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102-576: State reforms in Belgium turned the country from a unitary state into a federal one. Cultural communities were the first type of decentralisation in 1970, forming the Dutch, French and German Cultural Community. Later on, in 1980, these became responsible for more cultural matters and were renamed to simply "Community", the Dutch (Cultural) Community also being renamed to the Flemish Community. In

204-537: A Habsburg Empire "on which the sun never sets" with Brussels serving as one of his main capitals. 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 . This palace, famous all over Europe, had greatly expanded since it had first become

306-518: A federal district . 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

408-487: A Belgian-Flemish state. In response to the strikes, the government announced a regionalization of socio-economic policies. Another tension between the language communities involved the Catholic University of Leuven . The university had for long been French-speaking, but Dutch played an increasingly important role in the 20th century. The tensions caused by the continued presence of a French-speaking section of

510-479: A considerable influx from other areas, new intermediate dialects have appeared, with various degrees of influence by standard Dutch. In Dutch, these are often called tussentaal ("in-between language", often used for near-standard Dutch interspersed with typical dialect aspects) or, rather derogatorily, verkavelingsvlaams (a mix of more or less "cleaned-up" dialects as heard in a newly built-up suburban area with people influenced by different dialects). More recently,

612-671: A few neighbouring municipalities have been merged into the City of Brussels , including Laeken , Haren and Neder-Over-Heembeek in 1921. These comprise the northern bulge in the municipality. To the south-east is a strip of land along the Avenue Louise/Louizalaan that, in addition to the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos , was annexed from Ixelles in 1864. Part of the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)'s Solbosch campus

714-743: A fifth state reform took place, under Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt ( Verhofstadt I Government ), with the Lambermont and the Lombard accords. During the fifth state reform, more powers were transferred to the Communities and the Regions, with regard to agriculture, fisheries, foreign trade, development cooperation, auditing of electoral expenses and the supplementary financing of the political parties. The Regions became responsible for twelve regional taxes, and local and provincial government became

816-864: A matter for the regions. The first municipal and provincial elections under the supervision of the Regions were the 2006 municipal elections . The functioning of the Brussels institutions was also amended during the fifth state reform, which resulted among other things in a guaranteed representation of the Flemish inhabitants of Brussels in the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region . Brussels-Capital Region Brussels ( French : Bruxelles , pronounced [bʁysɛl] or [bʁyksɛl] ; Dutch : Brussel [ˈbrʏsəl] ), officially

918-633: 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

1020-484: A number of local initiatives have been set up to save the traditional dialects and their diversity. In Brussels, the local dialect is heavily influenced by French, both in pronunciation and in vocabulary. Nowadays, most Flemings in Brussels do not speak the local dialect. This is due in part to the relatively large numbers of young Flemings coming to Brussels, after a long period of many more others moving out while French-speakers moved in . In certain municipalities along

1122-457: A struggle between the two main language communities of the country: Dutch and French . That resulted in extensive language legislation but did not solve the conflicts between Flanders and Wallonia , the two main regions of the country. Widespread discrimination against Flemings, symbolized by the bad treatment of Flemish soldiers during World War I , made the Flemish organise against the mostly French-speaking government. After World War II ,

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1224-736: Is 57 m (187 ft) 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 15 m (49 ft) above sea level. Contrary to popular belief,

1326-577: 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

1428-739: Is also a national and international hub for rail, road and air traffic, and is sometimes considered, together with Belgium, as Europe's geographic, economic and cultural crossroads. The Brussels Metro is the only rapid transit system in Belgium. In addition, both its airport and railway stations are the largest and busiest in the country. Brussels is known for its cuisine and gastronomic offer (including its local waffle , its chocolate , its French fries and its numerous types of beers ), as well as its historical and architectural landmarks; some of them are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Principal attractions include its historic Grand-Place/Grote Markt (main square), Manneken Pis ,

1530-573: Is also increasingly becoming multilingual. English is spoken widely and many migrants and expatriates speak other languages as well. Brussels grew from a small rural settlement on the river Senne to become an important city-region in Europe. Since the end of the Second World War , it has been a major centre for international politics and home to numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants . Brussels

1632-473: Is also part of the City of Brussels, partially accounting for the bulge in the south-eastern end. The largest municipality in area and population is the City of Brussels, covering 32.6 km (12.6 sq mi) and with 145,917 inhabitants; the least populous is Koekelberg with 18,541 inhabitants. The smallest in area is Saint-Josse-ten-Noode , which is only 1.1 km (0.4 sq mi), but still has

1734-462: 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

1836-477: 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. 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. In 2013,

1938-675: Is pronounced / s / , as in English , and the final s is silent) and in Dutch, Brussel is pronounced [ˈbrʏsəl] . Inhabitants of Brussels are known in French as Bruxellois (pronounced [bʁysɛlwa] ) and in Dutch as Brusselaars (pronounced [ˈbrʏsəlaːrs] ). In the Brabantian dialect of Brussels (known as Brusselian , and also sometimes referred to as Marols or Marollien), they are called Brusseleers or Brusseleirs . Originally,

2040-650: 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. A bi-communitarian public authority, the Common Community Commission (French: Commission communautaire commune , COCOM, Dutch: Gemeenschappelijke Gemeenschapscommissie , GGC) also exists. Its assembly

2142-413: 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 serves as de facto capital of

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2244-546: Is separate from the Flemish Region (within which it forms an enclave ) and the Walloon Region , located less than 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south. Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels saw a language shift to French from the late 19th century. Nowadays, the Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual in French and Dutch, although French is the majority language and lingua franca . Brussels

2346-659: Is the de facto capital of the European Union , as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions , including its administrative-legislative , executive-political , and legislative branches (though the judicial branch is located in Luxembourg , and the European Parliament meets for a minority of the year in Strasbourg ). Because of this, its name is sometimes used metonymically to describe

2448-573: Is the official language of the Flemish Community. Minorities speak French , Yiddish , Turkish , Arabic , Berber , Italian , Spanish , English and German . Though most of these groups are recent immigrants, since the Middle Ages, Jews have formed the oldest minority to retain its own identity. Compared with most areas in the Netherlands, the historical dialects of Flemish people still tend to be strong and particular to locality. Since

2550-622: Is the ongoing process of seeking and finding constitutional and legal solutions to the problems and tensions in the different segments of the Belgian population, mostly between the Dutch-speakers of Flanders and the French-speakers of Wallonia . In general, Belgium has evolved from a unitary state to a federal state with communities, regions, and language areas . The tensions between the communities of Belgium arose around

2652-463: 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. Despite its name, the Brussels-Capital Region is not

2754-680: The Atomium , and cultural institutions such as La Monnaie/De Munt and the Museums of Art and History . Due to its long tradition of Belgian comics , Brussels is also hailed as a capital of the comic strip . The most common theory of the origin of the name Brussels is that it derives from the Old Dutch Bruocsella , Broekzele or Broeksel , meaning ' marsh ' ( bruoc / broek ) and ' home, settlement ' ( sella / zele / sel ) or ' settlement in

2856-484: The Belgian Constitution was amended to read as follows, “Belgium is a Federal State which consists of communities and regions”. During the fourth state reform, the responsibilities of the Communities and the Regions were expanded again, their resources were increased and they were given more fiscal responsibilities. Other major changes included the direct election of the parliaments of the Communities and

2958-588: The Belgian Revolution began in Brussels, after a performance of Auber's opera La Muette de Portici at the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie . 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, undertaking

3060-609: The Brussels International Exposition of 1935 and the 1958 Brussels World's Fair ( Expo 58 ). 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

3162-480: The Brussels Parliament . Legally speaking, in the region of Brussel-Capital, the Flemish Community is responsible not for individual people but for Flemish institutions such as schools, theatres, libraries and museums. The reason is that no distinct sub-national status exists in Belgium. Yet, individuals living in Brussels can opt by their own choice for certain policies of the Flemish Community. Dutch

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3264-490: The Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale ; Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest ), is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities , including the City of Brussels , which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country and is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community , but

3366-620: The Brussels-Capital Region , which itself exercises many competencies for territorial tasks elsewhere assigned to the provinces. The community competencies (education, culture and social welfare) there, are exercised by the two affected institutional communities. The Flemish Community therefore established a local elected council and executive (the Flemish Community Commission or 'VGC') to cater for intermediate-level decision making & public services . The VGC then recognised local, municipal institutions to take care of

3468-518: The Catholic – Liberal government of Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens introduced a number of budget cuts. French-language trade unions went on strike against the cuts and against the government. They felt that a more regionalized system was needed to take the measures that Wallonia needed and that the Walloon interests were hurt by a Flemish majority in Belgium. They spoke of un état belgo-flamand ,

3570-775: 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

3672-434: 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 . The Brussels-Capital Region was formed on 18 June 1989, after a constitutional reform in 1988. It

3774-710: The European Union (EU), hosting the major political institutions of the Union . 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). It locates the formal seat of European Parliament in Strasbourg , where votes take place, with

3876-569: The Flemish Community . The Flemish Parliament and Flemish Government have their seats in Brussels, and so do the Parliament of the French Community and the Government of the French Community . The 19 municipalities (French: communes , Dutch: gemeenten ) of the Brussels-Capital Region are political subdivisions with individual responsibilities for the handling of local level duties, such as law enforcement and

3978-503: The French Community Commission (French: Commission communautaire française or COCOF) and the Flemish Community Commission (Dutch: Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie 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

4080-767: 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). Following the decline of the Western Roman Empire , it was incorporated into the Frankish Empire . According to local legend,

4182-555: 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 reduced risk of floods. As the town 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

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4284-712: 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 (French: 16, rue de la Loi , Dutch: Wetstraat 16 ), is located adjacent to this building. It is also where

4386-406: The Second World War however, the influences of radio and television, and of a generally prolonged education, as well as the higher mobility for short trips or for moving towards farther localities, have resulted in a deterioration of the traditional 'pure' dialects, in particular amongst younger people. Some of the differences between the dialects are eroding, and mainly in localities or suburbs with

4488-588: 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

4590-822: 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 , 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

4692-529: The Walloons and the French-speaking inhabitants of Brussels for economic autonomy. On 18 February 1970 Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens announced the end of "La Belgique de papa". The second state reform took place in 1980, when the cultural communities became communities . The communities assumed the authority of the cultural communities with regard to cultural matters and became responsible for

4794-729: 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

4896-454: The boroughs in London or arrondissements in Paris , to keep politics close enough to the citizen. In the 2010s, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean gained international attention as the base for Islamist terrorists who carried out attacks in both Paris and 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

4998-416: The largest in Belgium . It is also part of a large conurbation extending towards the cities of Ghent , Antwerp , and Leuven , known as the Flemish Diamond , as well as the province of Walloon Brabant , in total home to over 5 million people. As Belgium's economic capital and a top financial centre in Western Europe with Euronext Brussels , Brussels is classified as an Alpha global city . It

5100-406: The 'matters relating to the person', such as health and youth policy. From then on, these three Communities were known as the Flemish Community , the French Community and the German-speaking Community . Two regions were established as well in 1980: the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region . However, in Flanders it was decided in 1980 to immediately merge the institutions of the Community and

5202-407: The Burgundian duke Charles the Bold perished in the Battle of Nancy . 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. Brabant was integrated into this composite state, and Brussels flourished as the Princely Capital of the prosperous Burgundian Netherlands , also known as

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5304-496: The EU and its institutions. The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of NATO are also located in Brussels. Brussels is the most densely populated region in Belgium, and although it has the highest GDP per capita , it has the lowest available income per household. The Brussels Region covers 162 km (63 sq mi) and has a population of over 1.2 million. Its five times larger metropolitan area comprises over 2.5 million people, which makes it

5406-408: The German Cultural Community. The communities assumed responsibility for all cultural matters. Most importantly, they took over control of broadcasting and the use of the community language. This reform was a response to the Flemish demand for cultural autonomy. The constitutional revision of 1970 also laid the foundations for the establishment of three Regions , which was a response to the demand of

5508-426: 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). The Flemish Community, however, did the opposite; it merged the Flemish Region into the Flemish Community. This

5610-437: The Parliament. Nowadays, the presence has increased considerably, with the Commission alone occupying 865,000 m (9,310,000 sq ft) within the European Quarter (a quarter of the total office space in Brussels). The concentration and density has caused concern that the presence of the institutions has created a ghetto effect in that part of the city. However, the European presence has contributed significantly to

5712-498: The Region. Although the creation of a Brussels Region was provided for in 1970, the Brussels-Capital Region was not established until the third state reform. During the third state reform in 1988 and 1989, under Prime Minister Wilfried Martens , the Brussels-Capital Region was established with its own regional institutions, as well as Dutch and French institutions for community matters. The Brussels-Capital Region remained limited to 19 municipalities. Other changes included expanding

5814-454: The Regions, the splitting up of the Province of Brabant into Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant , and the reformation of the Federal Parliament 's bicameral system and the relations between the Federal Parliament and the Federal Government . The first direct elections for the parliaments of the communities and the regions took place on 21 May 1995. Two accords came into effect following two special laws enacted on 13 July 2001. In 2001,

5916-420: The border with the Walloon and the Brussels-Capital regions, French-speakers enjoy " language facilities ". These cover rights such as to receive official documentation in their own tongue. Similar facilities are enjoyed by Dutch-speakers in some Walloon municipalities bordering the Flemish Region, by German-speakers in two municipalities in the French language area of the Walloon Region, and by French-speakers in

6018-435: 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

6120-405: 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

6222-458: The city became the chef-lieu of the department of the Dyle . The French rule ended in 1815, with the defeat of Napoleon on the battlefield of Waterloo , located south of today's Brussels-Capital Region. 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. In 1830,

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6324-450: The city was the site of the Brussels Agreement . In 2014, it hosted the 40th G7 summit , and in 2017, 2018 and 2021 respectively the 28th , 29th and 31st NATO Summits . 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

6426-422: The collapse of the government of Prime Minister Paul Vanden Boeynants ; the university was split into the Dutch-speaking Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and the French-speaking Université catholique de Louvain , united within a common governing body. In 1970 was a first state reform, which resulted in the establishment of three cultural communities: the Dutch Cultural Community, the French Cultural Community and

6528-422: The competencies of the communities and the regions. One notable responsibility that was transferred to the Communities during the third state reform is education. The fourth state reform is called the "Sint-Michiels agreement" and took place in 1993 under Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene . This reform consolidated the previous state reforms and turned Belgium into a full-fledged federal state. The first article of

6630-411: 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. The French Community and the Flemish Community exercise their powers in Brussels through two community-specific public authorities:

6732-517: 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 . Between 2002 and 2004, the European Council also fixed its seat in the city. In 2014, the Union hosted a G7 summit in the city. Brussels, along with Luxembourg and Strasbourg, began to host European institutions in 1957, soon becoming

6834-411: 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 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. To let the city expand, a second set of walls

6936-438: 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. The Free University of Brussels

7038-432: The development of the Art Nouveau style in the 1890s and early 1900s. The architects Victor Horta , Paul Hankar , and Henry van de Velde , among others, were known for their designs, many of which survive today. During 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 ,

7140-465: The differences between Dutch-speaking Belgians and French-speaking Belgians became clear in a number of conflicts. In 1950, a referendum on the position of King Leopold III was held. The Royal Question was whether he should be allowed to return to the throne, in view of his position during World War II. Nationally, 58% of voters supported the restoration of Leopold III. However, there were strong regional differences. Of those who voted, 72% percent of

7242-414: 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. During the War of the Spanish Succession in 1708, Brussels again sustained a French attack , which it repelled. Following

7344-492: The following: As the Flemish Community's institutions ( parliament , government and ministry ) absorbed all competencies of the Flemish region, they became also competent for all regional policy areas, including: Members of the Flemish Parliament elected in the Brussels-Capital Region have no right to vote on Flemish regional affairs, only on community affairs, since affairs concerning their region are governed by

7446-616: The highest point (at 127.5 m (418 ft)) is not near the Place de l'Altitude Cent / Hoogte Honderdplein in Forest , but at the Drève des Deux Montages / Tweebergendreef in the Sonian Forest. Brussels experiences an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with warm summers and cool winters. Proximity to coastal areas influences the area's climate by sending marine air masses from

7548-400: The highest population density in the region, with 20,822/km (53,930/sq mi). Watermael-Boitsfort has the lowest population density in the region, with 1,928/km (4,990/sq mi). There is much controversy on the division of 19 municipalities for a highly urbanised region, which is considered as (half of) one city by most people. Some politicians mock the "19 baronies" and want to merge

7650-562: The importance of Brussels as an international centre. 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 Organization (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

7752-486: The language quota, but in practice every minister-president has been a bilingual francophone. The regional parliament can enact ordinances (French: ordonnances , Dutch: ordonnanties ), 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

7854-459: The marsh ' . Saint Vindicianus , the Bishop of Cambrai , made the first recorded reference to the place Brosella in 695, 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 . In French , Bruxelles is pronounced [bʁysɛl] (the x

7956-412: The municipalities under one city council and one mayor. That would lower the number of politicians needed to govern Brussels, and centralise the power over the city to make decisions easier, thus reduce the overall running costs. The current municipalities could be transformed into districts with limited responsibilities, similar to the current structure of Antwerp or to structures of other capitals like

8058-516: The number of international conferences it hosts, also becoming one of the largest convention centres in the world. 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. The city hosts 120 international institutions, 181 embassies ( intra muros ) and more than 2,500 diplomats , making it

8160-472: The 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, and the first Metro line was opened in 1976. Starting from the early 1960s, Brussels became the de facto capital of what would become

8262-526: 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. 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

8364-589: The people in Flanders were in favor of his return, but 56% in Wallonia and 52% Brussels opposed his return. With the support of greater than half of Belgians, Leopold III returned to the throne. Following his restoration, anger among Leopold's opponents in Wallonia and Brussels grew into rioting that the government had struggled to contain. Pressure from the government forced Leopold III to abdicate . In 1960,

8466-457: The pronunciations [bʁyksɛl] and [bʁyksɛlwa] (for bruxellois ) are often heard, but are rather rare in Belgium. The 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

8568-476: The purely local public service in these community areas (called gemeenschapscentra or community centres). Flanders has an official radio and television broadcasting company, the Vlaamse Radio en Televisieomroep or VRT in Dutch. Since 1989, several private companies for region-wide radio and television broadcasting have become established. There are also so-called "regional" broadcast companies of which

8670-539: The range is limited to only smaller parts of the Flemish Region. The written press is dominated by a number of 'quality' dailies (such as De Tijd , De Morgen and De Standaard ), several 'popular' dailies (such as Het Laatste Nieuws and Het Nieuwsblad ) and a large number of general and specialized magazines. State reform in Belgium State reform , in the context of Belgium ,

8772-460: The reign of King Leopold II . The International Exposition of 1897 contributed to the promotion of the infrastructure. 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 11 km-long (6.8 mi) grand alley . Brussels became one of the major European cities for

8874-547: The same Charles to become Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 977, Charles ordered the construction of the city's first permanent fortification, doing so on that same island. 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

8976-407: The same state reform of 1980, the Flemish and Walloon Region were set up (the Brussels-Capital Region would be formed later on). In Flanders it was decided that the institutions of the Flemish Community would take up the tasks of the Flemish Region, so there is only one Flemish Parliament and one Flemish Government . Under the Belgian constitution, the Flemish Community has legal responsibility for

9078-534: The seat of the Dukes of Brabant, but it was destroyed by fire in 1731. 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. 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

9180-402: 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. In 2009, there were an estimated 286 lobbying consultancies known to work in Brussels. Finally, Brussels has more than 1,400 NGOs . The Treaty of Brussels , which

9282-540: 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

9384-567: The tenure of the city's then-mayor , Jules Anspach , its entire course through the urban area was completely covered over . This allowed urban renewal and the construction of modern buildings of Haussmann -esque style along grand central boulevards , characteristic of downtown Brussels today. 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

9486-491: The territory of the German-speaking community . The geographical limitations of the communities require the French Community to ensure Dutch basic education in its municipalities with facilities for speakers of Dutch, and the Flemish Community to finance French schools in its municipalities with facilities. Where responsibilities of the Flemish Region can be devolved to the provincial level, no such equivalent exists in

9588-458: The university grew through the 1960s and led to Flemish students rioting, supported by the population of the Flemish city of Leuven . A comment by a French-speaking social geographer of the university, who suggested that Leuven be included in the officially bilingual Brussels area, caused demonstrations from Flemish citizens and politicians; their main slogan was "Leuven Vlaams – Walen Buiten!" (Leuven Flemish, Walloons Out!) The tensions caused

9690-450: The upkeep of schools and roads within its borders. Municipal administration is also conducted by a mayor, a council, and an executive. In 1831, Belgium was divided into 2,739 municipalities, including the 19 currently located in the Brussels-Capital Region. Unlike most of the municipalities in Belgium, the ones now located in the Brussels-Capital Region were not merged with others during mergers occurring in 1964, 1970, and 1975. However,

9792-497: The written x noted the group / 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. The pronunciation / k s / in French only dates from the 18th century, but this modification did not affect the traditional Brussels usage. In France ,

9894-549: 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. Before the creation of the Brussels-Capital Region, regional competences in the 19 municipalities were performed by the Brussels Agglomeration. The Brussels Agglomeration

9996-432: 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. 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

10098-560: Was erected between 1356 and 1383. Traces of these walls can still be seen; the Small Ring , a series of boulevards bounding the historical city centre, follows their former course. 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. In 1477,

10200-421: 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 . 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

10302-676: 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). 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,

10404-501: Was the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgium. Brussels lies in the north-central part of Belgium, about 110 km (68 mi) from the Belgian coast and about 180 km (110 mi) from Belgium's southern tip. It is located in the heartland of the Brabantian Plateau, about 45 km (28 mi) south of Antwerp ( Flanders ), and 50 km (31 mi) north of Charleroi ( Wallonia ). Its average elevation

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