Brussels metropolitan area

The Flower Carpet (French: Tapis de Fleurs, Dutch: Bloementapijt) is a biennial event in Brussels in which volunteers from around Belgium convene at the Grand Place, the historic centre of the city, to weave a carpet-like tapestry out of colourful begonias. The event takes place every other August, coordinating with Assumption Day. Nearly a million flowers are required to create the ephemeral 1,800 m2 (19,000 sq ft) carpet.

The Grand Place (French, pronounced [ɡʁɑ̃ plas]; "Grand Square"; also used in English) or Grote Markt (Dutch, pronounced [ˌɣroːtə ˈmɑr(ə)kt] (listen); "Big Market") is the central square of Brussels, Belgium. It is surrounded by opulent Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels and two larger edifices; the city's Flamboyant Town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building (French: Maison du Roi, Dutch: Broodhuis) containing the Brussels City Museum. The square measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 361 ft) and is entirely paved. The Grand Place's construction began in the 11th century and was largely complete by the 17th. In 1695, during the Nine Years' War, most of the square was destroyed during the bombardment of Brussels by French troops. Only the facade and the tower of the Town Hall, which served as a target for the artillery, and some stone walls resisted the incendiary balls. The houses that surrounded the Grand Place were rebuilt during subsequent years, giving the square its current appearance, though they were frequently modified in the following centuries. From the mid-19th century, the square's heritage value was rediscovered, and it was thoroughly renovated.Nowadays, the Grand Place is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It is also considered one of the world's most beautiful squares, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. The square frequently hosts festive and cultural events, among them, in August of every even year, the installation of an immense flower carpet in its centre. It is also a centre of annual celebrations during the Christmas and New Year period, and a Christmas tree has been erected annually on the square since the mid-20th century.This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand Place/Grote Markt (on line 95).

The Brussels Christmas tree is a Christmas tree erected annually in the Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium. It has traditionally been a real tree either from the Ardennes forest, from the city of Helsinki or from different countries as diplomatic gift, except in 2012 when it was replaced with an abstract sculpture.

The City of Brussels (French: Ville de Bruxelles [vil də bʁysɛl] or alternatively Bruxelles-Ville [bʁysɛl vil]; Dutch: Stad Brussel [stɑd ˈbrʏsəl] or Brussel-Stad) is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of Belgium. It is also the administrative centre of the European Union, and is thus often dubbed, along with the region, the EU's capital city. Besides the central historic town located within the Pentagon, the City of Brussels covers some of the city's immediate outskirts within the greater Brussels-Capital Region, namely Haren, Laeken, and Neder-Over-Heembeek to the north, as well as the Avenue Louise/Louizalaan and the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos park to the south-east, where it borders municipalities in Flanders. As of 1 January 2017, the City of Brussels had a total population of 176,545. The total area is 32.61 km2 (12.59 sq mi) which gives a population density of 5,475 inhabitants per square kilometre (14,180/sq mi). As of 2007, there were approximately 50,000 registered non-Belgians in the City of Brussels. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).

The 1979 Brussels bombing was an attack carried out by volunteers belonging to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) against a British Army band on the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels in Belgium on 28 August 1979. The bombing injured seven bandsmen and eleven civilians, and caused extensive damage.

The Pentagon (French: Pentagone; Dutch: Vijfhoek) or Brussels' city centre is the historical city centre of Brussels, Belgium, within the contours of the Small Ring inner ring road. The Small Ring is located on the site of the second walls of Brussels, which were built in the 16th century. As in most European cities, these walls were replaced by large boulevards at the end of the 19th century. The Pentagon, within the Small Ring, covers 4.61 km2 (1.78 sq mi) and is more or less pentagonal or heart-shaped, hence its name. In 2013, 51,566 people lived there, mainly in the Marolles/Marollen district and west of the central boulevards. For the entire City of Brussels, there were 168,576 inhabitants; the majority living outside the Pentagon, in the northern part of the municipality.

The bombardment of Brussels by troops of Louis XIV of France on August 13, 14 and 15, 1695, and the resulting fire were together the most destructive event in the entire history of Brussels. Brussels was mostly untouched by most other conflicts. It did not suffer significant damage during World War I, and bombing during World War II was not nearly as extensive as that of 1695. The Grand Place was destroyed, along with a third of the buildings in the city. The reconstruction of the city centre, effected during subsequent years, profoundly changed the appearance of the city and left numerous traces still visible today. The bombardment was part of the Nine Years' War. The French forces hoped that by bombarding, or threatening to bombard Brussels, they would be able to divert Allied troops from the Siege of Namur. The strategy was unsuccessful, and no military gain came of the bombardment, although Louis XIV's reputation suffered for such a barbarous act.

The Brussels City Museum (French: Musée de la ville de Bruxelles, Dutch: Museum van de Stad Brussel) is a museum on the Grand Place of Brussels, Belgium. It is dedicated to the history and folklore of the City of Brussels from its foundation to modern times, which it presents through paintings, sculptures, tapestries, engravings, photos and models, including a notable scale-representation of the town during the Middle Ages.Conceived in 1860 and inaugurated in 1887, the museum is situated opposite Brussels' Town Hall, in the Maison du Roi ("King's House") or Broodhuis ("Bread House" or "Bread Hall"). This building, in the Gothic Revival style, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the square.This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand Place/Grote Markt (on line 95).

The Town Hall (French: Hôtel de Ville, Dutch: Stadhuis ) of the City of Brussels is a landmark building in Brussels, Belgium. It is located on the famous Grand Place (Brussels' main square), opposite the King's House or Bread House building (French: Maison du Roi, Dutch: Broodhuis) housing the Brussels City Museum. Erected between 1401 and 1455, the Town Hall is the only remaining medieval building of the Grand Place and is considered a masterpiece of civil Gothic architecture and more particularly of Brabantine Gothic. Its three classicist rear wings date from the 18th century. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the square.This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand Place/Grote Markt (on line 95).

The Fashion & Lace Museum (French: Musée Mode & Dentelle, Dutch: Mode & Kant Museum) is a textile and fashion museum in Brussels, Belgium. The museum collections focus on lace, which is a traditional craft in Belgium. It was founded in 1977.The museum has exhibitions of antique lace, the process of lacemaking, and also hosts temporary exhibits around historical and contemporary fashion. Antique lace exhibitions feature religious vestments and lace from Mechelen and Bruges. Additional exhibits include Barbie fashion and raincoats.

The Royal Theatre Toone (French: Théâtre royal de Toone, Dutch: Koninklijk Poppentheater Toone), is a folkloric theatre of marionettes in central Brussels, Belgium, active since 1830, and the only traditional Brussels puppet theatre still in operation. Originally founded by Antoine "Toone" Genty in the Marolles/Marollen district of Brussels, since 1966, the theatre has been located at the end of two narrow alleyways, at 66, rue du Marché aux Herbes/Grasmarkt, near the Grand Place. The theatre's current premises also house a tavern and a small puppetry museum. The current director is Nicolas Géal, also known as Toone VIII.The theatre still puts on puppet plays in the Brusselian dialect (also sometimes referred to as Marols or Marollien), the traditional Brabantian dialect of Brussels. Performances are also given in other languages interspersed with Brusselian.

The Rue du Marché aux Fromages (French) or Kaasmarkt (Dutch), meaning "Cheese Market Street", now also known by its nickname the Rue des Pittas or Pitastraat ("Pitta Street"), is a historic street in Brussels, Belgium, near the Grand Place (Brussels' main square). It is lined with numerous pitta bars, pizzerias and cocktail bars. Two blind alleys come from this street: the Impasse du Dragon/Draeckengang (currently the Impasse de la Poupée/Poppegang), and the Impasse du Poivre/Pepergang (now called the Impasse de la Cuve/Kuipgang).