Brussels is ... The capital of Belgium: description, sights, population

The city of Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the heart of the whole metropolitan region. It consists of 19 communes. The total population of the capital's region is about 2 million people, and the capital itself - about 163,000. Time in Brussels, if you compare it with Moscow, makes a difference of one hour. For example, in the Belgian capital - 9:00, in the Russian capital - 10:00. The city was located right on the river Senna, the review of which, unfortunately, was blocked by builders and engineers during the urbanization of the XIX-XX centuries.

origin of name

Its name was given to the city because of the swampy terrain. It is she who predominates in this region. In Latin, Bruocsella means "settlement on the swamp". The main feature of this ancient city is the wrong form. The formed strange geometric figure is divided into three parts.

Climate

Brussels is a city whose climate is moderately marine, since the settlement is located not far from the North Sea. Here it is always moderately warm and humid. In the summer season, the temperature does not rise above 20 ^о С, and in winter it's rare to see a mark below zero. The hottest months are July and August, and the coldest is January. This type of climate is characterized by a considerable amount of precipitation: an average of 850 mm per year.

History of Brussels

The legend says that Brussels is a village that arose in the 6th century, and its founder is called St. Gagerik. But so far no official confirmation of this myth has been found. The first historical document with a reference to Bruocsella is a letter written by Otto the Great's hand, dated 996 year. It tells that in the period 977-979 years. Duke of Lower Lorraine Charles I unfolded the construction of the first city fortress wall and chapel. This was the beginning of the history of Brussels. It is logical that such an ancient city has a rich historical heritage and is famous for a lot of interesting facts. After the initial stage of construction on its territory was built a cathedral named after St. Gudula, which was considered a Belgian patroness. At the beginning of the XI century, the first city wall was erected.

Development of the city in the Middle Ages

Since 1430 the city of Brussels has started to develop rapidly. This is understandable. At that time he was under the auspices of the Duke Philip III (Burgundy). During this period the town halls and houses were actively built, the economy developed and grew, the cultural spirit of the Belgians was raised. After the daughter of Philip married the heir to the Roman Empire (Maximilian I), the territory of Brussels fell into the possession of the Habsburgs. And already in 1531 the future capital of Belgium returned to the composition of Burgundy. The death of the then ruler of Charles V and the coming to power of Philip II led to a great wave of discontent with the new ruler, the uprisings and the decline of the economy.

Postwar years

1648 brought the long-awaited end of the 30-year war, the conclusion was the Westphalian world, according to which the Brussels territory was rightly given to Spain. The discontent did not end there, and the Spaniards and the French began to fight for the tasty and rich lands. During these wars, the population of Brussels suffered repeatedly, as central urban areas were fired upon.

Independence

Since 1789, local Protestants began to claim independence for themselves. All the upheavals ended in 1815, when Napoleon and his army suffered a fiasco in the Battle of Waterloo. And in 1830 was marked for Brussels by long-awaited freedom and independence. This decision was made at the London Conference. The first king of the Belgian kingdom was Leopold I. After the goal was achieved, after several centuries the economy once again went uphill, and the population growth increased every day due to foreign immigrants.
It was in this historical period that the Arc de Triomphe and the Palace of Justice were built. Brussels is the city where the headquarters of the future European Union and the NATO office are based.

Population

In the period after urbanization, the number of local residents soared twice: from 100 to 200 thousand. Brussels shows excellent fertility rates (natural population growth). The dynamics of the female and male half is harmonious - almost 50:50%. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, all the indigenous population of Brussels, called frankophones, moved to the sleeping areas of the city and the near suburbs. In their place come international settlers. Among them were representatives of the Congo and Turkey, as well as Morocco.

But still the main part of the population remained French and Dutch, constantly fighting with each other. It is for this reason that the only officially recognized bilingual region is the metropolitan district and Brussels itself. The language of the French is absolutely equal with the Dutch. Also here are the dialects of recent migrants. As the faith is repented, most of the population professes either Catholicism or Protestantism. Because of the large number of foreigners, you can meet people who are fond of Islam or Judaism.

Economy and transport system

Brussels is an economically developed center. It is worth noting that the standard of living here is much better than in other cities. The main revenue comes from tourism business and services, as well as gastronomy (the number of restaurants exceeds 2000). The branch of machine building is well developed in Brussels, and credit and financial institutions also function successfully. And in terms of GDP it occupies the third line among all European cities.

As for the transport system, it is developed at a sufficiently high level. Equal well-lit highways - both external and underground - are equipped according to all standards. Metro Brussels - "lifebuoy" for residents. The construction of underground roads became a compulsory measure due to the large number of vehicles. In total, the city has a little more than 800 firms with taxis, which serve passengers at a single tariff. Most often their cars are painted white or black. They also depict the main symbol of Brussels - yellow iris. There are white checkers and a red inscription.

In total, the city has two operating central airports - Zaventem and Charleroi. And on the territory of the capital of Belgium is located the largest port. The international railway system is well developed here. The largest stations are the Northern, Southern and Central.

Metro Brussels consists of 4 lines, and each station is located at approximately 600-700 meters. There are eighteen land-based tram lines and three underground trains, buses that operate both around the city and outside, in the suburbs. All transport works exclusively until 00:30. And night routes carry out transportation only on weekends and for a higher price.

Attractions in Brussels

The Grand Place is one of the largest squares in the city, the size of which reaches 110 meters in length and 70 - in width. It is surrounded by marvelous architecture of the XVII century: the guild and the town hall in the Gothic style. The majestic building of the City Hall is adorned with an incredible beauty tower with a skilfully executed statue of Archangel Michael. And also the house of the king himself will not leave indifferent any visitor of the central square of Brussels.

The Mannequin Pis is a well-known fountain with a statue 60 cm high called "Manneken Pis". It was located not far from the central square, the appearance of which is shrouded in various legends and stories. Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula - a majestic shrine with a strange architecture, combining several eras. The building is built in honor of the keepers of Belgium.

Brussels is a cultural center. Life here is multifaceted and diverse. In addition to the above attractions, especially popular is the park with miniatures of major European architectural structures, "Atomium" - a huge crystal of iron with a height of more than 100 meters, images of comic characters in urban buildings and houses, as well as the Mountain of Arts. Numerous museums, parks, concert programs and restaurants with a variety of cuisine will allow each tourist to spend unforgettable leisure during a vacation in Brussels.