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114-535: He was born in Ghent , son of engraver Hendrik van den Keere , and around 1583–1584 moved with his family for religious reasons to London. His sister, Colette van den Keere , who immigrated with van den Keere married Jodocus Hondius three years later. In London, van den Keere received training as an engraver from Jodocus Hondius, his brother-in-law. In 1593, both Keere and Hondius settled in Amsterdam . In Amsterdam he

228-537: 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

342-518: 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

456-481: A marine west coast climate , abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps. Ghent is home to many people of foreign origin and immigrants. The 2020 census revealed that 35.5% of the inhabitants had roots outside of Belgium and 15.3% had a non-Belgian nationality. Many neighbourhoods already have a minority-majority population, primarily in the north, east, and west of the city and some pockets in the south. Some examples are Brugse Poort, Dampoort, Rabot, Ledeberg, Nieuw Gent/UZ and

570-671: 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

684-727: A foreword by Petrus Montanus . A series of 44 plates for the British Isles, from about 1599, took a long time to publish. They were based on Christopher Saxton , Ortelius, and Giovanni Battista Boazio , respectively for England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. They appeared in 1617 in a Latin edition of the Britannia of William Camden , by Willem Blaeu . Later, these plates came to William Humble or George Humble (according to Royal Geographical Society fellow, Carl Moreland and David Bannister—map dealer—in "Antique Maps") who issued them (with some modification and expansion) in 1627 as

798-489: A miniature version of the atlas of John Speed. Thereby van den Keere's works came by the name "Miniature Speeds". Carl Moreland and David Bannister in "Antique Maps" state that in 1627 publisher George Humble "published a major edition of Speed's Atlas," who in turn "also issued" the van den Keere maps "as a pocket edition. For these he used the descriptive texts of the larger Speed maps and thereafter they were known as Miniature Speeds". Moreland and Bannister also write that "of

912-777: 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

1026-475: A public institution known for its radical productions. The theatre company's home base is in the Royal Dutch Theatre  [ nl ] (Koninklijke Nederlandse Schouwburg, or KNS), with a secondary location in the city at Minnemeers. The company also tours extensively. In Ghent and other regions of East Flanders , bakeries sell a donut-shaped bun called a "mastel" (plural "mastellen"), which

1140-732: A recreation park (Blaarmeersen, 87 hectares; 215 acres). The port of Ghent , in the north of the city, is the third-largest port of Belgium. It is accessed by the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal , which ends near the Dutch port of Terneuzen on the Western Scheldt . The port houses, among others, large companies like ArcelorMittal , Volvo Cars , Volvo Trucks , Volvo Parts , Honda , and Stora Enso . The Ghent University and several research-oriented companies, such as Ablynx, Innogenetics, Cropdesign, and Bayer Cropscience, are situated in

1254-813: A small portion of the abbey was spared demolition. The late 16th and 17th centuries brought devastation because of the Eighty Years' War . The war ended the role of Ghent as a centre of international importance. In 1745, the city was captured by French forces during the War of the Austrian Succession before being returned to the Empire of Austria under the House of Habsburg following the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. This part of Flanders became known as

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1368-727: A word related to the English ' marsh ') were ideally suited for herding sheep, the wool of which was used to make cloth. Ghent was the leading city for cloth during the Middle Ages. The wool industry , originally established at Bruges , created the first European industrialized zone in Ghent in the High Middle Ages . The mercantile zone was so highly developed that wool had to be imported from Scotland and England, which led to Flanders' good relationship with them. However, during

1482-736: 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,

1596-577: 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

1710-504: Is a famous Catholic burial site of the nobility and artists. One of the more notable pieces of contemporary architecture in Ghent is De Krook , the new central library and media center, a collaboration between local firm Coussée and Goris and Catalan firm RCR Arquitectos. Important museums in Ghent are the Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts), with paintings by Hieronymus Bosch , Peter Paul Rubens , and many Flemish masters;

1824-465: Is a map of Ireland from 1592, Hyberniae novissima descriptio . It was published by Hondius and served as a model for later editions of the Theatrum of Abraham Ortelius . Keere also contributed to John Norden 's Speculum Britanniae of 1593. For Willem Barents Keere engraved plates for Caertboeck Vande Middel-landsche Zee . He also worked with Petrus Bertius , Cornelis Claesz, Petrus Plancius ,

1938-794: 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 ,

2052-573: 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

2166-473: 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

2280-646: Is basically a bagel. "Mastellen" are also called " Saint Hubert bread", because, on the Saint's feast day, which is 3 November, the bakers bring their batches to the early Mass to be blessed. Traditionally, it was thought that blessed mastellen immunized against rabies . Other local delicacies are the praline chocolates from local producers such as Leonidas , the cuberdons or 'neuzekes' ('noses'), cone-shaped purple jelly-filled candies (a four-year feud between two local vendors made international news), 'babelutten' ('babblers'), hard butterscotch-like candy, and of course, on

2394-462: 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

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2508-681: Is linked to the recognition of the detrimental environmental effects of meat production , which the United Nations ' Food and Agriculture Organization has established to represent nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions . The city is host to some big cultural events such as the Ghent Festival , the International Film Festival of Ghent (with the World Soundtrack Awards ) and

2622-477: 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,

2736-727: 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,

2850-765: 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

2964-413: 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

3078-546: 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

3192-659: 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

3306-411: Is usually served nouvelle-cuisine-style and supplemented by a large pot on the side. The city promotes a meat-free day on Thursdays called Donderdag Veggiedag with vegetarian food being promoted in public canteens for civil servants and elected councillors, in all city-funded schools, and promotion of vegetarian eating options in town (through the distribution of "veggie street maps"). This campaign

3420-463: 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

3534-680: 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

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3648-711: The Austrian Netherlands until the exile of the French Emperor Napoleon I , the end of the French Revolutionary and later Napoleonic Wars , and the peace treaties arrived at by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ghent's textile industry flourished again. Lieven Bauwens , having smuggled the industrial and factory machine plans out of England, introduced the first mechanical weaving machine on

3762-644: 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

3876-609: 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

3990-490: 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

4104-532: The COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium , being held again in the summer of 2022, after a two-year break. The Festival of Flanders had its 50th celebration in 2008. In Ghent, it opens with the OdeGand City festivities that take place on the second Saturday of September. Some 50 concerts take place in diverse locations throughout the medieval inner city and some 250 international artists perform. Ghent co-hosted

4218-775: 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

4332-434: 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

4446-658: 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

4560-954: The European continent in 1800. The Treaty of Ghent , negotiated here and adopted on Christmas Eve 1814, formally ended the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States (the North American phase of the Napoleonic Wars). After the Battle of Waterloo , Ghent and Flanders , previously ruled from the House of Habsburg in Vienna as the Austrian Netherlands, became a part of the United Kingdom of

4674-627: 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

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4788-585: 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

4902-463: The Gent Festival van Vlaanderen  [ nl ] . Also, every five years, an extensive botanical exhibition ( Gentse Floraliën ) takes place in Flanders Expo in Ghent, attracting numerous visitors to the city. The Ghent Festival ( Gentse Feesten in Dutch) is an annual festival that lasts for ten days. It has been held for more than 50 years (since 1969) and is attended by about 1–1.5 million visitors. It did not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to

5016-431: 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,

5130-405: The House of Visscher , and Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer . In 1595, there appeared a large wall map of Europe in 10 sheets, Nova totius Europae descriptio . From 1603, Keere began creating large urban panoramas, including Utrecht , Cologne , Amsterdam, and Paris. Around 1604, he was preparing the publication of the atlas Germania Inferior id est Provincuarum XVII . This first appeared in 1617, with

5244-407: The Hundred Years' War , trade with England suffered significantly. Ghent was the birthplace of John of Gaunt , Duke of Lancaster . The city recovered in the 15th century when Flanders was united with neighbouring provinces under the Dukes of Burgundy . High taxes led to a rebellion and eventually to the Battle of Gavere in 1453, in which Ghent suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of Philip

5358-448: 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

5472-437: The Roman period, but archaeological research confirms that the Ghent area continued to be inhabited. When the Franks invaded the Roman territories from the end of the 4th century and well into the 5th century, they brought their language with them, and Celtic and Latin were replaced by Old Dutch . Around 650, Saint Amand founded two abbeys in Ghent: St. Peter's ( Blandinium ) and St. Bavo's Abbey . Around 800, Louis

5586-403: 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

5700-486: The SMAK or Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (City Museum for Contemporary Art), with works of the 20th century, including Joseph Beuys and Andy Warhol ; and the Design Museum Gent with masterpieces of Victor Horta and Le Corbusier . The Huis van Alijn (House of the Alijn family) was originally a beguinage and is now a museum for folk art where theatre and puppet shows for children are presented. The Museum voor Industriële Archeologie en Textiel or MIAT displays

5814-406: 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

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5928-421: The Sint-Pieters railway station was completed in 1912. Ghent was occupied by the Germans in both World Wars but escaped severe destruction. The life of the people and the German invaders in Ghent during World War I is described by H. Wandt in "etappenleven te Gent". In World War II the city was liberated by the British 7th "Desert Rats" Armoured Division and local Belgian fighters on 6 September 1944, with

6042-452: 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

6156-410: 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

6270-454: 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

6384-416: 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

6498-453: The 2021 World Choir Games together with Antwerp . Organised by the Interkultur Foundation , the World Choir Games is the biggest choral competition and festival in the world. Ghent has been chosen as the 2024 European Youth Capital by the European Youth Forum . The numerous parks in the city can also be considered tourist attractions. Most notably, Ghent boasts a nature reserve ( Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen , 230 hectares (570 acres) ) and

6612-409: The 63 maps in the Atlas, 40 were from the original van den Keere plates." Ghent Ghent ( Dutch : Gent [ɣɛnt] ; French : Gand [ɡɑ̃] ; historically known as Gaunt in English) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium . It is the capital and largest city of the province of East Flanders , and the third largest in

6726-407: 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

6840-496: 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

6954-513: The Good . Around this time the centre of political and social importance in the Low Countries started to shift from Flanders (Bruges–Ghent) to Brabant ( Antwerp – Brussels ), although Ghent continued to play an important role. With Bruges, the city led two revolts against Maximilian of Austria , the first monarch of the House of Habsburg to rule Flanders. In 1500, Juana of Castile gave birth to Charles V , who became Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain . Although native to Ghent, he punished

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7068-426: 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

7182-434: The Netherlands with the northern Dutch for 15 years. In this period, Ghent established its own university (1816) and a new connection to the sea (1824–27). After the Belgian Revolution , with the loss of port access to the sea for more than a decade, the local economy collapsed, and the first Belgian trade union originated in Ghent. In 1913 there was a world exhibition in Ghent . As a preparation for these festivities,

7296-437: 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

7410-416: The Pious , son of Charlemagne , appointed Einhard , the biographer of Charlemagne, abbot of both abbeys. The city grew from several nuclei, the abbeys, and a commercial centre. However, in 851 and 879 the city was plundered by Vikings . Under the protection of the County of Flanders the city recovered and flourished from the 11th century, growing to become a small city-state . By the 13th century, Ghent

7524-404: The area around Sleepstraat (known for its many Turkish restaurants). The composition of the 2018 – 2024 city council: Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its centre is a carfree area . Highlights are St. Bavo's Cathedral with the Ghent Altarpiece , the belfry , the Gravensteen castle , and the splendid architecture along

7638-435: 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

7752-423: The central and southern part of the city. As the largest city in East Flanders, Ghent has four large hospitals, numerous schools, and shopping streets. Flanders Expo , the biggest event hall in Flanders and the second biggest in Belgium, is also located in Ghent. Tourism is becoming a major employer in the local area. As one of the largest cities in Belgium, Ghent has a highly developed transport system. By car

7866-405: 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

7980-419: The city after the 1539 Revolt of Ghent and obliged the city's nobles to walk in front of the Emperor barefoot with a noose (Dutch: "strop" ) around the neck; since this incident, the people of Ghent have been called " Stroppendragers " (noose bearers). St. Bavo's Abbey (not to be confused with the nearby St. Bavo's Cathedral) was abolished, torn down, and replaced with a fortress for Royal Spanish troops. Only

8094-458: 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,

8208-448: The city is accessible via two motorways: In addition, Ghent also has two ringways: Five railway stations can be found in the municipality of Ghent: Ghent has an extensive network of public transport lines, operated by De Lijn . Brussels Brussels ( French : Bruxelles , pronounced [bʁysɛl] or [bʁyksɛl] ; Dutch : Brussel [ˈbrʏsəl] ), officially

8322-400: The city of Ghent proper and the surrounding suburbs of Afsnee , Desteldonk , Drongen , Gentbrugge , Ledeberg , Mariakerke , Mendonk , Oostakker , Sint-Amandsberg , Sint-Denijs-Westrem , Sint-Kruis-Winkel , Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde . With 269,191 inhabitants at the end of 2023, Ghent is Belgium's second largest municipality by number of inhabitants. The metropolitan area , including

8436-628: 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

8550-794: The confluence of the Scheldt and the Leie going back as far as the Stone Age and the Iron Age . Most historians believe that the older name for Ghent, 'Ganda', is derived from the Celtic word ganda , which means ' confluence ', or 'river mouth', referring to the Leie river debouching into the Scheldt . Other sources connect its name with an obscure deity named Gontia . There are no written records of

8664-486: 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:

8778-583: 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

8892-662: The country, after Brussels and Antwerp . It is a port and university city. The city originally started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie . In the Late Middle Ages Ghent became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe , with some 50,000 people in 1300. After the late 16th century Ghent became a less important city, resulting in an extremely well-preserved historic centre, that now makes Ghent an important destination of tourism. The municipality comprises

9006-534: 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

9120-569: 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

9234-558: 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 ,

9348-483: 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

9462-616: 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

9576-400: 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

9690-562: 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

9804-425: The industrial strength of Ghent with recreations of workshops and stores from the 1800s and original spinning and weaving machines that remain from the time when the building was a weaving mill. The Ghent City Museum (Stadsmuseum, abbreviated STAM), is committed to recording and explaining the city's past and its inhabitants, and to preserving the present for future generations. NTGent is the city theatre of Ghent,

9918-486: 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

10032-459: 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

10146-445: The more fiery side, the famous 'Tierenteyn', a hot but refined mustard that has some affinity to French 'Dijon' mustard. Stoverij is a classic Flemish meat stew, preferably made with a generous addition of brown 'Trappist' (strong abbey beer) and served with French fries. ' Waterzooi ' is a local stew originally made from freshwater fish caught in the rivers and creeks of Ghent, but nowadays often made with chicken instead of fish. It

10260-412: 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

10374-465: The northern suburbs and the industrial area cleared over the following days by the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division . After the fusions of municipalities in 1965 and 1977, the city is made up of following sub-municipalities : The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Ghent has

10488-516: 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

10602-472: 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

10716-399: The old Graslei harbour. Ghent has established a blend between comfort of living and history; it is not a city-museum. The city of Ghent also houses three béguinages and numerous churches including St. Jacob's Church, St. Nicholas' Church , St. Michael's Church and St. Stefanus' Church . In the 19th century Ghent's most famous architect, Louis Roelandt , built the university hall Aula,

10830-569: The opera house, and the main courthouse. Highlights of modern architecture are the university buildings (the Boekentoren or Book Tower) by Henry Van de Velde . There are also a few theatres from diverse periods. The beguinages, as well as the belfry and adjacent cloth hall, were recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1998 and 1999. The Zebrastraat , a social experiment in which an entirely renovated site unites living, economy, and culture, can also be found in Ghent. Campo Santo

10944-526: 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

11058-436: The outer commuter zone, covers an area of 1,205 km (465 sq mi) and had a total population of 560,522 as of 1 January 2018, which ranks it as the fourth most populous in Belgium. The current mayor of Ghent is Mathias De Clercq ( Open Vld ). The ten-day-long Ghent Festival ( Gentse Feesten ) is held every year and attended by about 1–1.5 million visitors. Archaeological evidence shows human presence around

11172-401: 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

11286-460: 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

11400-547: 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

11514-534: 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

11628-402: 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

11742-540: 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

11856-567: 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

11970-450: 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,

12084-497: 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 ,

12198-543: 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

12312-432: 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

12426-611: Was betrothed on 7 September 1599 to Anna Burts or Beurt from Ghent, but he became betrothed again there on 10 March 1623 to a widow from Hoorn , Anna Winnens van Gent, possibly due to the death of his first wife. After 1630, there are few details of his life. The dating of some plates for John Speed 's Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World of 1646 indicates that he was still alive then. From his time in England there

12540-509: 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,

12654-421: 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

12768-613: 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,

12882-512: Was the biggest city in Europe north of the Alps after Paris ; it was bigger than Cologne or Moscow . Up to 65,000 people lived within the city walls. The belfry and the towers of the St. Bavo's Cathedral and St. Nicholas' Church are just a few examples of the skyline of the period. The rivers flowed in an area where much land was periodically flooded. These rich grass 'meersen' (" water-meadows ":

12996-556: 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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