Brussels - the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium - a city of all colors of the "rainbow of civilization". City of Europeans. Located on the Senne River, Brussels is often referred to as the capital of Europe. The headquarters of NATO, the European Union and the Benelux countries are located here.
A bit of history
The sources of 966 first mention the city of Brussels. "City of swamps" - so translated from Flemish meant the word "brüxelle" at that time. It originated at the intersection of trade routes between Bruges and Cologne, as the center of Spanish Holland. Then, under the reign of King Charles V, from 1530 Bruxelle became the main city of the Spanish "Lower Lands", which in the Flemish language sounded like Nideren Landen. Hence the modern name of the neighboring Netherlands came from. In ancient times, Belgium was the territory of the Southern Netherlands. Also known as Holland. This is a mistake that has come into widespread use since the time of Peter I. In fact, these are two provinces, North and South Holland within the medieval United Kingdom of Belgium and the Netherlands, where Peter I once visited. Then, returning to Russia, he and his the retinue told about these Hollands.
Brussels today
The city is divided into lower and upper ones. Lower Brussels is the cramped labyrinth of medieval streets that surround the Grand Place. In four blocks of this area there are the most beautiful sights of the old city: the National Opera House, the famous statue-fountain "Manneken Pis"; according to legend, he saved the city from a devastating fire. Brupark, where the Mini-Europe Museum is located. A huge variety of different restaurants, surprising with a variety of gastronomic pleasures.
Upper Brussels is the country's modern business center with wide boulevards, squares and stately buildings. Along with Luxembourg and French Strasbourg, it is the political center of the European community.
Brussels is an international city where you can hear speech in many languages of the world. Residents of the city speak French, Flemish, Walloon. But you can also freely communicate with them in English and German.
Features of geography
The main border of Belgium on the side of the Atlantic Ocean is the North Sea for 70 kilometers. Even King Leopold II once said: "How can a country be small when it borders on the ocean?" Geographically, the country is divided into Low, Middle and Upper Belgium.
Low Belgium is a Flemish lowland, dotted with hills with sandy ground, dyed with dams and drainage canals. These are lands under the threat of flooding. Further - the Kempen landscape, consisting of corn fields and coniferous woodlands.
The middle regions of Belgium are the result of urbanization of the coastal lowlands and the reclaimed territories by the ocean, the natural landscapes of Central Belgium are quite rare. This is a very fertile land with extensive arable land and meadows, between which there are rural estates.
High Belgium is more mountainous and distinguished by an abundance of forests. This is a less populated area of the country. Agriculture is poorly developed here. All territories are crossed by the Scheldt River.
In the south, Belgium borders France, in the north with the Netherlands, in the east with Germany and Luxembourg.
