Today is the feast day of Saint Gudula, patron saint of Brussels. 10 facts about Brussels:
The most common theory of the origin of the name Brussels is that it derives from Old Dutch words meaning 'marsh' and 'home, settlement', so it would translate as 'settlement in the marsh'.
It’s the capital city of Belgium. It’s also the de facto capital of the European Union, as its administrative-legislative, executive-political, and legislative branches have their headquarters there. Because of this, its name is sometimes used to mean The EU and its institutions, rather like “Buckingham Palace” is used to mean the British royal family or “Ten Downing Street” the UK government. The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of NATO are also located in Brussels.
There are many museums in the city, including The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, The Magritte Museum, which houses the world's largest collection of works by Rene Magritte, and the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History. There are also some more quirky museums such as a museum of musical instruments, a sewer museum, a French fry museum and a Comic Book Museum.
Famous people from Brussels include Hergé of The Adventures of Tintin fame (hence the comic book culture), Audrey Hepburn, Jean-Claude Van Damme (The Muscles from Brussels), musicians Plastic Bertrand and The Singing Nun, famous for the song Dominique. The Bronte Sisters went to Brussels in 1842 to finish their studies and improve their languages. Emily stayed for a year, Charlotte for two.
If you like Beer or Chocolate, this is the place for you. Brussels airport is the largest chocolate selling point in the world, and there’s the Delirium Cafe, which holds the Guinness World Record for offering the largest selection of beers in the world – over 2,000 different kinds.
You’ve probably heard of the famous Manneken Pis statue of a little boy peeing. This originated with a legend about a little boy who saved the city from burning down by weeing on the fire. You may not know that there is also a statue of a little girl having a wee and a dog cocking its leg.
Brussels sprouts originated in ancient Rome, but they were mostly grown in Belgium, which is how they got named for the city. In the 16th century, cultivation of the sprouts spread throughout most of northern Europe.
Brussels is home to the oldest shopping arcade in Europe which opened in 1847; the largest court house in the world, at 26,000 square metres, and until 2014, the deepest swimming pool in the world. (That title now belongs to the Y-40 pool in Padua, Italy.) You can also find a monument shaped like a giant molecule and a miniature of Europe, with many of Europe’s famous landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Big Ben.
The emblem of the city is the yellow Iris, which is native to the Brussels region. An annual celebration takes place on 8 May known as the Iris Festival. In August, a tradition dating back to 1308 takes place. There’s a procession through the city with a young Beech tree which is planted at the end of the procession with music and celebration. This is known as The Meyboom.
Brussels is twinned with a number of cities including: Atlanta and Washington DC, United States; Beijing, China; Berlin, Germany; Casablanca, Morocco; Kyiv, Ukraine; Madrid, Spain; and Prague, Czech Republic.
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