Brussels – A History Of The City

By Author: William Pollard
Total Articles: 160
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Ever since it has been possible to buy a train ticket to Brussels it has become a popular destination for a city break. Brussels is a highly cosmopolitan city and there is much for the traveller to see and do. It is also a city with one with a rich and colourful history.

The name Brussels is thought to derive from the Dutch word that means "home in the marsh". The original settlement dates back to 580 AD and was on island in the river Senne. In 979 AD Brussels was officially founded by Duke Charles of Lower Lotharingia.

The development of the city into a commercial centre was aided by the fact that it lay on a trade route between Bruges and Cologne. As it grew, the marshlands were drained and a city wall was constructed during the thirteenth century, and which were replaced by a larger ring a hundred years later.

During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries Brussels became prosperous. It was famous for fabrics and tapestries including fine silks that were exported to the major European centres. The Grand Place, which is now a famous tourist destination, was built during the fifteenth century as were the ...
... Town Hall and King’s House. The city also became an important centre for art and artists.

In 1489 the Plague struck the city and wiped out half of its population and it was twenty five before years Brussels started to grow again. The city survived many political changes which resulted in a revolution, however in 1596 the plague returned and proved to be as deadly as before, and half the population succumbed to it.

Again the city recovered its position though in 1695 it was bombarded by King Louis XIV of France; many houses and the Grand Place were destroyed. In fact one third of the city was consumed in the resulting fires.

Gradually the city was reconstructed. In 1746 it was temporarily taken by France but returned to Austria after three years of French occupation. However in 1795 France again took the city an occupied it until 1815 after which it became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

That was to be short lived. In 1830 there were riots in the streets. Factories were occupied The intervention of Dutch troops proved to be futile and the final result was the declaration of Belgian independence in 1839.

In both the First and Second World Wars Brussels was occupied by Germany, though following the wars it set on a course that was to result in the modern city we see today. Major rail links were established and the Metro opened in 1976 and Brussels became part of the ICE (Inter-City Express) network in 1991.

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