Brussels is an incredibly beautiful city and many tourists who visit it fall in love with it at first sight. Clean, safe, and cozy, it personifies the best of Europe. Have you ever been there? The capital of Belgium is really worth visiting.
Amazing facts about Brussels
- Brussels is the rainiest city in Europe. This is not surprising, since Belgium is the rainiest European country.
- The max allowed speed for cars in Brussels is lower than in most cities of the world. The top speed limit is only 30 km (20 mph) on most of the local streets.
- The Belgian capital is really an ancient city. It was founded in the VI century, and it is already about 1500 years old.
- This is a very multi-ethnic city. About 30% of all Brussels residents are immigrants born in other countries.
- Brussels is very compact, its area is 12,3 sq miles (32 sq km) only.
- Brussels is home to about 180 thousand people, but in fact, the Belgian capital has long been part of a large urban agglomeration, whose population has already exceeded 1.1 million people.
- The Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert in Brussels is the oldest marketplace in Europe.
- The Belgian capital has 13 sister cities, of which 10 are the capitals of other states. These include Moscow, Kyiv, Washington, Madrid, Berlin, and others.
- The name “Brussels” in translation from one of the ancient local dialects means “swamp settlement”. Indeed, the area here is very swampy.
- Belgium is famous for its chocolate all over the world. Brussels international airport sells more chocolates every year than any other shopping complex in the world because almost all tourists leaving the country buy some chocolate before departure.
- French fries were invented in this city. Therefore, local residents dislike the fact that in most countries of the world this dish is known as “french fries”.
- Brussels is a quiet city. It is included in the list of the safest cities in the world.
- Brussels Cathedral of Saint-Michel-et-Gudul (also known as St. Michael’s Cathedral) is an incredibly beautiful ancient building built in the XIII-XV centuries. Its construction took 259 years, and it looks similar to the famous Notre Dame de Paris in France, the one that was almost destroyed by fire in 2019.
- You can see really lots of bicycles on the streets of Brussels. All the amenities for cyclists are made here, which motivates citizens to give up cars and use this type of transport.
- All signs on the streets of Brussels use two languages at once, French and Dutch. Both of them, along with German, has official status in Belgium.
- This is a very green city, with parks and other green areas occupying more than 40% of the city area.
- Mini Europe Park is one of the most interesting sights in Brussels. It recreates all the main sights of European cities in miniature.
- The landmark building “The Atomium”, built in Brussels in 1958, has become a symbol of humanity’s entry into the atomic age and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Btw, there’s a restaurant In the upper sphere of this monument.
- Brussels hosts Foire de Libramont, Europe’s largest exhibition of agricultural achievementsб every year. It’s very interesting not only for specialists but also for those who are just curious.
- The Royal Palace of Brussels is larger than Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom. But these two monumental palaces are quite similar in appearance.