 1.5|Mar low C = 3.5|Apr low C = 6.0|May low C = 9.2|Jun low C = 12.0|Jul low C = 14.1|Aug low C = 13.9|Sep low C = 11.3|Oct low C = 8.1|Nov low C = 4.6|Dec low C = 2.1|year low C = |Jan record low C = -21.1|Feb record low C = -18.3|Mar record low C = -13.6|Apr record low C = -5.7|May record low C = -2.2|Jun record low C = 0.3|Jul record low C = 4.4|Aug record low C = 3.9|Sep record low C = 0.0|Oct record low C = -6.8|Nov record low C = -12.8|Dec record low C = -17.7|year record low C = -21.1|precipitation colour = green|Jan precipitation mm = 75.5|Feb precipitation mm = 65.1|Mar precipitation mm = 59.3|Apr precipitation mm = 46.7|May precipitation mm = 59.7|Jun precipitation mm = 70.8|Jul precipitation mm = 76.9|Aug precipitation mm = 86.5|Sep precipitation mm = 65.3|Oct precipitation mm = 67.8|Nov precipitation mm = 76.2|Dec precipitation mm = 87.4|year precipitation mm = |unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm|Jan precipitation days = 18.9|Feb precipitation days = 16.9|Mar precipitation days = 15.7|Apr precipitation days = 13.1|May precipitation days = 14.7|Jun precipitation days = 14.1|Jul precipitation days = 14.3|Aug precipitation days = 14.3|Sep precipitation days = 14.1|Oct precipitation days = 16.1|Nov precipitation days = 18.3|Dec precipitation days = 19.4|year precipitation days =|Jan snow days = 3.8|Feb snow days = 4.9|Mar snow days = 2.7|Apr snow days = 0.6|May snow days = 0.0|Jun snow days = 0.0|Jul snow days = 0.0|Aug snow days = 0.0|Sep snow days = 0.0|Oct snow days = 0.1|Nov snow days = 1.2|Dec snow days = 3.7|year snow days = |Jan humidity = 84.1|Feb humidity = 80.6|Mar humidity = 74.8|Apr humidity = 69.2|May humidity = 70.2|Jun humidity = 71.3|Jul humidity = 71.5|Aug humidity = 72.4|Sep humidity = 76.8|Oct humidity = 81.5|Nov humidity = 85.1|Dec humidity = 86.6|year humidity = |Jan sun = 59.1|Feb sun = 72.9|Mar sun = 125.8|Apr sun = 171.3|May sun = 198.3|Jun sun = 199.3|Jul sun = 203.2|Aug sun = 192.4|Sep sun = 154.4|Oct sun = 112.6|Nov sun = 65.8|Dec sun = 48.6|year sun = | Jan uv = 1| Feb uv = 1| Mar uv = 3| Apr uv = 4| May uv = 6| Jun uv = 7| Jul uv = 6| Aug uv = 6| Sep uv = 4| Oct uv = 2| Nov uv = 1| Dec uv = 1Brussels as a capital
Despite its name, the Brussels-Capital Region is not the capital of Belgium. Article 194 of the Belgian Constitution establishes that the capital of Belgium is the City of Brussels, the municipality in the region that is the city’s core.The City of Brussels is the location of many national institutions. The Royal Palace of Brussels, where the King of the Belgians exercises his prerogatives as head of state, is situated alongside Brussels Park (not to be confused with the Royal Palace of Laeken, the official home of the Belgian royal family). The Palace of the Nation is located on the opposite side of this park, and is the seat of the Belgian Federal Parliament. The office of the Prime Minister of Belgium, colloquially called Law Street 16 (, ), is located adjacent to this building. It is also where the Council of Ministers holds its meetings. The Court of Cassation, Belgium’s main court, has its seat in the Palace of Justice. Other important institutions in the City of Brussels are the Constitutional Court, the Council of State, the Court of Audit, the Royal Belgian Mint and the National Bank of Belgium.The City of Brussels is also the capital of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community. The Flemish Parliament and Flemish Government have their seats in Brussels,WEB, Brussels, the capital of Flanders,www.flanders.be/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1166590837731&context=1166590833692--EN&p=1166590837731&pagename=flanders_site%2FView, dead,www.flanders.be/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1166590837731&context=1166590833692--EN&p=1166590837731&pagename=flanders_site%2FView," title="web.archive.org/web/20110610162638www.flanders.be/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1166590837731&context=1166590833692--EN&p=1166590837731&pagename=flanders_site%2FView,">web.archive.org/web/20110610162638www.flanders.be/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1166590837731&context=1166590833692--EN&p=1166590837731&pagename=flanders_site%2FView, 10 June 2011, 6 November 2009, Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs, dmy, and so do the Parliament of the French Community and the Government of the French Community.File:Brussel Koninklijk paleis.jpg|thumb|center|upright=2.3|The Royal Palace of Brussels, the official palace of the King and Queen of the Belgians ]]Municipalities
{| class=“wikitable” style="white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; float:left;“! style="width:2em; border-top:1px solid white; border-left:1px solid white; background:white“|! style="text-align:left” | French name! style="text-align:left” | Dutch name! style="border-top:1px solid white; border-right:1px solid white; background:white“|Brussels-Capital Region
File:Regions of Belgium.svg|thumb|Regions of Belgium:{{legend|#fab274| Flemish Region}}{{legend|#2385d2|Brussels-Capital Region}}{{legend|#f2536b| Walloon Region}}]]Political status
{{See also|Partition of Belgium#Brussels|Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Brussels}}The Brussels-Capital Region is one of the three federated regions of Belgium, alongside the Walloon Region and the Flemish Region. Geographically and linguistically, it is a bilingual enclave in the monolingual Flemish Region. Regions are one component of Belgium’s institutions; the three communities being the other component. Brussels’ inhabitants deal with either the French Community or the Flemish Community for matters such as culture and education, as well as a Common Community for competencies which do not belong exclusively to either Community, such as healthcare and social welfare.Since the split of Brabant in 1995, the Brussels Region does not belong to any of the provinces of Belgium, nor is it subdivided into provinces itself. Within the Region, 99% of the areas of provincial jurisdiction are assumed by the Brussels regional institutions and community commissions. Remaining is only the governor of Brussels-Capital and some aides, analogously to provinces. Its status is roughly akin to that of a federal district.Institutions
File:Parlement région Bruxelles-Capitale.JPG|thumb|The Brussels Parliament building, housing the Brussels Regional Parliament ]]The Brussels-Capital Region is governed by a parliament of 89 members (72 French-speaking, 17 Dutch-speaking—parties are organised on a linguistic basis) and an eight-member regional cabinet consisting of a minister-president, four ministers and three state secretaries. By law, the cabinet must comprise two French-speaking and two Dutch-speaking ministers, one Dutch-speaking secretary of state and two French-speaking secretaries of state. The minister-president does not count against the language quota, but in practice every minister-president has been a bilingual francophone. The regional parliament can enact ordinances (, ), which have equal status as a national legislative act.Nineteen of the 72 French-speaking members of the Brussels Parliament are also members of the Parliament of the French Community of Belgium, and, until 2004, this was also the case for six Dutch-speaking members, who were at the same time members of the Flemish Parliament. Now, people voting for a Flemish party have to vote separately for 6 directly elected members of the Flemish Parliament.Agglomeration of Brussels
Before the creation of the Brussels-Capital Region, regional competences in the 19 municipalities were performed by the Brussels Agglomeration. The Brussels Agglomeration was an administrative division established in 1971. This decentralised administrative public body also assumed jurisdiction over areas which, elsewhere in Belgium, were exercised by municipalities or provinces.WEB, Wet houdende organisatie van de agglomeraties en de federaties van gemeenten,www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=1971072630&table_name=wet, 11 September 2015, Belgiëlex.be, FOD Justitie, 4 March 2016,www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=1971072630&table_name=wet," title="web.archive.org/web/20160304113502www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=1971072630&table_name=wet,">web.archive.org/web/20160304113502www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=1971072630&table_name=wet, live, The Brussels Agglomeration had a separate legislative council, but the by-laws enacted by it did not have the status of a legislative act. The only election of the council took place on 21 November 1971. The working of the council was subject to many difficulties caused by the linguistic and socio-economic tensions between the two communities.After the creation of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Brussels Agglomeration was never formally abolished, although it no longer has a purpose.French and Flemish communities
File:Communities of Belgium.svg|thumb|Communities of Belgium:{{legend|#fab274| Flemish Community / Dutch language area}}{{legend striped|#fab274|#f2536b|Flemish & French Community / bilingual language area|up=yes}}{{legend|#f2536b| French Community / French language area}}{{legend|#40bb6a| German-speaking Community / German language area}}]]The French Community and the Flemish Community exercise their powers in Brussels through two community-specific public authorities: the French Community Commission ( or COCOF) and the Flemish Community Commission ( or VGC). These two bodies each have an assembly composed of the members of each linguistic group of the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region. They also have a board composed of the ministers and secretaries of state of each linguistic group in the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region.The French Community Commission also has another capacity: some legislative powers of the French Community have been devolved to the Walloon Region (for the French language area of Belgium) and to the French Community Commission (for the bilingual language area).Procedure contained in art. 138 of the Belgian Constitution The Flemish Community, however, did the opposite; it merged the Flemish Region into the Flemish Community.Procedure in art. 137 of the Belgian Constitution This is related to different conceptions in the two communities, one focusing more on the Communities and the other more on the Regions, causing an asymmetrical federalism. Because of this devolution, the French Community Commission can enact decrees, which are legislative acts.Common Community Commission
A bi-communitarian public authority, the Common Community Commission (, COCOM, , GGC) also exists. Its assembly is composed of the members of the regional parliament, and its board are the ministers—not the secretaries of state—of the region, with the minister-president not having the right to vote. This commission has two capacities: it is a decentralised administrative public body, responsible for implementing cultural policies of common interest. It can give subsidies and enact by-laws. In another capacity, it can also enact ordinances, which have equal status as a national legislative act, in the field of the welfare powers of the communities: in the Brussels-Capital Region, both the French Community and the Flemish Community can exercise powers in the field of welfare, but only in regard to institutions that are unilingual (for example, a private French-speaking retirement home or the Dutch-speaking hospital of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel). The Common Community Commission is responsible for policies aiming directly at private persons or at bilingual institutions (for example, the centres for social welfare of the 19 municipalities). Its ordinances have to be enacted with a majority in both linguistic groups. Failing such a majority, a new vote can be held, where a majority of at least one third in each linguistic group is sufficient.Brussels and the European Union
File:Quartier européen Bruxelles 2011-06 CROP.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Brussels’ European Quarter, hosting most of the European UnionEuropean UnionBrussels serves as de facto capital of the European Union (EU), hosting the major political institutions of the Union.{{sfn|Demey|2007}} The EU has not declared a capital formally, though the Treaty of Amsterdam formally gives Brussels the seat of the European Commission (the executive branch of government) and the Council of the European Union (a legislative institution made up from executives of member states).WEB, Seat of the European Commission,www.ena.lu?lang=2&doc=3102, European Navigator, 15 June 2022, 30 September 2007,www.ena.lu/?lang=2&doc=3102," title="web.archive.org/web/20070930201316www.ena.lu/?lang=2&doc=3102,">web.archive.org/web/20070930201316www.ena.lu/?lang=2&doc=3102, live, {{full citation needed|date=April 2018}}European Commission publication: Europe in Brussels 2007{{full citation needed|date=April 2018}} It locates the formal seat of European Parliament in Strasbourg, where votes take place, with the council, on the proposals made by the commission. However, meetings of political groups and committee groups are formally given to Brussels, along with a set number of plenary sessions. Three quarters of Parliament sessions now take place at its Brussels hemicycle.WEB, Wheatley, Paul, 2 October 2006, The two-seat parliament farce must end,www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=A&Id=2047,www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=A&Id=2047," title="web.archive.org/web/20070610174433www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=A&Id=2047,">web.archive.org/web/20070610174433www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=A&Id=2047, 10 June 2007, 16 July 2007, cafébabel.com, Between 2002 and 2004, the European Council also fixed its seat in the city.CONFERENCE, Stark, Christine, 2 September 2002, Evolution of the European Council: The implications of a permanent seat,www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf, The UACES Thirty-second Annual Conference and Seventh Research Conference, 2–4 September 2002,www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20070709220601www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20070709220601www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf, 9 July 2007, 12 July 2007, dead, In 2014, the Union hosted a G7 summit in the city.File:Place du Luxembourg 889 Wide.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|The Place du Luxembourg/Luxemburgplein with the European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentBrussels, along with Luxembourg and Strasbourg, began to host European institutions in 1957, soon becoming the centre of activities, as the Commission and Council based their activities in what has become the European Quarter, in the east of the city. Early building in Brussels was sporadic and uncontrolled, with little planning. The current major buildings are the Berlaymont building of the commission, symbolic of the quarter as a whole, the Europa building of the Council and the Espace Léopold of the Parliament. Nowadays, the presence has increased considerably, with the Commission alone occupying {{cvt|865,000|m2}} within the European Quarter (a quarter of the total office space in Brussels).{{sfn|Demey|2007}} The concentration and density has caused concern that the presence of the institutions has created a ghetto effect in that part of the city.WEB, Vucheva, Elitsa, 5 September 2007, EU quarter in Brussels set to grow,euobserver.com/9/24707, 27 September 2007, eubserver.com, 6 December 2012,euobserver.com/news/24707," title="archive.today/20121206025214euobserver.com/news/24707,">archive.today/20121206025214euobserver.com/news/24707, live, However, the European presence has contributed significantly to the importance of Brussels as an international centre.{{Multiple image| align = centre| direction = | header_background = #CCCCFF| header = Brussels and the European Union| image1 = Belgique - Bruxelles - Schuman - Berlaymont - 01.jpg| caption1 = The Berlaymont building (European Commission)| image2 = Europa_building_February_2016_(cropped).jpg| caption2 = The Europa building (European Council)| image3 = Building of the European Parliament in Brussels.jpg| caption3 = The Espace Léopold buildings (European Parliament)| total_width = | alt1 = | width1 = 277| width2 = 214| width3 = 250| caption_align = center}}International institutions
Brussels has, since World War II, become the administrative centre of many international organisations. The city is the political and administrative centre of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). NATO’s Brussels headquarters houses 29 embassies and brings together over 4,500 staff from allied nations, their militaries, and civil service personnel. Many other international organisations such as the World Customs Organization and Eurocontrol, as well as international corporations, have their main institutions in the city. In addition, the main international trade union confederations have their headquarters there: the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).Brussels is third in the number of international conferences it hosts,WEB, Brussels, an international city and European capital,www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/bxluk.html,www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/bxluk.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20100803145343www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/bxluk.html,">web.archive.org/web/20100803145343www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/bxluk.html, 3 August 2010, L’université Libre de Bruxelles, also becoming one of the largest convention centres in the world.WEB, Brussels: home to international organisations,www.diplomatie.be/EN/belgium/belgiumdetail.asp?TEXTID=1754, dead,www.diplomatie.be/EN/belgium/belgiumdetail.asp?TEXTID=1754," title="web.archive.org/web/20060215172520www.diplomatie.be/EN/belgium/belgiumdetail.asp?TEXTID=1754,">web.archive.org/web/20060215172520www.diplomatie.be/EN/belgium/belgiumdetail.asp?TEXTID=1754, 15 February 2006, diplomatie.be, The presence of the EU and the other international bodies has, for example, led to there being more ambassadors and journalists in Brussels than in Washington, D.C.MAGAZINE, Parker, John, January–February 2007, A tale of two cities, E!Sharp, The city hosts 120 international institutions, 181 embassies () and more than 2,500 diplomats, making it the second centre of diplomatic relations in the world (after New York City). International schools have also been established to serve this presence. The “international community” in Brussels numbers at least 70,000 people.WEB, Andrew Rettman, 8 March 2010, Daylight shooting in EU capital raises alarm,euobserver.com/9/29622, 29 June 2010, euobserver.com, 13 December 2013,euobserver.com/justice/29622," title="web.archive.org/web/20131213053422euobserver.com/justice/29622,">web.archive.org/web/20131213053422euobserver.com/justice/29622, live, In 2009, there were an estimated 286 lobbying consultancies known to work in Brussels.WEB, Leigh Phillips, 11 March 2010, Majority of Brussels lobby firms avoid registry,euobserver.com/9/29658, 29 June 2010, euobserver.com, 16 April 2010,euobserver.com/9/29658/," title="web.archive.org/web/20100416053944euobserver.com/9/29658/,">web.archive.org/web/20100416053944euobserver.com/9/29658/, live, Finally, Brussels has more than 1,400 NGOs.WEB, Software, A7, Accessibility,www.wallonia.be/en/accessibility, 2022-06-16, Wallonia.be, en, 23 May 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220523051402/https://wallonia.be/en/accessibility, live, WEB, 2016-03-23, Recognised NGOs,diplomatie.belgium.be/en/policy/development_cooperation/who_we_are/partnerships/non-governmental_actors/recognised_ngos, 2022-06-16, diplomatie, en, 18 May 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220518154721/https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/policy/development_cooperation/who_we_are/partnerships/non-governmental_actors/recognised_ngos, live,North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
File:2018 NATO Summit in Brussels (29510554308).jpg|thumb|right|Flags of NATO member states wave at the entrance of NATO’s headquarters in Haren ]]The Treaty of Brussels, which was signed on 17 March 1948 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, was a prelude to the establishment of the intergovernmental military alliance which later became the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).WEB, Brussels Pact,www.brussels.info/brussels-pact/, dead,www.brussels.info/brussels-pact/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170205095916www.brussels.info/brussels-pact/,">web.archive.org/web/20170205095916www.brussels.info/brussels-pact/, 5 February 2017, 4 February 2017, brussels.info, Nowadays, the alliance consists of 32 independent member countries across North America and Europe. Several countries also have diplomatic missions to NATO through embassies in Belgium. Since 1949, a number of NATO Summits have been held in Brussels,WEB, NATO, Summit meetings,www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50115.htm, 2 March 2017, NATO, en, 8 September 2014,www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50115.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20140908044712www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50115.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20140908044712www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50115.htm, live, the most recent taking place in June 2021. The organisation’s political and administrative headquarters are located on the / in Haren, on the north-eastern perimeter of the City of Brussels.BOOK, Isby, David C., Armies of NATO’s Central Front, Kamps, Charles Jr., 1985, Jane’s Information Group, 9780710603418, 13, en, A new €750 million headquarters building begun in 2010 and was completed in 2017.WEB, NATO, New NATO Headquarters,www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49287.htm, 8 January 2017, NATO, 5 August 2017,www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49287.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20170805220730www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49287.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20170805220730www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49287.htm, live,Eurocontrol
The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, commonly known as Eurocontrol, is an international organisation which coordinates and plans air traffic control across European airspace. The corporation was founded in 1960 and has 41 member states.WEB, John, McInally,www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/2011-history-book.pdf, Eurocontrol History Book, December 2010,web.archive.org/web/20160312055754/https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/2011-history-book.pdf, 12 March 2016, Eurocontrol, Its headquarters are located in Haren, Brussels.Demographics
Population
File:EU NUTS 2 population density 2007.svg|thumb|Population densityPopulation densityBrussels is located in one of the most urbanised regions of Europe, between Paris, London, the Rhine-Ruhr (Germany), and the Randstad (Netherlands). The Brussels-Capital Region has a population of around 1.2 million and has witnessed, in recent years, a remarkable increase in its population. In general, the population of Brussels is younger than the national average, and the gap between rich and poor is wider.WEB, Très riches et très pauvres,www.lalibre.be/actu/bruxelles/article/616278/tres-riches-et-tres-pauvres.html, 12 March 2013, Lalibre.be, Brussels is the core of a built-up area that extends well beyond the region’s limits. Sometimes referred to as the urban area of Brussels (, ) or Greater Brussels (, ), this area extends over a large part of the two Brabant provinces, including much of the surrounding arrondissement of Halle-Vilvoorde and some small parts of the arrondissement of Leuven in Flemish Brabant, as well as the northern part of Walloon Brabant.The metropolitan area of Brussels is divided into three levels. Firstly, the central agglomeration (within the regional borders), with a population of 1,218,255 inhabitants. Adding the closest suburbs (, ) gives a total population of 1,831,496. Including the outer commuter zone (Brussels Regional Express Network (RER/GEN) area), the population is 2,676,701. Brussels is also part of a wider diamond-shaped conurbation, with Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven, which has about 4.4 million inhabitants (a little more than 40% of the Belgium’s total population).{{sfn|Van Meeteren|Boussauw|Derudder|Witlox|2016}}BOOK, Meijers, Evert J.,books.google.com/books?id=UhMjzogIa_UC&q=Flemish+Diamond&pg=PT62, Synergy in Polycentric Urban Regions: Complementarity, Organising Capacity and Critical Mass, 2007, IOS Press, 9781586037246, 54, en, 25 October 2020, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414232106/https://books.google.com/books?id=UhMjzogIa_UC&q=Flemish+Diamond&pg=PT62, live, {| class=“wikitable“!{{Verify source|date=February 2018}}!01-07-2004WEB, Language selection - Statbel,www.statbel.fgov.be/figures/download_fr.asp#2, 29 October 2018, www.statbel.fgov.be, 30 April 2009,www.statbel.fgov.be/figures/download_fr.asp#2," title="web.archive.org/web/20090430065554www.statbel.fgov.be/figures/download_fr.asp#2,">web.archive.org/web/20090430065554www.statbel.fgov.be/figures/download_fr.asp#2, live, !01-07-2005!01-07-2006!01-01-2008!01-01-2015!01-01-2019!01-01-2020Nationalities{| class“wikitable floatright”URLHTTPS://IBSA.BRUSSELS/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/DOCUMENTS/1.3_POPULATION_NATIONALIT%C3%A9S_20220926_0.XLSX, titlePopulation - Nationalités, publisherBrussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis, languagefr, access-date24 September 2023, formatXLS, atTabel 1.3.1.4 - Principales nationalités actuelles: 2022 (au 1er janvier), date, archive-date17 October 2023, archive-urweb.archive.org/web/20231017125020/https://ibsa.brussels/sites/default/files/documents/1.3_population_Nationalit%C3%A9s_20220926_0.xlsx, url-statusdead,
Languages
{{See also|Francization of Brussels}}(File:Languages spoken at home in the Brussels Capital Region (2013).PNG|thumb|right|Languages spoken at home in the Brussels-Capital Region (2013)BOOK, Janssens, Rudi,www.briobrussel.be/assets/onderzoeksprojecten/brio_taalbarometer_3_brussel_2013.pdf, BRIO-taalbarometer 3: diversiteit als norm, Brussels Informatie-, Documentatie- en Onderzoekscentrum, 2013, nl, BRIO language barometer 3: diversity as standard, 26 May 2015, 15 October 2018,www.briobrussel.be/assets/onderzoeksprojecten/brio_taalbarometer_3_brussel_2013.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20181015061651www.briobrussel.be/assets/onderzoeksprojecten/brio_taalbarometer_3_brussel_2013.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20181015061651www.briobrussel.be/assets/onderzoeksprojecten/brio_taalbarometer_3_brussel_2013.pdf, dead, {{legend|#9999FF|French}}{{legend|#CCCCFF|French and Dutch}}{{legend|#CCFFFF|Dutch}}{{legend|#99CCFF|French and other language}}{{legend|#FFFFCC|Neither French nor Dutch}})Brussels was historically Dutch-speaking, using the Brabantian dialect,BOOK, Backhaus, Peter,books.google.com/books?id=Nl0mPajCyxsC, Linguistic Landscapes: A Comparative Study of Urban Multilingualism in Tokyo, Multilingual Matters Ltd, 2007, 9781853599460, 158, 2013-03-26, 15 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210415012552/https://books.google.com/books?id=Nl0mPajCyxsC, live, BOOK, Jaumain, Serge,books.google.com/books?id=KHsk_ht_UqEC, Vivre en Ville: Bruxelles et Montréal aux XIXe et XXe siècles, Peter Lang, 2006, 9789052013343, Études Canadiennes Series nº9, 375, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005647/https://books.google.com/books?id=KHsk_ht_UqEC, live, BOOK, Roegiest, Eugeen,books.google.com/books?id=K7FeNc7B3EYC, Vers les sources des langues romanes. Un itinéraire linguistique à travers la Romania, ACCO, 2009, 9789033473807, 272, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005705/https://books.google.com/books?id=K7FeNc7B3EYC, live, but since the 19th centuryBOOK, Janssens, Guy,books.google.com/books?id=JOo9oNIUcFUC, Het Nederlands vroeger en nu, ACCO, 2005, 9033457822, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414232050/https://books.google.com/books?id=JOo9oNIUcFUC, live, French has become the predominant language of the city.BOOK, Janssens, Rudi,www.brusselsstudies.be/medias/publications/NL_51_BruS13NL.pdf, Taalgebruik in Brussel en de plaats van het Nederlands — Enkele recente bevindingen, 2008, Brussels Studies, nº13, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 15 March 2016,brusselsstudies.be/medias/publications/NL_51_BruS13NL.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20160315062310brusselsstudies.be/medias/publications/NL_51_BruS13NL.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20160315062310brusselsstudies.be/medias/publications/NL_51_BruS13NL.pdf, live, The main cause of this transition was the rapid assimilation of the local Flemish population,BOOK, Kramer, Johannes,books.google.com/books?id=rHZtibOQnnQC, Zweisprachigkeit in den Benelux-ländern, Buske Verlag, 1984, 3871185973, 2013-04-26, {{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}BOOK, Baetens Beardsmore, Hugo,books.google.com/books?id=DX1JcMNgz7AC, Bilingualism: Basic Principles (2nd Ed.), Multilingual Matters Ltd, 1986, 9780905028637, Multiligual Matters Series, 205, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128043131/https://books.google.com/books?id=DX1JcMNgz7AC, live, BOOK, Ernst, Gerhard,books.google.com/books?id=07wyfaQQ_akC, Histoire des langues romanes, Walter de Gruyter, 2006, 9783110171501, Manuel international sur l’histoire et l’étude linguistique des langues romanes, 1166, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005638/https://books.google.com/books?id=07wyfaQQ_akC, live, amplified by immigration from France and Wallonia.BOOK, Vermeersch, Arthur J.,www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf, De taalsituatie tijdens het Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (1814-1830), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1981, Taal en Sociale Integratie, IV, 389–404, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 11 April 2016,www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20160411072853www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20160411072853www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf, dead, The rise of French in public life gradually began by the end of the 18th century,BOOK, Poirier, Johanne,books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, Choix, statut et mission d’une capitale fédérale: Bruxelles au regard du droit comparé, De Boeck & Larcier, 1999, 2-8044-0525-7, Het statuut van Brussel / Bruxelles et son statut [61-97], Brussel, 817, French, 11 February 2021, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225513/https://books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, live, BOOK, Rousseaux, Xavier,books.google.com/books?id=WW_8JY3TTg0C, Le pénal dans tous ses états: justice, États et sociétés en Europe, Publications des Fac. St Louis, 1997, 9782802801153, Volume 74, 462, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128024057/https://books.google.com/books?id=WW_8JY3TTg0C, live, quickly accelerating after Belgian independence.BOOK, De Groof, Roel,books.google.com/books?id=ReVcRnqeon0C, De kwestie Groot-Brussel en de politieke metropolisering van de hoofdstad (1830-1940). Een analyse van de besluitvorming en de politiek-institutionele aspecten van de voorstellen tot hereniging, annexatie, fusie, federatie en districtvorming van Brussel en zijn voorsteden., De Boeck & Larcier, 2003, 2-8044-1216-4, De Brusselse negentien gemeenten en het Brussels model / Les dix-neuf communes bruxelloises et le modèle bruxellois [3-56], Brussel, Gent, 754, Dutch, 11 February 2021, 15 June 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220615032353/https://books.google.com/books?id=ReVcRnqeon0C, live, BOOK, Gubin, Eliane, Éliane Gubin,www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_1.pdf, La situation des langues à Bruxelles au 19ième siècle à la lumière d’un examen critique des statistiques, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1978, Taal en Sociale Integratie, I, 33–80, French, 2013-04-26, 11 April 2016,www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_1.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20160411072846www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_1.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20160411072846www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_1.pdf, dead, Dutch — of which standardisation in Belgium was still very weakBOOK, Witte, Els,www.briobrussel.be/assets/taal%20&%20politiek_nl.pdf, Taal en politiek: De Belgische casus in een historisch perspectief, VUBPress (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), 1998, 9789054871774, Balansreeks, Brussel, 180, Dutch, 15 June 2022, 26 May 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200526142926/https://www.briobrussel.be/assets/taal%20%26%20politiek_nl.pdf, live, BOOK, Von Busekist, Astrid,books.google.com/books?id=kUSlh1z8okQC, Nationalisme contre bilinguisme: le cas belge, Éditions KARTHALA, 2002, 9782845862401, La Politique de Babel: du monolinguisme d’État au plurilinguisme des peuples [191-226], 348, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005632/https://books.google.com/books?id=kUSlh1z8okQC, live, — could not compete with French, which was the exclusive language of the judiciary, the administration, the army, education, cultural life and the media, and thus necessary for social mobility.BOOK, Bitsch, Marie-Thérèse,books.google.com/books?id=keh_JJginLwC, Histoire de la Belgique: De l’Antiquité à nos jours, Éditions Complexe, 2004, 9782804800239, 299, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005624/https://books.google.com/books?id=keh_JJginLwC, live, BOOK, Kok Escalle, Marie-Christine,books.google.com/books?id=HjhQ-LTpD_0C, Changements politiques et statut des langues: histoire et épistémologie 1780-1945, Rodopi, 2001, 9789042013759, Faux Titre (volume 206), 374, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005657/https://books.google.com/books?id=HjhQ-LTpD_0C, live, The value and prestige of the French language was universally acknowledgedBOOK, Hasquin, Hervé,books.google.com/books?id=9VBMP2Qi9kgC, Bruxelles, ville frontière. Le point de vue d’un historien francophone, Éditions Complexe, 1996, 9782870276631, Europe et ses ville-frontières [205-230], Bruxelles, 329, French, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128043142/https://books.google.com/books?id=9VBMP2Qi9kgC, live, BOOK, Vrints, Antoon,books.google.com/books?id=AWohT1yErb0C, Het theater van de Straat: Publiek geweld in Antwerpen tijdens de eerste helft van de twintigste Eeuw, Amsterdam University Press, 2011, 978-9089643407, Studies Stadsgeschiedenis Series, Amsterdam, 223, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225514/https://books.google.com/books?id=AWohT1yErb0C, live, to such an extent that after 1880,BOOK, van Velthoven, Harry,www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf, Taal- en onderwijspolitiek te Brussel (1878-1914), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1981, Taal en Sociale Integratie, IV, 261–387, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 11 April 2016,www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20160411072853www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20160411072853www.briobrussel.be/assets/Taal_sociale_integr_4.pdf, dead, and more particularly after the turn of the 20th century, proficiency in French among Dutch-speakers in Brussels increased spectacularly.Although a majority of the population remained bilingual until the second half of the 20th century, family transmission of the historic Brabantian dialectBOOK, Witte, Els,books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, Analyse du statut de Bruxelles (1989-1999), De Boeck & Larcier, 1999, 2-8044-0525-7, Het statuut van Brussel / Bruxelles et son statut [19-33], Brussel, 817, French, 11 February 2021, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225513/https://books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, live, declined,{{sfn|Treffers-Daller|1994}} leading to an increase of monolingual French-speakers from 1910 onwards.BOOK, Bogaert-Damin, Anne Marie,books.google.com/books?id=lfcGiuMtz7UC, Bruxelles: développement de l’ensemble urbain 1846-1961, Presses universitaires de Namur, 1978, 9782870370896, 337, French, 2013-04-26, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414232945/https://books.google.com/books?id=lfcGiuMtz7UC, live, BOOK, de Metsenaere, Machteld,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf, Thuis in gescheiden werelden — De migratoire en sociale aspecten van verfransing te Brussel in het midden van de 19e eeuw, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1990, BTNG-RBHC, XXI, 1990, nº 3-4 [383-412], Dutch, 2013-04-26,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20181015023229www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20181015023229www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf, 15 October 2018, dead, From the mid-20th century, the number of monolingual French-speakers surpassed the number of mostly bilingual Flemish inhabitants.JOURNAL, Machteld de Metsenaere, 1990, Thuis in gescheiden werelden – De migratoire en sociale aspecten van verfransing te Brussel in het midden van de 19e eeuw, Home in separate worlds – The migratory and social aspects of Francization in Brussels in the middle of the 19th century,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf, dead, BTNG-RBHC, nl, XXI, 3–4, 383–412,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20181015023229www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20181015023229www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/btng-rbhc,%2021,%201990,%203-4,%20pp%20383-412.pdf, 15 October 2018, 23 December 2018, dmy-all, This process of assimilation weakened after the 1960s,BOOK, Blampain, Daniel,books.google.com/books?id=fl1trFhoYFwC, Le français en Belgique: Une communauté, une langue, De Boeck Université, 1997, 2801111260, French, 2013-04-26, 11 May 2011,books.google.fr/books?id=fl1trFhoYFwC&dq," title="web.archive.org/web/20110511212204books.google.fr/books?id=fl1trFhoYFwC&dq,">web.archive.org/web/20110511212204books.google.fr/books?id=fl1trFhoYFwC&dq, live, BOOK, Mares, Ann,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf, Begin van het einde van de nationale partijen. Onderzoek naar de Vlaamse Beweging(en) en de Vlaamse politieke partijen in Brussel: de Rode Leeuwen, VUBPress (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), 2001, 9054872926, 19 keer Brussel; Brusselse Thema’s (7) [157-185], Dutch, 2013-04-26, 15 October 2018,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20181015023227www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20181015023227www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf, dead, as the language border was fixed, the status of Dutch as an official language of Belgium was reinforced,BOOK, Depré, Leen,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf, Tien jaar persberichtgeving over de faciliteitenproblematiek in de Brusselse Rand. Een inhoudsanalystisch onderzoek, VUBPress (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), 2001, 9054872926, 19 keer Brussel; Brusselse Thema’s (7) [281-336], 281, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 15 October 2018,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20181015023227www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20181015023227www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf, dead, and the economic centre of gravity shifted northward to Flanders. However, with the continuing arrival of immigrants and the post-war emergence of Brussels as a centre of international politics, the relative position of Dutch continued to decline.JOURNAL, Janssens, Rudi,journals.openedition.org/brussels/520, Language use in Brussels and the position of Dutch, Brussels Studies, Brussels Studies [Online], 2008, 10.4000/brussels.520, en, 17 July 2018, 17 July 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180717184225/https://journals.openedition.org/brussels/520, live, free, BOOK, Janssens, Rudi,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf, Over Brusselse Vlamingen en het Nederlands in Brussel, VUBPress (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), 2001, 9054872926, 19 keer Brussel; Brusselse Thema’s (7) [41-84], 60, Dutch, 2013-04-26, 15 October 2018,www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20181015023227www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20181015023227www.briobrussel.be/assets/andere%20publicaties/brusselse_thema%27s_7.pdf, dead, BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, De Boeck & Larcier, Het statuut van Brussel / Bruxelles et son statut [411-438], Kunnen taalvrijheid en officiële tweetaligheid verzoend worden? De toepassing van de taalwetgeving in het Brussels Hoofdstedelijke Gewest en de 19 gemeenten, Anja, Detant, Dutch, Brussel, 1999, 817, 2-8044-0525-7, 11 February 2021, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225513/https://books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, live, {{sfn|Treffers-Daller|1994}} Furthermore, as Brussels’ urban area expanded,BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=adTkPQAACAAJ, Standaard Uitgeverij, De Geschiedenis van België na 1945, Els, Witte, Dutch, Antwerpen, 2006, 576, 9789002219634, 11 February 2021, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225010/https://books.google.com/books?id=adTkPQAACAAJ, live, a further number of Dutch-speaking municipalities in the Brussels periphery also became predominantly French-speaking.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=NpJqZxm672sC, De Boeck Supérieur, Champs linguistiques, Des langues romanes: Introduction aux études de linguistique romane, Jean-Marie, Klinkenberg, French, 1999, 316, 9782801112274, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128024046/https://books.google.com/books?id=NpJqZxm672sC, live, This phenomenon of expanding Francisation — dubbed “oil slick” by its opponentsBOOK,books.google.com/books?id=DGOfCPvoyWcC, Éditions Complexe, Histoires contemporaines, Au nom de la Wallonie et de Bruxelles français: Les origines du FDF, Chantal, Kesteloot, French, 2004, 375, 9782870279878, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128005651/https://books.google.com/books?id=DGOfCPvoyWcC, live, — is, together with the future of Brussels,BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, De Boeck & Larcier, Het statuut van Brussel / Bruxelles et son statut [705-720], Les interactions stratégiques dans la problématique communautaire et la question bruxelloise, André-Paul, Frognier, French, Brussel, 1999, 817, 2-8044-0525-7, 11 February 2021, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225513/https://books.google.com/books?id=8skGPQAACAAJ, live, one of the most controversial topics in Belgian politics.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=nIKV9oOdpgIC, La dualité démographique de la Belgique : mythe ou réalité?, Régimes démographiques et territoires: les frontières en question [255-278], Catherine, Capron, French, 2000, INED, 2950935680, 2013-04-26, 14 April 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210414225008/https://books.google.com/books?id=nIKV9oOdpgIC, live, BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=WpbjQSwEhGgC, De Boeck Supérieur, Nationalismes régionaux: Un défi pour l’Europe, Frank, Tétart, French, 2009, 112, 9782804117818, 2013-04-26, 28 January 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200128024103/https://books.google.com/books?id=WpbjQSwEhGgC, live, File:Brussels signs.jpg|thumb|left|Bilingual French and Dutch street signs in Brussels]]Nowadays, the Brussels-Capital Region is legally bilingual, with both French and Dutch having official status,WEB,www.senate.be/doc/const_fr.html, La Constitution belge (Art. 4), May 2007, the Belgian Senate, La Belgique comprend quatre régions linguistiques : la région de langue française, la région de langue néerlandaise, la région bilingue de Bruxelles-Capitale et la région de langue allemande., 2009-01-18, fr, 17 November 2015,www.senate.be/doc/const_fr.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20151117014848www.senate.be/doc/const_fr.html,">web.archive.org/web/20151117014848www.senate.be/doc/const_fr.html, live, as is the administration of the 19 municipalities. The creation of this bilingual, full-fledged region, with its own competencies and jurisdiction, had long been hampered by different visions of Belgian federalism. Nevertheless, some communitarian issues remain.BOOK, De Boeck & Larcier, De toekomst van Brussel als meertalige en multiculturele stad. Hebt u al een partijstandpunt? in Het statuut van Brussel / Bruxelles et son statut, Dirk Jacobs, Brussels, 1999, 661–703, 2-8044-0525-7, nl, BOOK, De Boeck & Larcier, Le défi de l’unité bruxelloise in Het statuut van Brussel / Bruxelles et son statut, Philippe De Bruycker, Brussels, 1999, 465–472, 2-8044-0525-7, fr, Flemish political parties demanded, for decades, that the Flemish part of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (BHV) arrondissement be separated from the Brussels Region (which made Halle-Vilvoorde a monolingual Flemish electoral and judicial district). BHV was divided mid-2012. The French-speaking population regards the language border as artificialNEWS, 28 May 2006, La Flandre ne prendra pas Bruxelles..., fr, La Libre Belgique,www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id=10&subid=90&art_id=283113, 3 September 2008, 15 February 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210215002609/https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/la-flandre-ne-prendra-pas-bruxelles-51b88e6ae4b0de6db9adde77, live, and demands the extension of the bilingual region to at least all six municipalities with language facilities in the surroundings of Brussels.{{efn|1=The six municipalities with language facilities around Brussels are Wemmel, Kraainem, Wezembeek-Oppem, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Linkebeek and Drogenbos.}} Flemish politicians have strongly rejected these proposals.NEWS, 24 January 2005, Une question: partir ou rester?, fr, La Libre Belgique,www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id=10&subid=90&art_id=202792, 3 September 2008, 28 November 2005,www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id=10&subid=90&art_id=202792," title="web.archive.org/web/20051128225333www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id=10&subid=90&art_id=202792,">web.archive.org/web/20051128225333www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id=10&subid=90&art_id=202792, live, WEB, Position commune des partis démocratiques francophones,www.uniondesfrancophones.be/, 22 July 2009, Union des Francophones (UF), Province of Flemish Brabant, fr, 23 July 2011,www.uniondesfrancophones.be/," title="web.archive.org/web/20110723223959www.uniondesfrancophones.be/,">web.archive.org/web/20110723223959www.uniondesfrancophones.be/, live, WEB, 14 November 2007, Bruxelles-capitale: une forte identité,info.france2.fr/dossiers/europe/34025346-fr.php?page=7, 22 July 2009, France 2, fr, 11 October 2008,info.france2.fr/dossiers/europe/34025346-fr.php?page=7," title="web.archive.org/web/20081011111301info.france2.fr/dossiers/europe/34025346-fr.php?page=7,">web.archive.org/web/20081011111301info.france2.fr/dossiers/europe/34025346-fr.php?page=7, live, File:Arrondissement Brussels-Periphery Belgium Map.PNG|thumb|right|The municipalities with language facilitiesmunicipalities with language facilitiesOwing to migration and to its international role, Brussels is home to a large number of native speakers of languages other than French or Dutch. Currently, about half of the population speaks a home language other than these two.NEWS, Van autochtoon naar allochtoon, Meer dan de helft van de Brusselse bevolking is van vreemde afkomst. In 1961 was dat slechts 7 procent. [More than half of the Brussels’ population is of foreign origin. In 1961 this was only 7 percent.], De Standaard, Dutch,www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=641B1LAQ&word=brussel+bevolking, 5 May 2007, 2 August 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200802031545/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/641b1laq?word=brussel%20bevolking, live, In 2013, academic research showed that approximately 17% of families spoke none of the official languages in the home, while in a further 23% a foreign language was used alongside French. The share of unilingual French-speaking families had fallen to 38% and that of Dutch-speaking families to 5%, while the percentage of bilingual Dutch-French families reached 17%. At the same time, French remains widely spoken: in 2013, French was spoken “well to perfectly” by 88% of the population, while for Dutch this percentage was only 23% (down from 33% in 2000); the other most commonly known languages were English (30%), Arabic (18%), Spanish (9%), German (7%) and Italian and Turkish (5% each). Despite the rise of English as a second language in Brussels, including as an unofficial compromise language between French and Dutch, as well as the working language for some of its international businesses and institutions, French remains the lingua franca and all public services are conducted exclusively in French or Dutch.The original dialect of Brussels (known as Brusselian, and also sometimes referred to as Marols or Marollien),{{sfn|Treffers-Daller|1994|p=25}} a form of Brabantic (the variant of Dutch spoken in the ancient Duchy of Brabant) with a significant number of loanwords from French, still survives among a small minority of inhabitants called BrusseleersMary Anne Evans, Frommer’s Brussels and Bruges Day by Day. First Edition (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008), 71. (or Brusseleirs), many of them quite bi- and multilingual, or educated in French and not writing in Dutch.WEB,www.dbnl.org/tekst/wink007alge02_01/wink007alge02_01_0067.php, De stad Brussel, Johan Winkler, 1874, Algemeen Nederduitsch en Friesch Dialecticon, 264–272, Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren, March 1, 2022, nl, 1 March 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220301161800/https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/wink007alge02_01/wink007alge02_01_0067.php, live, {{sfn|Treffers-Daller|1994|p=25}} The ethnic and national self-identification of Brussels’ inhabitants is nonetheless sometimes quite distinct from the French and Dutch-speaking communities. For the French-speakers, it can vary from Francophone Belgian, (French demonym for an inhabitant of Brussels), Walloon (for people who migrated from the Walloon Region at an adult age); for Flemings living in Brussels, it is mainly either Dutch-speaking Belgian, Flemish or (Dutch demonym for an inhabitant), and often both. For the Brusseleers, many simply consider themselves as belonging to Brussels.{{sfn|Treffers-Daller|1994|p=25}}Religions
{{Further|Religion in Belgium}}{{Pie chart|thumb = right|caption = Religions in the Brussels-Capital Region (2016)|label1 = Roman Catholicism|value1 = 40|color1 = Blue|label5 = Non-religious|value5 = 30|color5 = Gray|label2 = Islam|value2 = 23|color2 = Green|label3 = Protestantism|value3 = 3|color3 = dodgerblue|label4 = Other religions|value4 = 4|color4 = yellow}}Historically, Brussels has been predominantly Roman Catholic, especially since the expulsion of Protestants in the 16th century. This is clear from the large number of historical churches in the region, particularly in the City of Brussels. The pre-eminent Catholic cathedral in Brussels is the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, serving as the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels. On the north-western side of the region, the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a Minor Basilica and parish church, as well as one of the largest churches by area in the world.{{sfn|Stéphany|2006|p=63}} The Church of Our Lady of Laeken holds the tombs of many members of the Belgian royal family, including all the former Belgian monarchs, within the Royal Crypt.{{sfn|State|2004|p=218}}WEB, Royal Crypt in Laeken,www.monarchie.be/, 2024-01-20, The Belgian Monarchy, en, File:Bruxelles-Koekelberg, kathedraal foto4 2011-09-23 17.15.JPG|thumb|The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in KoekelbergKoekelbergIn reflection of its multicultural makeup, Brussels hosts a variety of religious communities, as well as large numbers of atheists and agnostics. Minority faiths include Islam, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Judaism, and Buddhism. According to a 2016 survey, approximately 40% of residents of Brussels declared themselves Catholics (12% were practising Catholics and 28% were non-practising Catholics), 30% were non-religious, 23% were Muslim (19% practising, 4% non-practising), 3% were Protestants and 4% were of another religion.NEWS, Elodie Blogie, 28 January 2016, 75% des francophones revendiquent une identité religieuse, fr, Le Soir.be,www.lesoir.be/1106186/article/actualite/belgique/2016-01-28/75-des-francophones-revendiquent-une-identite-religieuse, 5 June 2017, 31 January 2016,www.lesoir.be/1106186/article/actualite/belgique/2016-01-28/75-des-francophones-revendiquent-une-identite-religieuse," title="web.archive.org/web/20160131090919www.lesoir.be/1106186/article/actualite/belgique/2016-01-28/75-des-francophones-revendiquent-une-identite-religieuse,">web.archive.org/web/20160131090919www.lesoir.be/1106186/article/actualite/belgique/2016-01-28/75-des-francophones-revendiquent-une-identite-religieuse, live, As guaranteed by Belgian law, recognised religions and non-religious philosophical organisations (, )WEB, Religious Freedom in Belgium,berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/religious-freedom-in-belgium, Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University, 21 June 2015, 21 June 2015,berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/religious-freedom-in-belgium," title="web.archive.org/web/20150621064255berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/religious-freedom-in-belgium,">web.archive.org/web/20150621064255berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/religious-freedom-in-belgium, dead, enjoy public funding and school courses. It was once the case that every pupil in an official school from 6 to 18 years old had to choose two hours per week of compulsory religious—or non-religious-inspired morals—courses. However, in 2015, the Belgian Constitutional Court ruled religious studies could no longer be required in the primary and secondary educational systems.WEB, Andy Furniere, 13 March 2015, Lessons in religion no longer obligatory in Belgium,www.flanderstoday.eu/education/lessons-religion-no-longer-obligatory-belgium, 9 June 2017, Flanders Today, 2 June 2017,www.flanderstoday.eu/education/lessons-religion-no-longer-obligatory-belgium," title="web.archive.org/web/20170602044315www.flanderstoday.eu/education/lessons-religion-no-longer-obligatory-belgium,">web.archive.org/web/20170602044315www.flanderstoday.eu/education/lessons-religion-no-longer-obligatory-belgium, live, File:Great Mosque of Brussels.jpg|thumb|The Great Mosque of BrusselsGreat Mosque of BrusselsBrussels has a large concentration of Muslims, mostly of Moroccan, Turkish, Syrian and Guinean ancestry. The Great Mosque of Brussels, located in the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark, is the oldest mosque in Brussels and the former seat of the Islamic and Cultural Centre of Belgium.WEB, Bauwin, Adeline, 2019-02-01, L’exercice du culte à la Grande Mosquée de Bruxelles sera assuré après le départ du CICB,bx1.be/communes/bruxelles-ville/lexercice-culte-a-grande-mosquee-de-bruxelles-sera-assure-apres-depart-cicb/, 2024-01-09, BX1, fr-FR, 9 January 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240109003622/https://bx1.be/communes/bruxelles-ville/lexercice-culte-a-grande-mosquee-de-bruxelles-sera-assure-apres-depart-cicb/, live, Belgium does not collect statistics by ethnic background or religious beliefs, so exact figures are unknown.{{sfn|Torrekens|2007}} It was estimated that, in 2005, people of Muslim background living in the Brussels Region numbered 256,220 and accounted for 25.5% of the city’s population, a much higher concentration than those of the other regions of Belgium.WEB, 11 September 2008, Bericht uit het Gewisse, Message from the Gewisse,www.npdata.be/BuG/100/, dead,www.npdata.be/BuG/100/," title="web.archive.org/web/20101121030009www.npdata.be/BuG/100/,">web.archive.org/web/20101121030009www.npdata.be/BuG/100/, 21 November 2010, 9 October 2010, www.npdata.be, nl, In België wonen 628.751 moslims(Berekend aantal), 6,0% van de bevolking. In Brussel is dit 25,5%, in Wallonië 4,0%, in Vlaanderen 3,9% [In Belgium there are 628,751 Muslims (Calculated number), 6.0% of the population. In Brussels this is 25.5%, in Wallonia 4.0%, in Flanders 3.9%.], {{Better source needed|reason=Self-published work with data from 2005|date=November 2015}}{| class=“wikitable”Architecture
The architecture in Brussels is diverse, and spans from the clashing combination of Gothic, Baroque, and Louis XIV styles on the Grand-Place to the postmodern buildings of the EU institutions.WEB, Brussels Architecture Sights,www.brussels.info/architecture/, 18 October 2017, brussels.info, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019060341/https://www.brussels.info/architecture/, live, File:Bruxelles Manneken Pis.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Manneken PisManneken PisVery little medieval architecture is preserved in Brussels. Buildings from that period are mostly found in the historical centre (called ), Saint Géry/Sint-Goriks and / neighbourhoods. The Brabantine Gothic Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula remains a prominent feature in the skyline of downtown Brussels. Isolated portions of the first city walls were saved from destruction and can be seen to this day. One of the only remains of the second walls is the Halle Gate. The Grand-Place is the main attraction in the city centre and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.WEB, La Grand-Place, Brussels,whc.unesco.org/en/list/857, 6 February 2017, whc.unesco.org, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, en, 10 September 2016,web.archive.org/web/20160910064028/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/857, live, The square is dominated by the 15th century Flamboyant Town Hall, the neo-Gothic Breadhouse and the Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels. Manneken Pis, a fountain containing a small bronze sculpture of a urinating youth, is a tourist attraction and symbol of the city.WEB, Manneken Pis,be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/mannekenpis, 3 February 2017, be.brussels, en, 13 May 2017,be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/mannekenpis," title="web.archive.org/web/20170513052516be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/mannekenpis,">web.archive.org/web/20170513052516be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/mannekenpis, live, File:Parterre de fleurs Grand-place de Bruxelles 2016.jpg|thumb|center|upright=2.75|The Grand-Place of Brussels, a UNESCO World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteThe neoclassical style of the 18th and 19th centuries is represented in the Royal Quarter/Coudenberg area, around Brussels Park and the Place Royale/Koningsplein. Examples include the Royal Palace, the Church of St. James on Coudenberg, the Palace of the Nation (Parliament building), the Academy Palace, the Palace of Charles of Lorraine, the Palace of the Count of Flanders and the Egmont Palace. Other uniform neoclassical ensembles can be found around the Place des Martyrs/Martelaarsplein and the /. Some additional landmarks in the centre are the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries (1847), one of the oldest covered shopping arcades in Europe, the Congress Column (1859), the former Brussels Stock Exchange building (1873) and the Palace of Justice (1883). The latter, designed by Joseph Poelaert, in eclectic style, is reputed to be the largest building constructed in the 19th century.WEB, Le Palais de Justice de Bruxelles,whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5357/, 3 February 2017, whc.unesco.org, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, en, 28 January 2017,whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5357/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170128225333whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5357/,">web.archive.org/web/20170128225333whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5357/, live, Located outside the historical centre, in a greener environment bordering the European Quarter, are the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark with its memorial arcade and nearby museums, and in Laeken, the Royal Palace of Laeken and the Royal Domain with its large greenhouses, as well as the Museums of the Far East.Also particularly striking are the buildings in the Art Nouveau style, most famously by the Belgian architects Victor Horta, Paul Hankar and Henry Van de Velde.WEB, 10 must-visit world-class Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels!,visit.brussels/en/article/10-must-visit-world-class-art-nouveau-buildings-in-brussels, 18 October 2017, visit.brussels, en, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019061230/https://visit.brussels/en/article/10-must-visit-world-class-art-nouveau-buildings-in-brussels, live, NEWS, Stambolic, Ana, The Most Remarkable Art Nouveau Houses In Brussels, Culture Trip,theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/the-most-remarkable-art-nouveau-houses-in-brussels/, 18 October 2017, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019061209/https://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/the-most-remarkable-art-nouveau-houses-in-brussels/, live, Some of Brussels’ municipalities, such as Schaerbeek, Etterbeek, Ixelles, and Saint-Gilles, were developed during the heyday of Art Nouveau and have many buildings in that style. The Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta—Hôtel Tassel (1893), Hôtel van Eetvelde (1898), Hôtel Solvay (1900) and the Horta Museum (1901)—have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.WEB, Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels),whc.unesco.org/en/list/1005, 14 February 2017, whc.unesco.org, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, en, 13 May 2013,web.archive.org/web/20130513225235/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1005, live, Another example of Brussels’ Art Nouveau is the Stoclet Palace (1911), by the Viennese architect Josef Hoffmann, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in June 2009.WEB, Stoclet House,whc.unesco.org/en/list/1298, 8 January 2017, whc.unesco.org, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, en, 21 July 2016,web.archive.org/web/20160721005708/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1298, live, File:Victor Horta Hotel Tassel.JPG| Hôtel Tassel by Victor Horta (1893)File:Tassel House stairway-00.JPG|Stairway in Hôtel TasselFile:Hôtel Ciamberlani (DSCF7523).jpg|Hôtel Albert Ciamberlani by Paul Hankar (1897)File:Old England facade, Brussels (DSCF7544).jpg|Former Old England department store by Paul Saintenoy (1899)File:Maison Saint-Cyr (DSCF7558).jpg|Saint-Cyr House by Gustave Strauven (1903)File:Maison Cauchie-445.jpg| Cauchie House by Paul Cauchie (1905)File:Maison Cauchie sgraffitopaneel.jpg| Sgraffito panel in the Cauchie HouseFile:20120923 Brussels PalaisStoclet Hoffmann DSC06725 PtrQs.jpg| Stoclet Palace by Josef Hoffmann (1911)File:Ancien Institut national de Radiodiffusion - vue d’ensemble.JPG|thumb|right|Flagey Building in IxellesIxellesArt Deco structures in Brussels include the Résidence Palace (1927) (now part of the Europa building), the Centre for Fine Arts (1928), the Villa Empain (1934), the Town Hall of Forest (1938), and the Flagey Building (formerly known as the Maison de la Radio) on the Place Eugène Flagey/Eugène Flageyplein (1938) in Ixelles. Some religious buildings from the interwar era were also constructed in that style, such as the Church of St. John the Baptist (1932) in Molenbeek and the Church of St. Augustine (1935) in Forest. Completed only in 1969, and combining Art Deco with neo-Byzantine elements, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg is one of the largest churches by area in the world, and its cupola provides a panoramic view of Brussels and its outskirts. Another example are the exhibition halls of the Centenary Palace, built for the 1935 World’s Fair on the Heysel/Heizel Plateau in northern Brussels, home to the Brussels Exhibition Centre (Brussels Expo).NEWS,www.brusselslife.be/en/article/top-10-of-art-deco-buildings-in-brussels, Top 10 of Art Deco buildings in Brussels, Brussleslife, 18 October 2017, en, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019061616/https://www.brusselslife.be/en/article/top-10-of-art-deco-buildings-in-brussels, live, File:Laeken Atomium 06.jpg|thumb|The AtomiumAtomiumThe Atomium is a symbolic {{cvt|103|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} modernist structure, located on the Heysel Plateau, which was originally built for the 1958 World’s Fair (Expo 58). It consists of nine steel spheres connected by tubes, and forms a model of an iron crystal (specifically, a unit cell), magnified 165 billion times. The architect André Waterkeyn devoted the building to science. It is now considered a landmark of Brussels.WEB,www.beneluxguide.com/belgium/atomium-the-iron-landmark-of-brussels/, Atomium – the iron landmark of Brussels, beneluxguide.com, 3 February 2017, 4 February 2017,www.beneluxguide.com/belgium/atomium-the-iron-landmark-of-brussels/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170204165901www.beneluxguide.com/belgium/atomium-the-iron-landmark-of-brussels/,">web.archive.org/web/20170204165901www.beneluxguide.com/belgium/atomium-the-iron-landmark-of-brussels/, live, NEWS,www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-atomium-molecular-brussels-landmark-gets-a-polish-a-860096.html, The Atomium: How Do You Clean a Massive Molecule?, Spiegel Online, 8 October 2012, 3 February 2017, 4 February 2017,www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-atomium-molecular-brussels-landmark-gets-a-polish-a-860096.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20170204090001www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-atomium-molecular-brussels-landmark-gets-a-polish-a-860096.html,">web.archive.org/web/20170204090001www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-atomium-molecular-brussels-landmark-gets-a-polish-a-860096.html, live, Next to the Atomium, is Mini-Europe miniature park, with 1:25 scale maquettes of famous buildings from across Europe.Since the second half of the 20th century, modern office towers have been built in Brussels (Madou Tower, Rogier Tower, Proximus Towers, Finance Tower, the World Trade Center, among others). There are some thirty towers, mostly concentrated in the city’s main business district: the Northern Quarter (also called Little Manhattan), near Brussels-North railway station. The South Tower, standing adjacent to Brussels-South railway station, is the tallest building in Belgium, at {{cvt|148|m}}. Along the North–South connection, is the State Administrative City, an administrative complex in the International Style. The postmodern buildings of the Espace Léopold complete the picture.The city’s embrace of modern architecture translated into an ambivalent approach towards historic preservation, leading to the destruction of notable architectural landmarks, most famously the Maison du Peuple/Volkshuis by Victor Horta, a process known as Brusselisation.{{sfn|State|2004|p=51–52}}{{sfn|Stubbs|MakaÅ¡|2011|p=121}}Culture
{{Further|Culture of Belgium}}Visual arts and museums
File:Brussels Cinquantenaire R03.jpg|thumb|right|Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark memorial arcade and museums]]Brussels contains over 80 museums.WEB,www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/en/tourismeloisirs/tourisme_et_loisirs/les_musees_de_bruxelles.shtml, Museums in Brussels, Bruxelles.irisnet.be, 29 June 2010, dead,www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/en/tourismeloisirs/tourisme_et_loisirs/les_musees_de_bruxelles.shtml," title="web.archive.org/web/20100606080405www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/en/tourismeloisirs/tourisme_et_loisirs/les_musees_de_bruxelles.shtml,">web.archive.org/web/20100606080405www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/en/tourismeloisirs/tourisme_et_loisirs/les_musees_de_bruxelles.shtml, 6 June 2010, The Royal Museums of Fine Arts has an extensive collection of various painters, such as Flemish old masters like Bruegel, Rogier van der Weyden, Robert Campin, Anthony van Dyck, Jacob Jordaens, and Peter Paul Rubens. The Magritte Museum houses the world’s largest collection of the works of the surrealist René Magritte. Museums dedicated to the national history of Belgium include the BELvue Museum, the Royal Museums of Art and History, and the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History. The Musical Instruments Museum (MIM), housed in the Old England building, is part of the Royal Museums of Art and History, and is internationally renowned for its collection of over 8,000 instruments.The Brussels Museums Council is an independent body for all the museums in the Brussels-Capital Region, covering around 100 federal, private, municipal, and community museums.WEB,www.brusselsmuseums.be/en, Brussels Museums, Fun, Everything is, 2019-08-04, Brussels Museums, en, 2019-08-09, 27 July 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190727162635/https://www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/, live, It promotes member museums through the Brussels Card (giving access to public transport and 30 of the 100 museums), the Brussels Museums Nocturnes (every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. from mid-September to mid-December) and the Museum Night Fever (an event for and by young people on a Saturday night in late February or early March).WEB,www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/53974/record-number-of-17-000-visitors-attend-brussels-museum-night-fever-event/, Record number of 17,000 visitors attend Brussels’ “Museum Night Fever” event, 2019-02-24, The Brussels Times, en, 2019-08-09, 9 August 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190809195625/https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/53974/record-number-of-17-000-visitors-attend-brussels-museum-night-fever-event/, live, Brussels has had a distinguished artist scene for many years. The famous Belgian surrealists René Magritte and Paul Delvaux, for instance, studied and lived there, as did the avant-garde dramatist Michel de Ghelderode. The city was also home of the impressionist painter Anna Boch from the artists’ group Les XX, and includes other famous Belgian painters such as Léon Spilliaert. Brussels is also a capital of the comic strip;NEWS, Herbez, Ariel, Bruxelles, capitale de la BD,www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/73a8ca52-4c90-11de-8192-71ce8207b7fa, 28 May 2010, 30 May 2009, Switzerland, fr, Plus que jamais, Bruxelles mérite son statut de capitale de la bande dessinée., {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} some treasured Belgian characters are Tintin, Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Spirou, Gaston, Marsupilami, Blake and Mortimer, Boule et Bill and Cubitus (see Belgian comics). Throughout the city, walls are painted with large motifs of comic book characters; these murals taken together are known as Brussels’ Comic Book Route. Also, the interiors of some Metro stations are designed by artists. The Belgian Comic Strip Center combines two artistic leitmotifs of Brussels, being a museum devoted to Belgian comic strips, housed in the former Magasins Waucquez textile department store, designed by Victor Horta in the Art Nouveau style. In addition, street art is changing the landscape of this multicultural city.WEB, Street Art in Brussels: trail and artists,visit.brussels/en/article/Street-Art-in-Brussels, 2021-12-11, visit.brussels, en, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211013038/https://visit.brussels/en/article/Street-Art-in-Brussels, live,Performing arts venues and festivals
File:Théâtre de la Monnaie 1.JPG|thumb|Royal Theatre of La Monnaie ]]Brussels is well known for its performing arts scene, with the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, the Royal Park Theatre, the Théâtre Royal des Galeries, and the Kaaitheater among the most notable institutions.The Kunstenfestivaldesarts, an international performing arts festival, is organised every year in May. Its main hub is the Kaaitheater, but performances and artworks are also hosted in around 30 venues throughout the city.WEB, Kunstenfestivaldesarts festival returns to Brussels, 7 May 2022, The Brussels Times,www.brusselstimes.com/222803/kunstenfestivaldesarts-festival-returns-to-brussels, 16 March 2024, 16 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240316100955/https://www.brusselstimes.com/222803/kunstenfestivaldesarts-festival-returns-to-brussels, live, WEB, Home, Kunstenfestivaldesarts,kfda.be/en/home/, 17 March 2024, 16 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240316140459/https://kfda.be/en/home/, live, The King Baudouin Stadium is a concert and competition facility with a 50,000 seat capacity, the largest in Belgium. The site was formerly occupied by the Heysel Stadium. The Centre for Fine Arts (often referred to as BOZAR in French or PSK in Dutch), a multi-purpose centre for theatre, cinema, music, literature, and art exhibitions, is home to the National Orchestra of Belgium and to the annual Queen Elisabeth Competition for classical singers and instrumentalists, one of the most challenging and prestigious competitions of the kind. Studio 4 in Le Flagey cultural centre hosts the Brussels Philharmonic.WEB,www.flagey.be/en/page/3889-studio-4, Studio 4, Flagey, 13 August 2019, 2 May 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190502001659/https://www.flagey.be/en/page/3889-studio-4, live, WEB,www.flagey.be/en/, Flagey, Flagey, 13 August 2019, 25 March 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190325054336/https://www.flagey.be/en/, live, Other concert venues include Forest National/Vorst Nationaal, the Ancienne Belgique, the Cirque Royal/Koninklijk Circus, the Botanique and Palais 12/Paleis 12. Furthermore, the Jazz Station in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode is a museum and archive on jazz, and a venue for jazz concerts.Bruzz, Het ABC van Jean Demannez {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205040953www.bruzz.be/nl/cultuur/het-abc-van-jean-demannez |date=5 February 2017 }}, 22 September 2015 {{in lang|nl}}Other cultural events and festivals
File:Brussels Summer Festival (4890801736).jpg|thumb|(:fr:Brussels Summer Festival|Brussels Summer Festival) (BSF)]]Many events are organised or hosted in Brussels throughout the year. In addition, many festivals animate the Brussels scene.The Iris Festival is the official festival of the Brussels-Capital Region and is held annually in spring.WEB,irisfestival.brussels/iris-festival,irisfestival.brussels/iris-festival," title="web.archive.org/web/20180812230451irisfestival.brussels/iris-festival,">web.archive.org/web/20180812230451irisfestival.brussels/iris-festival, dead, 12 August 2018, The Iris Festival | Iris Festival, 12 August 2018, 13 August 2019, The International Fantastic Film Festival of Brussels (BIFFF) is organised during the Easter holidaysWEB,www.bifff.net/, BIFFF, BIFFF, en-US, 2019-10-24,web.archive.org/web/20191006070322/https://www.bifff.net/, 6 October 2019, dead, and the Magritte Awards in February. The Festival of Europe, an open day and activities in and around the institutions of the European Union, is held on 9 May. On Belgian National Day, on 21 July, a military parade and celebrations take place on the / and in Brussels Park, ending with a display of fireworks in the evening.Some summer festivities include Couleur Café Festival, a festival of world and urban music, around the end of June or early July, the (:fr:Brussels Summer Festival|Brussels Summer Festival) (BSF), a music festival in August,WEB,www.bsf.be/news/enjoy-the-bsf-extras, PROFITEZ DES BSF EXTRAS !, www.bsf.be, 13 August 2019,www.bsf.be/news/enjoy-the-bsf-extras," title="web.archive.org/web/20190811032248www.bsf.be/news/enjoy-the-bsf-extras,">web.archive.org/web/20190811032248www.bsf.be/news/enjoy-the-bsf-extras, 11 August 2019, dead, the Brussels Fair, the most important yearly fair in Brussels, lasting more than a month, in July and August,WEB,www.zuidfoor.site/, Zuidfoor, Zuidfoor, 13 August 2019, 13 August 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190813041549/https://www.zuidfoor.site/, live, and Brussels Beach, when the banks of the canal are turned into a temporary urban beach.WEB,www.bruxelleslesbains.be/, Bruxelles les Bains / Brussel Bad – La plus fun des plages urbaines !, 13 August 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190813041549/https://www.bruxelleslesbains.be/, 13 August 2019, dead, Other biennial events are the Zinneke Parade, a colourful, multicultural parade through the city, which has been held since 2000 in May, as well as the popular Flower Carpet at the Grand-Place in August. Heritage Days are organised on the third weekend of September (sometimes coinciding with the car-free day) and are a good opportunity to discover the wealth of buildings, institutions and real estate in Brussels. The “Winter Wonders” animate the heart of Brussels in December; these winter activities were launched in Brussels in 2001.{{sfn|State|2004|p=108}}WEB,visit.brussels/en/lists/winter-in-brussels, Winter in Brussels, visit.brussels, 13 August 2019, 2 May 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190502001731/https://visit.brussels/en/lists/winter-in-brussels, live,Folklore
{{Further|Folklore of Belgium}}File:GeantsMeyboom2.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Meyboom giants in Brussels, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage ]]Brussels’ identity owes much to its rich folklore and traditions, among the liveliest in the country.WEB, 2016-11-25, Folklore,www.brussels.be/folklore, 2024-03-22, www.brussels.be, en, 22 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240322023707/https://www.brussels.be/folklore, live, WEB, Folklore,be.brussels/fr/loisirs-evenements-sports/les-loisirs-gratuits/folklore, 2024-03-22, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, fr, 22 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240322023707/https://be.brussels/fr/loisirs-evenements-sports/les-loisirs-gratuits/folklore, live, The Ommegang, a folkloric costumed procession, commemorating the Joyous Entry of Emperor Charles V and his son Philip II in the city in 1549, takes place every year in July. The colourful parade includes floats, traditional processional giants, such as Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, and scores of folkloric groups, either on foot or on horseback, dressed in medieval garb. The parade ends in a pageant on the Grand-Place. Since 2019, it has been recognised as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.WEB, UNESCO - Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular festival,ich.unesco.org/en/lists, 2021-06-11, ich.unesco.org, en, 15 May 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170515125552/https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists, live, The Meyboom, an even-older folk tradition of Brussels (1308), celebrating the “May tree“—in fact, a corruption of the Dutch tree of joy—takes place paradoxically on 9 August. After parading a young beech in the city, it is planted in a joyful spirit with lots of music, Brusseleir songs, and processional giants. It has also been recognised as an expression of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, as part of the bi-national inscription “Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France”.WEB,be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/meyboom, Meyboom, be.brussels, en, 10 February 2017, 14 May 2017,be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/meyboom," title="web.archive.org/web/20170514013936be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/meyboom,">web.archive.org/web/20170514013936be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/brussels-folklore/meyboom, live, WEB,ich.unesco.org/en/RL/processional-giants-and-dragons-in-belgium-and-france-00153, Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France – intangible heritage – Culture Sector – UNESCO, ich.unesco.org, en, 27 October 2017, 21 November 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191121072210/https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/processional-giants-and-dragons-in-belgium-and-france-00153, live, The celebration is reminiscent of the town’s long-standing (folkloric) feud with Leuven, which dates back to the Middle Ages.The Saint-Verhaegen/Sint-Verhaegen (often shortened to St V), a folkloric student procession, celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the (ULB) and the (VUB), is held on 20 November. Since 2019, it has also been listed as intangible cultural heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region.WEB, La Saint Verhaegen — Patrimoine - Erfgoed,patrimoine.brussels/fr/decouvrir/inventaires-du-patrimoine-bruxellois/inventaire-du-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/la-saint-verhaegen?set_language=fr, 2023-03-06, patrimoine.brussels, 6 March 2023,patrimoine.brussels/fr/decouvrir/inventaires-du-patrimoine-bruxellois/inventaire-du-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/la-saint-verhaegen?set_language=fr," title="web.archive.org/web/20230306163324patrimoine.brussels/fr/decouvrir/inventaires-du-patrimoine-bruxellois/inventaire-du-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/la-saint-verhaegen?set_language=fr,">web.archive.org/web/20230306163324patrimoine.brussels/fr/decouvrir/inventaires-du-patrimoine-bruxellois/inventaire-du-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/la-saint-verhaegen?set_language=fr, live, WEB, McNally, Paul, 2019-10-13, Brussels student celebration St V joins cultural heritage list,www.thebulletin.be/brussels-student-celebration-st-v-joins-cultural-heritage-list, 2023-03-06, The Bulletin, en, 6 March 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230306163329/https://www.thebulletin.be/brussels-student-celebration-st-v-joins-cultural-heritage-list, live, WEB, La St-V fait son entrée au patrimoine culturel immatériel de la Région de Bruxelles,www.rtbf.be/article/la-st-v-fait-son-entree-au-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel-de-la-region-de-bruxelles-10336897, 2023-03-06, RTBF, fr, 6 March 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230306163327/https://www.rtbf.be/article/la-st-v-fait-son-entree-au-patrimoine-culturel-immateriel-de-la-region-de-bruxelles-10336897, live, Another good introduction to the Brusseleir local dialect and way of life can be obtained at the Royal Theatre Toone, a folkloric theatre of marionettes, located a stone’s throw away from the Grand-Place.WEB,www.toone.be/spip.php?page=choix_lang, Théâtre Royal de Toone, www.toone.be, 13 August 2019, 21 August 2019,www.toone.be/spip.php?page=choix_lang," title="web.archive.org/web/20190821151509www.toone.be/spip.php?page=choix_lang,">web.archive.org/web/20190821151509www.toone.be/spip.php?page=choix_lang, live, Finally, two famous folkloric plays, Le Mariage de Mademoiselle Beulemans by Frantz Fonson and Fernand Wicheler, and Bossemans et Coppenolle by Joris d’Hanswyck and Paul Van Stalle, are still the subject of regular revivals.BOOK, van Morckhoven, Paul, André, Luc, 1970, The contemporary theatre in Belgium, Brussels, B, Belgian Information and Documentation Institute, 73, 906056246,Cuisine
File:Brussels waffle.jpg|thumb|upright|Brussels is known for its local waffles.]]Brussels is well known for its local waffle, its chocolate, its French fries and its numerous types of beers. The Brussels sprout, which has long been popular in Brussels, and may have originated there, is also named after the city.WEB, Oliver, Lynne, Food Timeline: Brussels sprouts, 11 April 2011,www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq.html#brussels, 9 April 2012, 27 April 2019,www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq.html#brussels," title="web.archive.org/web/20190427181532www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq.html#brussels,">web.archive.org/web/20190427181532www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq.html#brussels, live, Owing to Brussels’ cosmopolitan population, almost every national cuisine in the world can be found there. The gastronomic offer includes approximately 1,800 restaurants (including three 2-starred and ten 1-starred Michelin restaurants),WEB, Brussels 2 Stars MICHELIN MICHELIN Restaurants – the MICHELIN Guide Belgium,guide.michelin.com/en/be/bruxelles-capitale/restaurants/2-stars-michelin/1-star-michelin, 2021-02-10, MICHELIN Guide, en-US, 16 February 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210216154026/https://guide.michelin.com/en/be/bruxelles-capitale/restaurants/2-stars-michelin/1-star-michelin, live, and a number of bars. In addition to the traditional restaurants, there are many 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 are called (literally “tea salons“). Also widespread are brasseries, which usually offer a variety of beers and typical national dishes.Belgian cuisine is known among connoisseurs as one of the best in Europe. It is characterised 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). The city is a stronghold of chocolate and praline manufacturers with renowned companies like Côte d’Or, Neuhaus, Leonidas and Godiva. Pralines were first introduced in 1912 by Jean Neuhaus II, a Belgian chocolatier of Swiss origin, in the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries.NEWS,www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/travel/brussels-the-chocolate-trail.html,ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/travel/brussels-the-chocolate-trail.html, 2022-01-01, limited, Brussels: The Chocolate Trail, Thomas, Amy M., 22 December 2011, The New York Times, 0362-4331, 4 February 2017, {{cbignore}} Numerous friteries are spread throughout the city, and in tourist areas, fresh hot waffles are also sold on the street.As well as other Belgian beers, the spontaneously fermented lambic style, brewed in and around Brussels, is widely available there and in the nearby Senne valley where the wild yeasts that ferment it have their origin.BOOK, Jackson, Michael, The new world guide to beer,books.google.com/books?id=_PQJAQAAMAAJ, 26 May 2012, September 1988, Running Press, 978-0-89471-649-2, 11 January 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230111125308/https://books.google.com/books?id=_PQJAQAAMAAJ, live, Kriek, a cherry lambic, is available in almost every bar or restaurant in Brussels.Brussels is known as the birthplace of the Belgian endive. The technique for growing blanched endives was accidentally discovered in the 1850s at the Botanical Garden of Brussels in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.WEB,www.foodmuseum.com/endive.html,www.foodmuseum.com/endive.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20050729081033www.foodmuseum.com/endive.html,">web.archive.org/web/20050729081033www.foodmuseum.com/endive.html, dead, 29 July 2005, Food Museum, Belgium Endive, 29 July 2005, 4 February 2017,Shopping
File:107 - Marché aux puces place du Jeu de Balle - Bruxelles.jpg|thumb|right|Flea market on the Place du Jeu de Balle/Vossenplein ]]Famous shopping areas in Brussels include the pedestrian-only Rue Neuve/Nieuwstraat, the second busiest shopping street in Belgium (after the Meir, in Antwerp) with a weekly average of 230,000 visitors,WEB,www.xpats.com/rue-neuve-most-popular-shopping-street, Rue Neuve most popular shopping street, www.xpats.com, en, 18 October 2017, 2013-09-19, 19 October 2017,www.xpats.com/rue-neuve-most-popular-shopping-street," title="web.archive.org/web/20171019061215www.xpats.com/rue-neuve-most-popular-shopping-street,">web.archive.org/web/20171019061215www.xpats.com/rue-neuve-most-popular-shopping-street, live, WEB,www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20130107_00424661, Meir klopt voor het eerst Nieuwstraat als drukste winkelstraat, De Standaard, 18 October 2017, nl-BE, 19 October 2017,www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20130107_00424661," title="web.archive.org/web/20171019061300www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20130107_00424661,">web.archive.org/web/20171019061300www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20130107_00424661, live, home to popular international chains (H&M, C&A, Zara, Primark), as well as the City 2 and Anspach galleries.NEWS,visit.brussels/en/article/shopping-in-brussels, Shopping in Brussels, 2018-08-31, en, 1 September 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180901003744/https://visit.brussels/en/article/shopping-in-brussels, live, The Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries hold a variety of luxury shops and some six million people stroll through them each year.WEB,www.grsh.be/en/, The Galerie de la Reine {{!, Galeries royales saint Hubert à Bruxelles |website=Galeries Royales St-Hubert |language=en-US |access-date=2018-08-31 |archive-date=1 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901003805www.grsh.be/en/ |url-status=live }} The neighbourhood around the / has become, in recent years, a focal point for fashion and design;WEB,www.brussels.info/shopping-streets/, Brussels Shopping Streets, Brussels.info, 24 February 2017,www.brussels.info/shopping-streets/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170225205442www.brussels.info/shopping-streets/,">web.archive.org/web/20170225205442www.brussels.info/shopping-streets/, 25 February 2017, dead, this main street and its side streets also feature Belgium’s young and most happening artistic talent.WEB,www.ft.com/content/2f6570d4-7eae-11e3-8642-00144feabdc0, Why stylish Dansaert district stands out in downtown Brussels, Foster, Nick, 24 January 2014, Financial Times, 18 October 2017, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019055739/https://www.ft.com/content/2f6570d4-7eae-11e3-8642-00144feabdc0, live, In Ixelles, the / and the Namur Gate area offer a blend of luxury shops, fast food restaurants and entertainment venues, and the /, in the mainly-Congolese Matongé district, offers a great taste of African fashion and lifestyle. The nearby Avenue Louise/Louizalaan is lined with high-end fashion stores and boutiques, making it one of the most expensive streets in Belgium.WEB,www.thebulletin.be/avenue-louise-joins-belgiums-most-expensive-shopping-streets, Avenue Louise joins Belgium’s most expensive shopping streets, www.thebulletin.be, en, 2018-08-31, 2015-11-19, 1 September 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180901044349/https://www.thebulletin.be/avenue-louise-joins-belgiums-most-expensive-shopping-streets, live, There are shopping centres outside the inner ring: Basilix, Woluwe Shopping Center, Westland Shopping Center, and Docks Bruxsel, which opened in October 2017. In addition, Brussels ranks as one of Europe’s best capital cities for flea market shopping. The Old Market, on the Place du Jeu de Balle/Vossenplein, in the Marolles/Marollen neighbourhood, is particularly renowned.WEB,www.fleamarketinsiders.com/flea-markets-in-brussels/, Flea Markets in Brussels, Flea Market Insiders, 11 September 2015, en-US, 24 February 2017, 25 February 2017,www.fleamarketinsiders.com/flea-markets-in-brussels/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170225142210www.fleamarketinsiders.com/flea-markets-in-brussels/,">web.archive.org/web/20170225142210www.fleamarketinsiders.com/flea-markets-in-brussels/, live, The nearby Sablon/Zavel area is home to many of Brussels’ antique dealers.WEB,www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm/5630, Sablon, City of Brussels, en, 24 February 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170225131919/https://www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm/5630, 25 February 2017, dead, dmy-all, The Midi Market around Brussels-South station and the / is reputed to be one of the largest markets in Europe.WEB,www.brusselslife.be/en/article/midi-market, Midi Market, Brusselslife, en, 8 July 2017, 7 July 2017,www.brusselslife.be/en/article/midi-market," title="web.archive.org/web/20170707201944www.brusselslife.be/en/article/midi-market,">web.archive.org/web/20170707201944www.brusselslife.be/en/article/midi-market, live,Sports
{{Further|Sport in Belgium}}File:20 km de Bruxelles.jpg|thumb|20 km of Brussels20 km of BrusselsSport in Brussels is under the responsibility of the Communities. The (ADEPS) is responsible for recognising the various French-speaking sports federations and also runs three sports centres in the Brussels-Capital Region.WEB,www.sport-adeps.be/, Portail officiel du sport en fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, sport-adeps.be, fr, Official sports portal in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, 11 November 2017,www.sport-adeps.be/," title="web.archive.org/web/20171116150111www.sport-adeps.be/,">web.archive.org/web/20171116150111www.sport-adeps.be/, 16 November 2017, dead, Its Dutch-speaking counterpart is (formerly called BLOSO).WEB,www.sport.vlaanderen/, Doe aan sport, Sport.Vlaanderen, nl, Do sports, 11 November 2017, 3 January 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180103121617/https://www.sport.vlaanderen/, live, The King Baudouin Stadium (formerly the Heysel Stadium) is the largest in the country and home to the national teams in football and rugby union.WEB,www.stadiumguide.com/koningboudewijn/, Stade Roi Baudouin – Koning Boudewijnstadion, The Stadium Guide, en, 18 October 2017, 19 October 2017,www.stadiumguide.com/koningboudewijn/," title="web.archive.org/web/20171019060103www.stadiumguide.com/koningboudewijn/,">web.archive.org/web/20171019060103www.stadiumguide.com/koningboudewijn/, live, It hosted the final of the 1972 UEFA European Football Championship, and the opening game of the 2000 edition. Several European club finals have been held at the ground, including the 1985 European Cup Final which saw 39 deaths due to hooliganism and structural collapse.NEWS,metro.co.uk/2012/09/06/alessandro-del-piero-turned-down-liverpool-move-due-to-heysel-566958/, Alessandro Del Piero ‘turned down Liverpool move due to Heysel’, Metro News, 6 September 2012, 12 August 2013, 8 August 2013,metro.co.uk/2012/09/06/alessandro-del-piero-turned-down-liverpool-move-due-to-heysel-566958/," title="web.archive.org/web/20130808082941metro.co.uk/2012/09/06/alessandro-del-piero-turned-down-liverpool-move-due-to-heysel-566958/,">web.archive.org/web/20130808082941metro.co.uk/2012/09/06/alessandro-del-piero-turned-down-liverpool-move-due-to-heysel-566958/, live, The King Baudouin Stadium is also home of the annual Memorial Van Damme athletics event, Belgium’s foremost track and field competition, which is part of the Diamond League. Other important athletics events are the Brussels MarathonWEB, Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon – 29/09/2024,brusselsairportmarathon.be/en/, 2024-04-12, en-US, and the 20 km of Brussels, an annual run with 30,000 participants.WEB, Home,www.20kmdebruxelles.be/en/, 2024-04-12, 20 km de Bruxelles – 20 km door Brussel, en-US,Association football
File:Lotto park 2022.jpg|thumb|right|R.S.C. Anderlecht fans at the Constant Vanden Stock StadiumConstant Vanden Stock StadiumR.S.C. Anderlecht, based in the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in Anderlecht, is the most successful Belgian football club in the Belgian Pro League, with 34 titles.Anderlecht clinch 34th league title {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923003902uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-belgium-idUKKCN18E358 |date=23 September 2017 }}. Rsssf.com. Retrieved on 12 August 2013. It has also won the most major European tournaments for a Belgian side, with 6 European titles. Brussels is also home to Union Saint-Gilloise, the most successful Belgian club before World War II, with 11 titles.Belgium – List of Champions {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019121323www.rsssf.com/tablesb/belgchamp.html |date=19 October 2020 }}. Rsssf.com. Retrieved on 19 February 2014. The club was founded in Saint-Gilles but is based in nearby Forest, and plays in the Belgian Pro League. Racing White Daring Molenbeek, based in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and often referred to as RWDM, is a very popular football club that, since 2023, is back playing in the Belgian Pro League.PRESS RELEASE, WE ARE BACK IN THE FIRST DIVISION !,www.rwdm.be/nl/we-are-back-in-the-first-division/, RWDM, 13 June 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230515134054/https://www.rwdm.be/nl/we-are-back-in-the-first-division/, 15 May 2023, nl, 15 May 2023, NEWS, RWDM promoveert! Brusselse traditieclub volgend seizoen opnieuw in hoogste klasse na zege tegen RSCA Futures,www.hln.be/belgisch-voetbal/rwdm-promoveert-brusselse-traditieclub-volgend-seizoen-opnieuw-in-hoogste-klasse-na-zege-tegen-rsca-futures~a3a60844/, 13 June 2023, Het Laatste Nieuws, 13 May 2023, nl-BE, 18 May 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230518213620/https://www.hln.be/belgisch-voetbal/rwdm-promoveert-brusselse-traditieclub-volgend-seizoen-opnieuw-in-hoogste-klasse-na-zege-tegen-rsca-futures~a3a60844/, live, Other Brussels clubs that played in the national series over the years were Royal White Star Bruxelles, Ixelles SC, Crossing Club de Schaerbeek (born from a merger between RCS de Schaerbeek and Crossing Club Molenbeek), Scup Jette, RUS de Laeken, Racing Jet de Bruxelles, AS Auderghem, KV Wosjot Woluwe and FC Ganshoren.Cycling
Brussels is home to notable cycling races. The city is the arrival location of the Brussels Cycling Classic, formerly known as Paris–Brussels, which is one of the oldest semi classic bicycle races on the international calendar.WEB, Race info - Men Elite {{!, Brussels Cycling Classic |url=https://www.brusselscyclingclassic.be/en/race/brussels-cycling-classic/race-info |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Flanders Classics Events |language=en}} From World War I until the early 1970s, the Six Days of Brussels was organised regularly. In the last decades of the 20th century, the Grand Prix Eddy Merckx was also held in Brussels.Economy
{{Further|Economy of Belgium}}File:Front of Brussels Stock Exchange 2023 cropped.jpg|thumb|Former Brussels Stock ExchangeBrussels Stock ExchangeServing as the centre of administration for Belgium and Europe, Brussels’ economy is largely service-oriented. It is dominated by regional and world headquarters of multinationals, by European institutions, by various local and federal administrations, and by related services companies, though it does have a number of notable craft industries, such as the Cantillon Brewery, a lambic brewery founded in 1900.WEB,www.cantillon.be/musee?lang=en, Cantillon – Museum, www.cantillon.be, en-US, 26 March 2017, 27 March 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170327075856/https://www.cantillon.be/musee?lang=en, live, File:North Galaxy Towers-Schaerbeek-001.JPG|thumb|Brussels’ Northern Quarter business district]]Brussels has a robust economy. The region contributes to one fifth of Belgium’s GDP, and its 550,000 jobs account for 17.7% of Belgium’s employment.WEB,www.brussels.info/economy/, Brussels Economy and Business, Brussels.info, 26 March 2017,www.brussels.info/economy/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170211080620www.brussels.info/economy/,">web.archive.org/web/20170211080620www.brussels.info/economy/, 11 February 2017, dead, Its GDP per capita is nearly double that of Belgium as a whole,WEB, Gross domestic product per resident, at current prices – Ratio in relation to the total of the Kingdom,www.nbb.be/belgostat/PublicatieSelectieLinker?LinkID=68000011%7c910000082&Lang=E, National Bank of Belgium, 20 April 2014, dead,www.nbb.be/belgostat/PublicatieSelectieLinker?LinkID=68000011%7C910000082&Lang=E," title="web.archive.org/web/20140808195454www.nbb.be/belgostat/PublicatieSelectieLinker?LinkID=68000011%7C910000082&Lang=E,">web.archive.org/web/20140808195454www.nbb.be/belgostat/PublicatieSelectieLinker?LinkID=68000011%7C910000082&Lang=E, 8 August 2014, dmy-all, and it has the highest GDP per capita of any NUTS 1 region in the EU, at ~$80,000 in 2016.PRESS RELEASE, Eurostat, 28 February 2018, Regional GDP per capita ranged from 31% to 626% of the EU average in 2017,ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/9618249/1-26022019-AP-EN.pdf/f765d183-c3d2-4e2f-9256-cc6665909c80, 14 March 2019, 2 September 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190902020336/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/9618249/1-26022019-AP-EN.pdf/f765d183-c3d2-4e2f-9256-cc6665909c80, live, That being said, the GDP is boosted by a massive inflow of commuters from neighbouring regions; over half of those who work in Brussels live in Flanders or Wallonia, with 230,000 and 130,000 commuters per day respectively. Conversely, only 16.0% of people from Brussels work outside Brussels (68,827 (68.5%) of them in Flanders and 21,035 (31.5%) in Wallonia).WEB,ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=7552&acro=lmi&mode=text&recordLang=en&lang=en&parentId=&countryId=BE®ionId=BE0, EURES – Labour market information – Région De Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest – European Commission, ec.europa.eu, en, 26 March 2017, 27 March 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170327083515/https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=7552&acro=lmi&mode=text&recordLang=en&lang=en&parentId=&countryId=BE®ionId=BE0, live, Not all of the wealth generated in Brussels remains in Brussels itself, and {{as of|2013|December|lc=y}}, the unemployment among residents of Brussels is 20.4%.WEB, Youth unemployment in Brussels falls under 30%,www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Economy/140106_Umeployment, Flandersnews.be, 6 January 2014, 23 April 2014, dead,www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Economy/140106_Umeployment," title="archive.today/20140423162149www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Economy/140106_Umeployment,">archive.today/20140423162149www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Economy/140106_Umeployment, 23 April 2014, There are approximately 50,000 businesses in Brussels, of which around 2,200 are foreign. This number is constantly increasing and can well explain the role of Brussels in Europe. The city’s infrastructure is very favourable in terms of starting up a new business. House prices have also increased in recent years, especially with the increase of young professionals settling down in Brussels, making it the most expensive city to live in Belgium.WEB,www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/belgium#all-cities, Cost of Living in Belgium., Expatistan, cost of living comparisons, en, 26 March 2017, 27 March 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170327080339/https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/belgium#all-cities, live, In addition, Brussels holds more than 1,000 business conferences annually, making it the ninth most popular conference city in Europe.WEB,www.cvent.com/uk/event-venue-supplier-network/top-25/2015-top-destinations-europe.shtml, Cvent’s Top 25 Meeting Destinations in the Europe, www.cvent.com, 6 November 2017, 12 October 2017,www.cvent.com/uk/event-venue-supplier-network/top-25/2015-top-destinations-europe.shtml," title="web.archive.org/web/20171012210303www.cvent.com/uk/event-venue-supplier-network/top-25/2015-top-destinations-europe.shtml,">web.archive.org/web/20171012210303www.cvent.com/uk/event-venue-supplier-network/top-25/2015-top-destinations-europe.shtml, live, Brussels is rated as the 34th most important financial centre in the world as of 2020, according to the Global Financial Centres Index. The Brussels Stock Exchange, abbreviated to BSE, now called Euronext Brussels, is part of the European stock exchange Euronext, along with Paris Bourse, Lisbon Stock Exchange and Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Its benchmark stock market index is the BEL20.Media
{{Further|Belgian media}}Brussels is a centre of both media and communications in Belgium, with many Belgian television stations, radio stations, newspapers and telephone companies having their headquarters in the region. The French-language public broadcaster RTBF, the Dutch-language public broadcaster VRT, the two regional channels BX1 (formerly Télé Bruxelles)WEB,bx1.be/, BX1, La chaîne d’info de Bruxelles, BX1, 13 August 2019, 12 August 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190812201923/https://bx1.be/, live, and Bruzz (formerly TV Brussel),WEB,www.bruzz.be/en, Nieuws uit Brussel en de beste cultuurtips, www.bruzz.be, 13 August 2019, 2 May 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190502004709/https://www.bruzz.be/en, live, the encrypted BeTV channel and private channels RTL-TVI and VTM are headquartered in Brussels. Some national newspapers such as Le Soir, La Libre, De Morgen and the news agency Belga are based in or around Brussels. The Belgian postal company bpost, as well as the telecommunication companies and mobile operators Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet are all located there.As English is spoken widely, several English media organisations operate in Brussels. The most popular of these are the English-language daily news media platform and bi-monthly magazine The Brussels Times and the quarterly magazine and website The Bulletin. The multilingual pan-European news channel Euronews also maintains an office in Brussels.WEB, Brussels bureau - Latest episodes, latest news and updates about,www.euronews.com/programs/brussels-bureau, 2021-12-11, euronews, en, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211124724/https://www.euronews.com/programs/brussels-bureau, live,Education
{{Further|Education in Belgium}}Tertiary education
File:ULB 20050712.jpg|thumb|upright|Main building on the Solbosch campus of the Université libre de BruxellesUniversité libre de BruxellesThere are several universities in Brussels. Except for the Royal Military Academy, a federal military college established in 1834,WEB,www.rma.ac.be/RMAdotNet/scsc/infos/default.aspx?Page=1&SubPage=3, What makes the RMA so special?, Royal Military Academy (Belgium), Belgian Royal Military Academy,www.rma.ac.be/RMAdotNet/scsc/infos/default.aspx?Page=1&SubPage=3," title="web.archive.org/web/20071228233044www.rma.ac.be/RMAdotNet/scsc/infos/default.aspx?Page=1&SubPage=3,">web.archive.org/web/20071228233044www.rma.ac.be/RMAdotNet/scsc/infos/default.aspx?Page=1&SubPage=3, 28 December 2007, dead, 9 December 2007, dmy, all universities in Brussels are private and autonomous. The Royal Military Academy also the only Belgian university organised on the boarding school model.WEB, Logement {{!, RMA |url=https://www.rma.ac.be/fr/logement |access-date=2021-10-23 |website=www.rma.ac.be |language=fr |archive-date=15 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615032402www.rma.ac.be/fr/logement |url-status=live }}The Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), a French-speaking university, with about 20,000 students, has three campuses in the city,WEB, Presentation of the Université libre de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles,www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/indexuk.html, 9 December 2007, dead,www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/indexuk.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20071203153418www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/indexuk.html,">web.archive.org/web/20071203153418www.ulb.ac.be/docs/ulb-prestige/indexuk.html, 3 December 2007, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), its Dutch-speaking sister university, has about 10,000 students.WEB, About the University: Culture and History, Vrije Universiteit Brussel,www.vub.ac.be/english/home/about.html, 9 December 2007, 16 June 2015,www.vub.ac.be/english/home/about.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20150616050829www.vub.ac.be/english/home/about.html,">web.archive.org/web/20150616050829www.vub.ac.be/english/home/about.html, live, 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.WEB,www.vub.ac.be/en/about, About the University: Culture and History, www.vub.ac.be, 18 October 2017, 22 October 2017,www.vub.ac.be/en/about," title="web.archive.org/web/20171022204210www.vub.ac.be/en/about,">web.archive.org/web/20171022204210www.vub.ac.be/en/about, live, Saint-Louis University, Brussels (also known as UCLouvain Saint-Louis – Bruxelles) was founded in 1858 and is specialised in social and human sciences, with 4,000 students, and located on two campuses in the City of Brussels and Ixelles.WEB, Institution: Historique, Facultés Universitaires Saint Louis,www.fusl.ac.be/fr/27.html, 9 December 2007, dead,www.fusl.ac.be/fr/27.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20071223141339www.fusl.ac.be/fr/27.html,">web.archive.org/web/20071223141339www.fusl.ac.be/fr/27.html, 23 December 2007, From September 2018 on, the university uses the name UCLouvain, together with the Catholic University of Louvain, in the context of a merger between both universities.WEB, Fusion UCL - Saint-Louis : un nouveau logo pour des collaborations renforcées,uclouvain.be/fr/decouvrir/actualites/fusion-ucl-saint-louis-un-nouveau-logo-pour-des-collaborations-renforcees.html, 2021-10-23, UCLouvain, fr, 23 October 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211023161606/https://uclouvain.be/fr/decouvrir/actualites/fusion-ucl-saint-louis-un-nouveau-logo-pour-des-collaborations-renforcees.html, live, Still other universities have campuses in Brussels, such as the French-speaking Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), which has 10,000 students in the city with its medical faculties at UCLouvain Bruxelles Woluwe since 1973,WEB,www.uclouvain.be/47547.html, L’histoire de l’UCLouvain à Bruxelles, Université catholique de Louvain,www.uclouvain.be/47547.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20071114142407www.uclouvain.be/47547.html,">web.archive.org/web/20071114142407www.uclouvain.be/47547.html, 14 November 2007, dead, 9 December 2007, in addition to its Faculty of Architecture, Architectural Engineering and Urban PlanningWEB,uclouvain.be/en/sites/st-gilles, UCLouvain Bruxelles Saint-Gilles, UCLouvain,web.archive.org/web/20181107224911/https://uclouvain.be/en/sites/st-gilles, 7 November 2018, dead, and UCLouvain’s Dutch-speaking sister Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)WEB,www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/unit/52230448/@@org, KU Leuven organisational chart: KU Leuven, Campus Brussels, KU Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 11 January 2015, 11 January 2015,www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/unit/52230448/@@org," title="web.archive.org/web/20150111194558www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/unit/52230448/@@org,">web.archive.org/web/20150111194558www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/unit/52230448/@@org, live, (offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics & business, law, arts, and architecture; 4,400 students). In addition, the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies is a specialised postgraduate school offering advanced international studies.Also a dozen of university colleges are located in Brussels, including two drama schools, founded in 1832: the French-speaking Conservatoire Royal and its Dutch-speaking equivalent, the Koninklijk Conservatorium.WEB, Petite histoire du Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, Conservatoire Royal,www.conservatoire.be/historique.html, 9 December 2007, 23 September 2017,www.conservatoire.be/historique.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20170923002243www.conservatoire.be/historique.html,">web.archive.org/web/20170923002243www.conservatoire.be/historique.html, live, WEB, Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, Koninklijk Conservatorium (Brussel), Koninklijk Conservatorium,www.kcb.be/eng/indexin.asp?pag=bib&nr=1, 9 December 2007, dead,www.kcb.be/eng/indexin.asp?pag=bib&nr=1," title="web.archive.org/web/20061013223138www.kcb.be/eng/indexin.asp?pag=bib&nr=1,">web.archive.org/web/20061013223138www.kcb.be/eng/indexin.asp?pag=bib&nr=1, 13 October 2006,Primary and secondary education
Most of Brussels pupils between the ages of 3 and 18 go to schools organised by the French-speaking Community or the Flemish Community, with close to 80% going to French-speaking schools, and roughly 20% to Dutch-speaking schools. 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 the ages of {{frac|2|1|2}} and 18,WEB, ISB Profile, International School of Brussels,www.isb.be/page.cfm?p=7, 9 December 2007, dead,www.isb.be/page.cfm?p=7," title="web.archive.org/web/20071017045221www.isb.be/page.cfm?p=7,">web.archive.org/web/20071017045221www.isb.be/page.cfm?p=7, 17 October 2007, the British School of Brussels, and the four European Schools, which provide free education for the children of those working in the EU institutions. The combined student population of the four European Schools in Brussels is around 10,000.WEB, Background, European Schools, Schola Europaea,www.eursc.eu/index.php?id=133, 9 December 2007, dead,www.eursc.eu/index.php?id=133," title="web.archive.org/web/20071231041405www.eursc.eu/index.php?id=133,">web.archive.org/web/20071231041405www.eursc.eu/index.php?id=133, 31 December 2007, dmy-all,Libraries
File:Albertine - 01.jpg|thumb|right|Royal Library of BelgiumRoyal Library of BelgiumBrussels has a number of public or private-owned libraries on its territory.WEB,be.brussels/brussels-for-free/books-and-literature/public-libraries, Public libraries, be.brussels, en, 18 October 2017, 18 September 2017,be.brussels/brussels-for-free/books-and-literature/public-libraries," title="web.archive.org/web/20170918132620be.brussels/brussels-for-free/books-and-literature/public-libraries,">web.archive.org/web/20170918132620be.brussels/brussels-for-free/books-and-literature/public-libraries, live, Most public libraries in Brussels fall under the competence of the Communities and are usually separated between French-speaking and Dutch-speaking institutions, although some are mixed.{{verify source|date=April 2018}}The Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) is the national library of Belgium and one of the most prestigious libraries in the world. It owns several collections of historical importance, like the famous Fétis archives, and is the depository for all books ever published in Belgium or abroad by Belgian authors. It is located on the Mont des Arts/Kunstberg in central Brussels, near the Central Station.WEB, Home • KBR,www.kbr.be/en/, 2021-12-11, KBR, en-US, 24 September 2016,web.archive.org/web/20160924144612/https://www.kbr.be/en/, live, There are several academic libraries and archives in Brussels. The libraries of the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) constitute the largest ensemble of university libraries in the city. In addition to the Solbosch location, there are branches in La Plaine and Erasme/Erasmus.WEB, ROBERT, Florence, Bibliothèques,bib.ulb.be/, 2021-12-11, Bibliothèques, fr-FR, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211123148/https://bib.ulb.be/, live, WEB, Departments - University Library VUB,biblio.vub.ac.be/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=departments&v=c438f8ec-7050-11e7-b119-005056b628b8&p=f88fe9ec-2425-11e7-a7e4-90084dd7a2c4&language=eng, 2021-12-11, biblio.vub.ac.be, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211123148/https://biblio.vub.ac.be/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=departments&v=c438f8ec-7050-11e7-b119-005056b628b8&p=f88fe9ec-2425-11e7-a7e4-90084dd7a2c4&language=eng, live, Other academic libraries include those of Saint-Louis University, BrusselsWEB, Bienvenue - Bibliothèque - Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles,www.usaintlouis.be/sl/bib_bienvenue.html, 2021-12-11, www.usaintlouis.be, 22 November 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211122072908/https://www.usaintlouis.be/sl/bib_bienvenue.html, live, and the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain).WEB, The Libraries of Université catholique de Louvain,uclouvain.be/en/libraries, 2021-12-11, UCLouvain, en, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211123200/https://uclouvain.be/en/libraries, live,Science and technology
File:Planetarium Royal Observatory Belgium.jpg|thumb|Planetarium of the Royal Observatory of BelgiumRoyal Observatory of BelgiumScience and technology in Brussels is well developed with the presence of several universities and research institutes. The Brussels-Capital Region is home to several national science and technology institutes including the National Fund for Scientific Research (NFSR), the Institute for the Encouragement of Scientific Research and Innovation of Brussels (ISRIB), the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB) and the Belgian Academy Council of Applied Sciences (BACAS). Several science parks associated with the universities are also spread over the region.The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, located in Leopold Park, houses the world’s largest hall completely dedicated to dinosaurs, with its collection of 30 fossilised Iguanodon skeletons.WEB,www.naturalsciences.be/en/museum/exhibitions-view/239/394/390, Permanent Exhibition ” Dinosaur Gallery, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 18 October 2017, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019061007/https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/museum/exhibitions-view/239/394/390, live, In addition, the Planetarium of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (part of the institutions of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office), on the Heysel Plateau in Laeken, is one of the largest in Europe.WEB,www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/museum/102-planetarium-of-brussels, Planetarium of Brussels, Brussels’ Museums, 10 February 2017,www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/museum/102-planetarium-of-brussels," title="web.archive.org/web/20170211075316www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/museum/102-planetarium-of-brussels,">web.archive.org/web/20170211075316www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/museum/102-planetarium-of-brussels, 11 February 2017, dead, dmy-all,Healthcare
File:Projet de l’Hôpital Erasme par MA².jpg|thumb|right|Erasmus Hospital in AnderlechtAnderlechtBrussels is home to a thriving pharmaceutical and health care industry which includes pioneering biotechnology research. The health sector employs 70,000 employees in 30,000 companies. There are 3,000 life sciences researchers in the city and two large science parks: Da Vinci Research Park and Erasmus Research Park. There are five university hospitals, a military hospital and more than 40 general hospitals and specialist clinics.WEB,www.hospitals.be/, Belgian Association of Hospitals, www.hospitals.be, 18 October 2017, 9 October 2007,www.hospitals.be/," title="web.archive.org/web/20071009021230www.hospitals.be/,">web.archive.org/web/20071009021230www.hospitals.be/, live, Due to its bilingual nature, hospitals in the Brussels-Capital Region can be either monolingual French, monolingual Dutch, or bilingual, depending on their nature. University hospitals belong to one of the two linguistic communities and are thus monolingual French or Dutch by law. Other hospitals managed by a public authority must be legally bilingual. Private hospitals are legally not bound to either language, but most cater to both. However, all hospital emergency services in the Capital Region (whether part of a public or private hospital) are required to be bilingual, since patients transported by emergency ambulance cannot choose the hospital they will be brought to.WEB,www.zorg-en-gezondheid.be/welke-taal-moeten-de-brusselse-ziekenhuizen-gebruiken, Welke taal moeten de Brusselse ziekenhuizen gebruiken?, www.zorg-en-gezondheid.be, Agency for Care and Health (Flanders), Agency for Care and Health, Dutch, Which language do hospitals in Brussels have to use?, 18 September 2019, 4 March 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210304191312/https://zorg-en-gezondheid.be/welke-taal-moeten-de-brusselse-ziekenhuizen-gebruiken, live,Transport
Brussels has an extensive network of both private or public transportation means. Public transportation includes Brussels buses, trams, and metro (all three operated by the Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company (STIB/MIVB)), as well as a set of railway lines (operated by Infrabel) and railway stations served by public trains (operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB)). Air transport is available via one of the city’s two airports (Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport), and boat transport is available via the Port of Brussels. Bicycle-sharing and car-sharing public systems are also available.The complexity of the Belgian political landscape makes some transportation issues difficult to solve. The Brussels-Capital Region is surrounded by the Flemish and Walloon regions, which means that the airports, as well as many roads serving Brussels (most notably the Brussels Ring) are located in the other two Belgian regions. The city is relatively car-dependent by northern European standards and is considered to be the most congested city in the world according to the INRIX traffic survey.NEWS, Brussels and Antwerp have worst traffic,www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic, 8 December 2013, Flanders Today, 27 June 2012, 12 December 2013,www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic," title="web.archive.org/web/20131212025712www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic,">web.archive.org/web/20131212025712www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic, live,Air
File:Brussels Airlines A319-112 (OO-SSG) landing at Brussels Airport (1).jpg|thumb|Brussels Airlines Airbus A319 landing at Brussels Airport in ZaventemZaventemThe Brussels-Capital Region is served by two airports, both located outside of the administrative territory of the region. The most notable is Brussels Airport, located in the nearby Flemish municipality of Zaventem, {{cvt|12|km|mi|-1}} east of the capital, which can be accessed by highway (A201), train and bus. The secondary airport is Brussels South Charleroi Airport, located in Gosselies, a part of the city of Charleroi (Wallonia), some {{cvt|50|km|mi|-1}} south-west of Brussels, which can be accessed by highway (E19 then E420) or a private bus. There is also Melsbroek Air Base, located in Steenokkerzeel, a military airport which shares its infrastructure with Brussels Airport. The aforementioned airports are also the main airports of Belgium.WEB,www.brussels.info/airports/, Brussels.info – Brussels Airports, www.brussels.info, 18 October 2017, 19 October 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171019111432/https://www.brussels.info/airports/, live,Water
File:Bassin de Biestebroeck (DSC 4024).jpg|thumb|right|View along the Brussels–Charleroi Canal in AnderlechtAnderlechtSince the 16th century, Brussels has had its own harbour, the Port of Brussels. It has been enlarged throughout the centuries to become the second Belgian inland port. Historically situated near the /, it lies today to the north-west of the region, on the Brussels–Scheldt Maritime Canal (commonly called Willebroek Canal), which connects Brussels to Antwerp via the Scheldt. Ships and large barges up to {{cvt|4,500|t|lb}} can penetrate deep into the country, avoiding break-ups and load transfers between Antwerp and the centre of Brussels, hence reducing the cost for companies using the canal, and thus offering a competitive advantage.Moreover, the connection of the Willebroek Canal with the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, in the very heart of the capital, creates a north–south link, by means of waterways, between the Netherlands, Flanders and the industrial zone of Hainaut (Wallonia). There, navigation can access the network of French canals, thanks to the important inclined plane of Ronquières and the lifts of Strépy-Bracquegnies.The importance of river traffic in Brussels makes it possible to avoid the road equivalent of 740,000 trucks per year—almost 2,000 per day—which, in addition to easing traffic problems, represents an estimated carbon dioxide saving of {{cvt|51,545|t|lb}} per year.WEB,www.port.brussels/en, Port of Brussels, Port of Brussels, en, 4 August 2017,www.port.brussels/en," title="web.archive.org/web/20170804221507www.port.brussels/en,">web.archive.org/web/20170804221507www.port.brussels/en, 4 August 2017, dead,Train
{{Further|List of railway stations in Belgium}}File:Station Brussel-Zuid Hoofdgang.jpg|thumb|Main hall of Brussels-South railway station, home to the Eurostar train service to LondonLondonThe Brussels-Capital Region has three main train stations: Brussels-South, Brussels-Central and Brussels-North, which are also the busiest of the country. Brussels-South is also served by direct high-speed rail links: to London by Eurostar trains via the Channel Tunnel (1hr 51min); to AmsterdamWEB,distcalculator.com/distance-between/277151/Brussels-Belgium-and-Amsterdam-The-Netherlands, Distance between Brussels, Belgium, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Distances Technology, 11 Feb 2018,distcalculator.com/distance-between/277151/Brussels-Belgium-and-Amsterdam-The-Netherlands," title="web.archive.org/web/20180212004929distcalculator.com/distance-between/277151/Brussels-Belgium-and-Amsterdam-The-Netherlands,">web.archive.org/web/20180212004929distcalculator.com/distance-between/277151/Brussels-Belgium-and-Amsterdam-The-Netherlands, 12 February 2018, dead, by Thalys and InterCity connections; to Amsterdam, Paris (1hr 50min and 1hr 25min respectively {{as of|lc=y|2015|April|6}}), and Cologne by Thalys; and to Cologne (1hr 50min) and Frankfurt (2hr 57min) by the German ICE.The train rails in Brussels go underground, near the centre, through the North–South connection, with Brussels Central Station also being largely underground. The tunnel itself is only six tracks wide at its narrowest point, which often causes congestion and delays due to heavy use of the route.The City of Brussels has minor railway stations at Bockstael, Brussels-Chapel, Brussels-Congres, Brussels-Luxembourg, Brussels-Schuman, Brussels-West, Haren, Haren-South and Simonis. In the Brussels Region, there are also railways stations at Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Boitsfort, Boondael, Bordet (Evere), Etterbeek, Evere, Forest-East, Forest-South, Jette, Meiser (Schaerbeek), Moensberg (Uccle), Saint-Job (Uccle), Schaarbeek, Uccle-Calevoet, Uccle-Stalle, Vivier d’Oie-Diesdelle (Uccle), Merode and Watermael.Public transport
The Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company (STIB/MIVB) is the local public transport operator in Brussels. It covers the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region and some surface routes extend to the near suburbs in the other two regions, linking with the De Lijn network in Flanders and the TEC network in Wallonia.Metro, trams and buses
File:Rame “Boa”.jpg|thumb|Brussels Metro carriage at Erasme/Erasmus metro station ]]File:Metro Brussels.svg|thumb|right|Network map of the Brussels MetroBrussels MetroThe Brussels Metro dates back to 1976,WEB,www.railway-technology.com/projects/brussels/, Brussels Metro and Tram Network, Railway Technology, 10 March 2016, 6 March 2016,www.railway-technology.com/projects/brussels/," title="web.archive.org/web/20160306225546www.railway-technology.com/projects/brussels/,">web.archive.org/web/20160306225546www.railway-technology.com/projects/brussels/, live, but underground lines known as the premetro have been serviced by tramways since 1968. It is the only rapid transit system in Belgium (Antwerp and Charleroi both having light rail systems). The network consists of four conventional metro lines and three premetro lines. The metro-grade lines are M1, M2, M5, and M6, with some shared sections, covering a total of {{cvt|40|km|mi}}.NEWS,www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=8086313c-3883-3410-f894-ec3da5b1280e&l=en, The network and vehicles, STIB-MIVB, 27 February 2017, fr-FR, 27 February 2017,www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=8086313c-3883-3410-f894-ec3da5b1280e&l=en," title="web.archive.org/web/20170227231835www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=8086313c-3883-3410-f894-ec3da5b1280e&l=en,">web.archive.org/web/20170227231835www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=8086313c-3883-3410-f894-ec3da5b1280e&l=en, live, {{as of|2017}}, the Metro network within the region has a total of 69 metro and premetro stations. The Metro is an important means of transport, connecting with six railway stations of the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB), and many tram and bus stops operated by STIB/MIVB, and with Flemish De Lijn and Walloon TEC bus stops.A comprehensive bus and tram network covers the region. {{As of|2017}}, the Brussels tram system consists of 17 tram lines (three of which – lines T3, T4 and T7 – qualify as premetro lines that partly travel over underground sections that were intended to be eventually converted into metro lines).BOOK, “Trams are coming back”, New Scientist (by Ian Yearsley), 21 December 1972, The total route length is {{cvt|139|km}}, making it one of the largest tram networks in Europe. The Brussels bus network is complementary to the rail network. It consists of 50 bus routes and 11 night routes, spanning {{cvt|445|km}}.Since April 2007, STIB/MIVB has also been operating a night bus network called Noctis on Friday and Saturday nights from midnight until 3 a.m. The service consists of 11 routes (N04, N05, N06, N08, N09, N10, N11, N12, N13, N16 and N18).WEB,www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?l=en&_guid=c0eb4836-1383-3410-439b-c10dad1f40fc, OUR NIGHT NETWORK, Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company, 2022-05-19, 2 March 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220302121654/https://www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=c0eb4836-1383-3410-439b-c10dad1f40fc&l=en, live, The fare on these night buses is the same as during the day. All the lines leave from the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein in the city centre at 30 minutes intervals and cover all the main streets in the capital, as they radiate outwards to the suburbs.WEB,www.brusselslife.be/en/article/noctis, Noctis, 2010-04-08, brusselslife.be, 2022-05-19, 4 December 2020,web.archive.org/web/20201204225755/https://www.brusselslife.be/en/article/noctis, live, Noctis services returned from 2 July 2021 after over a year of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium.WEB, Walker, Lauren, 2021-06-28, Night bus services restart in Brussels,www.brusselstimes.com/175416/stib-mivb-noctis-night-bus-bars-restaurants-brussels-night-out, 2022-05-19, The Brussels Times, en, 15 June 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220615032354/https://www.brusselstimes.com/175416/stib-mivb-noctis-night-bus-bars-restaurants-brussels-night-out, live,Ticketing
MoBIB is the STIB/MIVB electronic smart card, introduced in 2007, replacing the discontinued paper tickets. The hourly travel fare includes all means of transport (metro, tram and bus) operated by STIB/MIVB. Each trip has a different cost depending on the type of support purchased. Passengers can purchase monthly passes, yearly passes, 1 and 10-trip tickets and daily and 3-day passes. These can be bought over the Internet, but require customers to have a smart card reader. GO vending machines accept coins, local and international chip and PIN credit and debit cards.Moreover, a complimentary interticketing system means that a combined STIB/MIVB ticket holder can, depending on the option, also use the train network operated by NMBS/SNCB and/or long-distance buses and commuter services operated by De Lijn or TEC. With this ticket, a single journey can include multiple stages across the different modes of transport and networks.Other public transport
File:VilloStationAlmostFull.jpg|thumb|right|Villo! shared bicycles in Brussels]]Since 2003, Brussels has had a car-sharing service operated by the Bremen company Cambio, in partnership with STIB/MIVB and the local ridesharing company Taxi Stop.WEB, Cambio Car Sharing,www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=0012b6a0-1683-3410-5286-bbe1bf04397b&l=en, 2024-03-22, STIB-MIVB, en, 22 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240322215007/https://www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=0012b6a0-1683-3410-5286-bbe1bf04397b&l=en, live, In 2006, a public bicycle-sharing programme was introduced. The scheme was subsequently taken over by Villo!. Since 2008, this night-time public transport service has been supplemented by Collecto, a shared taxi system, which operates on weekdays between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.WEB, Collecto: a shared taxi service for 6€ available from 11 pm till 6 am,www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?l=en&_guid=705f6092-1783-3410-a8b7-9b24c5db01c4, 2024-03-22, STIB-MIVB, en, 22 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240322215009/https://www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?l=en&_guid=705f6092-1783-3410-a8b7-9b24c5db01c4, live, In 2012, the Zen Car electric car-sharing scheme was launched in the university and European areas, though it ceased operating in the city in 2020.WEB, Deelplatform Zen Car trekt weg uit Brussel zonder klanten in te lichten,www.bruzz.be/mobiliteit/deelplatform-zen-car-trekt-weg-uit-brussel-zonder-klanten-te-lichten-2020-12-17, 2024-03-22, www.bruzz.be, nl, 22 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240322215006/https://www.bruzz.be/mobiliteit/deelplatform-zen-car-trekt-weg-uit-brussel-zonder-klanten-te-lichten-2020-12-17, live,Road network
File:Wetstraat.jpg|thumb|upright|The Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat is one of the city’s main streets.]]In medieval times, Brussels stood at the intersection of routes running north–south (the modern /) and east–west (/–/–/). The ancient pattern of streets, radiating from the Grand-Place, in large part remains, but has been overlaid by boulevards built over the river Senne, over the city walls and over the railway connection between the North and South Stations. Nowadays, Brussels has the most congested traffic in North America and Europe, according to US traffic information platform INRIX.NEWS,www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic, Brussels and Antwerp have worst traffic, 27 June 2012, 8 December 2013, Flanders Today, 12 December 2013,www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic," title="web.archive.org/web/20131212025712www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic,">web.archive.org/web/20131212025712www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/brussels-and-antwerp-have-worst-traffic, live, Brussels is the hub of a range of national roads, the main 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 (S to Maubeuge), N7 (SW to Lille), N8 (W to Koksijde) and N9 (NW to Ostend).WEB,www.autosnelwegen.net/frames.html?/nb.html, Belgian N roads, Autosnelwegen.net, 29 June 2010,www.autosnelwegen.net/frames.html?%2Fnb.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20100529013951www.autosnelwegen.net/frames.html?%2Fnb.html,">web.archive.org/web/20100529013951www.autosnelwegen.net/frames.html?%2Fnb.html, 29 May 2010, dead, dmy-all, Usually named /, these highways normally run in a straight line, but sometimes lose themselves in a maze of narrow shopping streets. The region is skirted by the European route E19 (N-S) and the E40 (E-W), while the E411 leads away to the SE. Brussels has an orbital motorway, numbered R0 (R-zero) and commonly referred to as the Ring. 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 an inner ring road, the Small Ring (, ), a sequence of boulevards formally numbered R20 or N0. These were built upon the site of the second set of city walls following their demolition. The Metro line 2 runs under much of these. Since June 2015, a number of central boulevards inside the Pentagon have become car-free, limiting transit traffic through the old city.WEB,circulatieplan.be/en,circulatieplan.be/en," title="web.archive.org/web/20150514223301circulatieplan.be/en,">web.archive.org/web/20150514223301circulatieplan.be/en, dead, 14 May 2015, Circulation plan, 26 August 2015, On the eastern side of the region, the R21 or Greater Ring (, ) is formed by a string of boulevards that curves round from Laeken to Uccle. Some premetro stations (see Brussels Metro) were built on that route. A little further out, a stretch numbered R22 leads from Zaventem to Saint-Job.Security and emergency services
Police
{{Further|Law enforcement in Belgium}}(File:EPP Summit March 2012 (48).jpg|thumb|right|Policeman in Brussels)The Brussels local police, supported by the federal police, is responsible for law enforcement in Brussels. The 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region are divided into six police zones,WEB,www.policelocale.be/portal/fr/zones-de-police-liste/brussel-hoofdstad-bruxelles-capitale.html, Zones de police, www.policelocale.be, fr-fr, 24 March 2017,www.policelocale.be/portal/fr/zones-de-police-liste/brussel-hoofdstad-bruxelles-capitale.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20170325124440www.policelocale.be/portal/fr/zones-de-police-liste/brussel-hoofdstad-bruxelles-capitale.html,">web.archive.org/web/20170325124440www.policelocale.be/portal/fr/zones-de-police-liste/brussel-hoofdstad-bruxelles-capitale.html, 25 March 2017, dead, all bilingual (French and Dutch):- 5339 Brussels Capital Ixelles: the City of Brussels and Ixelles
- 5340 Brussels West: Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Ganshoren, Jette, Koekelberg and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
- 5341 South: Anderlecht, Forest and Saint-Gilles
- 5342 Uccle/Watermael-Boitsfort/Auderghem: Auderghem, Uccle and Watermael-Boitsfort
- 5343 Montgomery: Etterbeek, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
- 5344 Polbruno: Evere, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode and Schaerbeek
Fire department
The Brussels Fire and Emergency Medical Care Service, commonly known by its acronym SIAMU (DBDMH), operates in the 19 municipalities of Brussels.WEB,be.brussels/about-the-region/regional-bodies/fire-brigade, SIAMU, be.brussels, en, 24 March 2017, 25 March 2017,be.brussels/about-the-region/regional-bodies/fire-brigade," title="web.archive.org/web/20170325112950be.brussels/about-the-region/regional-bodies/fire-brigade,">web.archive.org/web/20170325112950be.brussels/about-the-region/regional-bodies/fire-brigade, live, It is a class X fire department and the largest fire service in Belgium in terms of annual operations, equipment, and personnel. It has 9 fire stations, spread over the entire Brussels-Capital Region, and employs about 1,000 professional firefighters. As well as preventing and fighting fires, SIAMU also provides emergency medical care services in Brussels via its centralised 100 number (and the single 112 emergency number for the 27 countries of the European Union). It is bilingual (French–Dutch).Parks and green spaces
Brussels is one of the greenest capitals in Europe, with over 8,000 hectares of green spaces.WEB,be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/parks-and-green-space, Parks and green spaces, be.brussels, en, 10 February 2017, 3 February 2017,be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/parks-and-green-space," title="web.archive.org/web/20170203043950be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/parks-and-green-space,">web.archive.org/web/20170203043950be.brussels/culture-tourism-leisure/parks-and-green-space, live, Vegetation cover and natural areas are higher in the outskirts, where they have limited the peri-urbanisation of the capital, but they decrease sharply towards the centre of Brussels; 10% in the central Pentagon, 30% of the municipalities in the first ring, and 71% of the municipalities in the second ring are occupied by green spaces.Many parks and gardens, both public and privately owned, are scattered throughout the city. In addition to this, the Sonian Forest is located in its southern part and stretches out over the three Belgian regions. {{as of|2017}}, it has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the only Belgian component to the multinational inscription ‘Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe’.WEB,whc.unesco.org/en/list/1133, Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, 3 September 2022, File:Brussels Park in summer 2007 1.JPG|Brussels ParkFile:Brussels, Jardin du Mont des Arts foto5 2015-06-07 14.01.jpg|Mont des Arts/KunstbergFile:Brussels Cinquantenaire R04.jpg|Parc du Cinquantenaire/JubelparkFile:Brusel, Bois de la Cambre, jezero.jpg|Bois de la Cambre/Ter KamerenbosFile:Ixelles Ponds.JPG|Ixelles PondsFile:Parc de Forest - 20080325.JPG|Forest ParkFile:Autumn light in the Sonian Forest.jpg|Sonian ForestNotable people
Twin towns – sister cities
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium}}Brussels is twinned with the following cities:WEB, Brussels,efus.eu/about-us/brussels/, efus.eu, 21 January 2012, European Forum for Urban Security, 2022-02-15, 8 August 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210808183020/https://efus.eu/about-us/brussels/, live, {{Div col|colwidth=20em}}- {{flagicon|USA}} Atlanta, United States
- {{flagicon|CHN}} Beijing, China
- {{flagicon|GER}} Berlin, Germany
- {{flagicon|Netherlands}} Breda, Netherlands
- {{flagicon|Morocco}} Casablanca, Morocco
- {{flagicon|DRC}} Kinshasa, Congo
- {{flagicon|UKR}} Kyiv, Ukraine
- {{flagicon|Macao}} Macao, China
- {{flagicon|ESP}} Madrid, Spain
- {{flagicon|SVN}} Ljubljana, Slovenia
- {{flagicon|CZE}} Prague, Czech Republic
- {{flagicon|USA}} Washington, D.C., United States
See also
- Bourgeois of Brussels
- Seven Noble Houses of Brussels
- Sculpture in Brussels
- Brussels Regional Investment Company
- List of urban areas in the European Union
References
Footnotes
{{Notelist}}Citations
{{Reflist|30em}}Bibliography
{{See also|Timeline of Brussels#Bibliography}}- BOOK, Armstrong, Charles Arthur John, The New Cambridge Modern History, I, The Burgundian Netherlands, 1477-1521, George Richard, Potter, Cambridge at the University Press, 1957, 978-0-521-04541-4,books.google.com/books?id=WxU9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA228,
- BOOK, Blockmans, Willem Pieter, Prevenier, Walter, The Promised Lands: The Low Countries under Burgundian rule, 1369–1530, Philadelphia, University Pennsylvania Press, 1999, 978-0-8122-1382-9,books.google.com/books?id=uj9nGDCiW64C, 15 February 2024, 31 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240331160521/https://books.google.com/books?id=uj9nGDCiW64C, live,
- JOURNAL, Brigode, Simon, Les fouilles de la collégiale Sainte-Gudule à Bruxelles : découverte de l’avant-corps occidental de l’époque romane, Annales de la Société royale belge d’archéologie de Bruxelles, 27, Brussels, fr, 1938,
- JOURNAL, Buron, Thierry, Molenbeek, de sainte Gertrude au djihadisme, Conflits, 9, Paris, fr, 2016,
- BOOK, Culot, Maurice, Hennaut, Eric, Demanet, Marie, Mierop, Caroline, Le bombardement de Bruxelles par Louis XIV et la reconstruction qui s’ensuivit, 1695–1700, Brussels, fr, AAM éditions, 1992, 978-2-87143-079-7,
- BOOK, Culot, Maurice, Pirlot, Anne-Marie, Bruxelles Art Nouveau, Brussels, fr, Archives d’Architecture Moderne, 2005, 978-2-87143-126-8,
- JOURNAL, Charruadas, Paulo, La formation de Molenbeek : industrialisation et urbanisation, Les Cahiers de la fonderie, 33, Brussels, fr, 2005,
- BOOK, Demey, Thierry, Bruxelles, chronique d’une capitale en chantier, I: Du voûtement de la Senne à la jonction Nord-Midi, Brussels, fr, Paul Legrain/CFC, 1990, 44643865,
- BOOK, Demey, Thierry, S. Strange (trans.), Brussels, capital of Europe, Brussels, Badeaux, 2007, 978-2-9600414-6-0,
- BOOK, Dumont, Georges-Henri, La Vie Quotidienne en Belgique sous la Règne de Léopold II (1856–1909), Rev., Brussels, fr, Éd. Le Cri, 1996, 2-87106-173-4,
- BOOK, Duvergier, Jean-Baptiste, Collection complète des lois, décrets, ordonnances, réglemens et avis du Conseil d’état, t. 8, Paris, fr, A. Guyot et Scribe, 1835,books.google.com/books?id=uEcUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA300, 9 February 2024, 31 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240331160521/https://books.google.com/books?id=uEcUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA300v=onepage&q&f=false, live,
- BOOK, Eggericx, Laure, Les Boulevards du Centre, Bruxelles, ville d’Art et d’Histoire, 20, Brussels, fr, Centre d’information, de Documentation et d’Etude du Patrimoine, 1997,patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre, 23 October 2021, 18 September 2021,patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre," title="web.archive.org/web/20210918021944patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre,">web.archive.org/web/20210918021944patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre, live,
- BOOK, Galloy, Denise, Hayt, Franz, La Belgique: des Tribus Gauloises à l’Etat Fédéral, 2006, fr, De Boeck, Brussels, 2-8041-5098-4, 5th,
- BOOK, Kirk, John Foster, History of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, The Last Battle, J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1868, 978-0-665-33426-9,archive.org/details/historycharlesb03kirkgoog/page/n554,
- BOOK, Oudiette, Charles, Dictionnaire géographique et topographique des treize départements de la Belgique et de la rive gauche du Rhin, Imprimerie de Cramer, 1804,books.google.com/books?id=jPw-AAAAcAAJ&pg=PR13, 9 February 2024, 31 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240331160448/https://books.google.com/books?id=jPw-AAAAcAAJ&pg=PR13v=onepage&q&f=false, live,
- BOOK, Pirenne, Henri, Henri Pirenne, Histoire de Belgique, VII: De la Révolution de 1830 à la Guerre de 1914, 2nd, fr, Maurice Lamertin, Brussels, 1948,
- BOOK, Riché, Pierre, Michael Idomir Allen (trans.), The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1983,
- BOOK, Schroeder-Gudehus, Brigitte, Rasmussen, Anne, Les fastes du progrès : le guide des expositions universelles 1851-1992, Paris, fr, Flammarion, 1992,
- JOURNAL, Slatin, Sonia, Opera and Revolution: La Muette de Portici and the Belgian Revolution of 1830 Revisited, Journal of Musicological Research, 3, 1979, 3, 45–62, 10.1080/01411897908574506,
- ENCYCLOPEDIA, State, Paul F., Historical dictionary of Brussels, Brusselization, 14, Historical dictionaries of cities of the world, Lanham, MD, Scarecrow Press, 2004, 978-0-8108-5075-0,books.google.com/books?id=LErne3-05qoC,
- BOOK, Stéphany, Pierre, La Belgique en cent coups d’oeil, Lanno Publishers, Tielt, 2006, Bruxelles. La basilique de Koekelberg, 2-87386-445-1, fr,books.google.com/books?id=w-FlzjlvYI4C&pg=PA62, 5 January 2023, 31 March 2024,web.archive.org/web/20240331160449/https://books.google.com/books?id=w-FlzjlvYI4C&pg=PA62v=onepage&q&f=false, live,
- BOOK, Stubbs, John H., Makaš, Emily G., Architectural Conservation in Europe and the Americas, Hoboken, NJ, John Wiley and Sons, 2011, 978-0-470-90099-4, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands,
- JOURNAL, Torrekens, Corinne, Concentration of Muslim populations and structure of Muslim associations in Brussels, Brussels Studies, 4, Brussels, 2007,journals.openedition.org/brussels/382, 26 September 2021, 26 September 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210926114549/https://journals.openedition.org/brussels/382, live,
- BOOK, Treffers-Daller, Jeanine, Mixing Two Languages: French-Dutch Contact in a Comparative Perspective, Berlin, Mouton de Gruyter, 1994, 978-3-11-013837-5,books.google.com/books?id=o6ikOOwhKR4C, 11 February 2021, 2 February 2023,web.archive.org/web/20230202003050/https://books.google.com/books?id=o6ikOOwhKR4C, live,
- BOOK, Tribot, Pierre-Jean, Defawe, Paul, Evere, Brussels, fr, CFC Éditions, 2006, 978-2-930018-62-1, 800180427,
- BOOK, Tucker, Spencer C., A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East, ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara (CA), 2009, 978-1-851-09667-1,
- JOURNAL, Van Meeteren, Michiel, Boussauw, Kobe, Derudder, Ben, Witlox, Frank, Flemish Diamond or ABC-Axis? The spatial structure of the Belgian metropolitan area, European Planning Studies, 24, Brussels, Taylor & Francis (Routledge), 2016, 5, 974–995, 10.1080/09654313.2016.1139058, 155688762,patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre, 23 October 2021, 18 September 2021,patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre," title="web.archive.org/web/20210918021944patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre,">web.archive.org/web/20210918021944patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/les-boulevards-du-centre, live,
- BOOK, Wasseige, Manoëlle, Le Quartier Royal, Bruxelles, ville d’Art et d’Histoire, 15, Brussels, fr, Éditions de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, 1995,patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/le-quartier-royal, 13 October 2022, 25 June 2022,patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/le-quartier-royal," title="web.archive.org/web/20220625082454patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/le-quartier-royal,">web.archive.org/web/20220625082454patrimoine.brussels/liens/publications-numeriques/versions-pdf/bvah/le-quartier-royal, live,
- BOOK, Wolmar, Christian, Christian Wolmar, Blood, Iron & Gold: How the Railways transformed the World, London, Grove Atlantic, 2010, 978-1-84887-171-7, registration,archive.org/details/bloodirongoldhow0000wolm_n5b3,
- BOOK, {{harvid, Mardaga, 1994, |title=Le Patrimoine monumental de la Belgique: Bruxelles|volume=1C: Pentagone N–Z|location=Liège|language=fr|publisher=Pierre Mardaga|year=1994|url=https://monument.heritage.brussels/files/cities/1000/documents/03-vol-c-fr-def_k.pdf|access-date=13 October 2022|archive-date=13 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013095753monument.heritage.brussels/files/cities/1000/documents/03-vol-c-fr-def_k.pdf|url-status=live}}
External links
{{Sister project links|voy=Brussels|Brussels}}- Brussels-Capital Region {{in lang|fr|nl|en}}
- Official tourism website {{in lang|fr|nl|en|de|es|it|pt}}
- Interactive map
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