Curious facts about Brussels present us with a stately, elegant city with a wide offer for all tastes. Like other European cities, it has been hit by jihadist terrorism and, like Barcelona, London, Paris, Nice or Berlin, it has recovered from that terrible experience. Currently, it offers its visitors a wonderful, orderly and clean city full of secrets and interesting places. Join us to discover some of the curiosities of Brussels that perhaps you did not know and surely they will surprise you.
Brussels, despite being the heart of Europe and home to many official bodies of the EEC, It is a relatively small city since it does not reach 200,000 inhabitants. Its metropolitan area, which includes 19 municipalities, does reach 1.2 million inhabitants from many different parts of the world. In the capital of Belgium, with its Grand-Place, its majestic buildings, its neighborhoods and its people, you will feel at ease from the first moment. Let’s start our cultural journey to get to know her a little more.
30 curious facts about Brussels that you should know
1. An ancient city
We begin our journey through the curious facts of Brussels by telling you that it has existed as a city since the 12th century, the date on which its walls were built. But possibly its foundation dates back to the 10th century.
2. The meaning of his name
The name of Brussels means “Hermitage of the Swamp” and comes from the medieval Dutch words “broek” which would be pronounced “bruk” which means swamp and “sell” which means hermitage.
3. The river of the city
The Senne is the river of Brussels. The city was born in the valley formed by this river course and around it grew first a town and then a medieval cityhe. In the 19th century, the river was attributed to the spread of cholera and other diseases, so between 1867 and 1871 it was covered and its course was later diverted.
4. The view of the locks
One of the curiosities of Brussels is that you can still see from some shops in the city a small section of the route and one of the locks of the river Senne. From the La Grande Ecluse restaurant, located a few steps from the Gare du Midi, you can see a section of the old lock and from a shop located at 23 Rue Saint-Géry, in an open-air area, an arm from the river.
5. The Royal Library
The Royal Library of Belgium is located in the city center and has one of the best kept curiosities of Brussels. On its roof there is a greenhouse, an orchard and a shelter for insects.
6. A peculiar farm
We add one of the curious facts of Brussels, one that not everyone knows. In the Parc Maximilien, in the center of the city, there is a farm that children can enjoy from 6 to 12 years old. It is known as “La Ferme du Parc Maximilien«. You will find, among other animals, sheep, chickens, ducks, goats, rabbits and donkeys.
7. The cutest showcase
If you want to see one of the most beautiful shop windows in the world, you have it in Brussels. It is the one from Daniël Ost’s shop, the world’s leading floral designer. It is at 13 Rue Royale and is a marvel of flowers, wood and wrought iron. It is in an Art Nouveau building by Paul Hankar.
8. The Art Nouveau style in the city
Another of the curiosities of Brussels is that in its streets you can see various Art Nouveau buildings by Paul Ankar, Albert Roosenboom and Octave van Rysselberghe. In addition to the one mentioned above, those on Rue Defacqz and Rue Faider streets stand out, their paintings still in very good condition.
9. The Museum of Musical Instruments
The MIM, the Brussels Musical Instruments Museum is inside one of these Art Nouveau buildings called “Old England” from its top floor you will enjoy magnificent views of the city.
10. The Plastic Museum
One of the curiosities of Brussels is a museum dedicated to plastic! It is called the “Plasticarum Museum” and in it you can see works of art, household appliances, furniture and plastic items from great designers from the 1960s to the present day.
11. A hidden facade
Another interesting Brussels fact hidden from view is the façade of “La Bellone”. It is one of the most beautiful in the city and is in a covered inner courtyard to preserve them from the elements. At present it is a center dedicated to the show. It was built by Jean Cosyn between 1697 and 1708. Its name comes from the bust of Bellone, the goddess, above the main door.
12. The city of comics
We add to the curiosities of Brussels the fact that It is known as the city of comics, since it is the birthplace of some of the most famous such as Tintin, The Smurfs or Lucky Luck. In Brussels you can see some murals dedicated to these characters and their authors. There is a «comic route» Very interesting that it is a different way of getting to know the Belgian capital.
13. A diving pool
If you like to dive you have at your disposal the Nemo 33 pool. It is one of the deepest in the worldsimilar to the Italian Y-40 Deep Joy and the idea of its creator was to teach diving in a safe and controlled environment.
14. The Grand Place
The center of Brussels is undoubtedly the Grand Place. It also hides curious secrets such as the fact that until 1990 it was possible to drive and even park in it and that it has a webcam that transmits images in real time of the square.
15. A tunnel in the square
One of the curiosities of Brussels related to the Grand Place is the existence of a secret tunnel that goes from the Casa del Rey to the Town Hall. It was built to communicate both buildings. In winter, when it snows, you can see the layout of the tunnel, since due to the heating in it, the snow melts outside.
16. A Church… To sleep?
This is one of our favorites among the fun facts of Brussels. Have you ever slept in a church? In this city you can do it! It is the Hotel Martin’s Patershof Mechelen and it is inside an old church.
17. The oldest galleries
Another of the curiosities of Brussels are the St. Hubert Galleries. They are the oldest in Europe and were opened in 1847.
18. Brussels sprouts
Another of the best curious facts about Brussels: If you have wondered if brussels sprouts are related to the city, we will tell you that they are.. They have been cultivated there for 700 years.
19. Power in chocolate
Brussels is one of the places in the world where more chocolate is produced and Brussels International Airport is the place in the world where the most chocolate is sold.
20. The Atomium in Brussels
Surely you have ever seen images of the Atomium in Brussels. It represents an atom of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.
21. The most famous statue
The Manneken Pis is the most famous statue in Brussels and measures only 61 cm. If you want to know more about her, we invite you to read the post: 3 works of art that tell a story.
22. The Royal Palace
In Brussels you can visit the Royal Palace in the last weeks of August. It looks a lot like London’s Buckingham Palace but the Belgian’s façade is 50% longer, although the surface of each floor of this palace is half the size of the English one.
23. The Courthouse
The Palace of Justice in Brussels is an impressive building and It is considered to be the largest courthouse in the world. It has 26,000 m2. of surface and is proposed to be a World Heritage Site.
24. Headquarters of international organizations
We add to the curiosities of Brussels the fact that it is the headquarters of several important international organizations. The European Commission, the European Parliament and NATO have their headquarters in Brussels. and the European Council holds its quarterly summits in the city.
25. Many international employees
Due to the existence of all these international organizations, about 40,000 EU employees plus 4,000 NATO employees live in the city and the workers of nearly 300 permanent representations of various groups and embassies.
26. Their famous waffles
Brussels is world famous for its waffles, better known as waffles. In addition to restaurants, you can buy them at street stalls and in metro stations.
27. The Val des Roses
The Val des Roses is a cul-de-sac from medieval times in the center of Brussels ending in a curious trompe l’oeil that simulates the entrance to a forest. Worth seeing!
28. Other Brussels in the world
There are two more cities in the world with the name of Brussels, one in Canada and one in the US.
29. The city of dogs
And this is another of our favorites among the curious facts of Brussels: in the city you will see dogs everywhere. No regulations are violated if they are taken to restaurants, cafes or on public transport.
30. A very safe city
The last of these curiosities of Brussels is for you to visit with complete peace of mind. The Belgian capital is considered one of the safest cities in the world. In fact, this is one of the best curiosities in Belgium. You can return home at night without any fear.
In addition to the curiosities of Brussels, other cities
And if you love to travel and learn the secrets of the different countries and their urban centers, you can discover with us curiosities of Europebased on the most surprising data from other wonderful cities that will surely interest you. Below, discover the best fun facts about amazing cities.
As you can see, the capital of Belgium hides many interesting places to discover. What do you think of our selection of curiosities of Brussels? Do you know of any that we have not taken into account? Tell us about it and so we can expand this list of curiosities.