Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. 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 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 the EU and its institutions. The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of NATO are also located in Brussels.
Typical weather
1981–presentCity Rhythm
measuredOpening hours, by kind of place
median across mapped venuesVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsSame time system
by rhythmWhat to do each season
2winter
cool, grey, damp; mean 2.4-13.3 °C across the range; ~135 rain days/yr, ~17 snow days/yr (snowfall infrequent, rarely lasting); prevailing Atlantic marine air
- indoor-museum season: 80+ museums concentrated in the pentagon (Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Magritte, MIM)
- the European Quarter empties of lobbyists/MEPs during Strasbourg weeks and recess
- Christmas markets and the Grand-Place illumination activate the central core
summer
warm, occasionally hot; mean 16.3-18.3 °C, July/Aug ~23 °C mean max; frequent violent thunderstorms; mean precipitation holds ~2.1-2.3 mm/day
- terrasse culture returns; café life on Place du Châtelain, Place Flagey, around Grand-Place
- festivals peak: Brussels Summer Festival, Couleur Café, Ommegang pageant
- Sonian Forest (Forêt de Soignes) becomes usable — a green belt reaching into the south-east of the region
What it is known for
Important moments in a year
Ommegang
- historical pageant on Grand-Place
- crowds
Brussels Summer Festival
- open-air concert series
Couleur Cafe
- world-music festival
Brussels Museums Nocturnes
- after-hours museum openings
Plissont Festival
- parade in the European Quarter
On the record
source-trackedBrussels is the de facto capital of the European Union, as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions.
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.
Brussels contains over 80 museums.
The Magritte Museum houses the world's largest collection of works by the surrealist artist René Magritte.
On average there are approximately 135 days of rain per year in the Brussels-Capital Region. Snowfall is infrequent, averaging 17 days per year.
The city is relatively car-dependent by northern European standards and is considered to be the most congested city in the world.
The complexity of the Belgian political landscape makes some transportation issues difficult to solve. The Brussels-Capital Region is surrounded by the Flemish and Walloon regions, which means that the airports, as well as many roads serving Brussels (most notably the Brussels Ring), are located in the other two Belgian regions.
It [Brussels] does have a number of notable craft industries, such as the Cantillon Brewery, a lambic brewery founded in 1900.
Over half of those who work in Brussels live in Flanders or Wallonia, with 230,000 and 130,000 commuters per day respectively.
Surrounded by the city tower and a range of beautiful 300-year-old buildings. In the evening, lit by bright illumination, it [Grand-Place] is simply ravishing.
Brussels' tourist restaurant gauntlet can be found in Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwerstraat, just to the north of Grand-Place. The place has a bad reputation for waiters imposing themselves on passers-by.
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.