Belgian cuisine is known among connoisseurs as one of the best in Europe. It is characterised by the combination of French cuisine with the more hearty Flemish fare. Notable specialities include Brussels waffles (gaufres) and mussels (usually as moules-frites, served with fries). The city is a stronghold of chocolate and praline manufacturers with renowned companies like Côte d'Or, Neuhaus, Leonidas and Godiva. Pralines were first introduced in 1912 by Jean Neuhaus II, a Belgian chocolatier of Swiss origin, in the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries. [215] Numerous friteries are spread throughout the city, and in tourist areas, fresh hot waffles are also sold on the street. As well as other Belgian beers, the spontaneously fermented lambic style, brewed in and around Brussels, is widely available there and in the nearby Senne valley where the wild yeasts that ferment it have their origin. [216] Kriek, a cherry lambic, is available in almost every bar or restaurant in Brussels.

Place du Grand Sablon – Inventaire du patrimoine architectural". monument.heritage.brussels (in French) . Retrieved 26 October 2023. Brussels has, since World War II, become the administrative centre of many international organisations. The city is the political and administrative centre of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). NATO's Brussels headquarters houses 29 embassies and brings together over 4,500 staff from allied nations, their militaries, and civil service personnel. Many other international organisations such as the World Customs Organization and Eurocontrol, as well as international corporations, have their main institutions in the city. In addition, the main international trade union confederations have their headquarters there: the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL). Palais d'Egmont / Palais d'Arenberg et le parc – Inventaire du patrimoine architectural". monument.heritage.brussels (in French) . Retrieved 26 October 2023. The valley of the river Senne has housed Brussels for more than 1,000 years. Over time, the lower town progressively spread out across the marshy ground. In the age of the Dukes of Brabant, the marshy plains covered with golden irises encircled the town walls.

The designer of the new emblem, Thierry Brunfaut, a graphic designer at the Base Design agency ( profile), explained to the French-speaking public radio RTBF that this is not a nice flag. He added that he had be commissioned to design a logo for a city marketing campaign and was never told the design would end on a flag. Brussels is home to a thriving pharmaceutical and health care industry which includes pioneering biotechnology research. The health sector employs 70,000 employees in 30,000 companies. There are 3,000 life sciences researchers in the city and two large science parks: Da Vinci Research Park and Erasmus Research Park. There are five university hospitals, a military hospital and more than 40 general hospitals and specialist clinics. [266]

The official symbol of Brussels is a yellow iris, which is a native flower in the region. This yellow flower is depicted on the blue flag for the Brussels-Capital Region. The City of Brussels flag, however, is red and green with an image of St Michael (the Patron Saint of Brussels) slaying the devil. 2. Over 80 Museums Brussels became one of the major European cities for the development of the Art Nouveau style in the 1890s and early 1900s. The architects Victor Horta, Paul Hankar, and Henry van de Velde were known for their designs, many of which survive today. [68] 20th century [ edit ] The 1927 Solvay Conference in Brussels was the fifth world physics conference. As of 2023 [update], taking into account the nationality of birth of the parents, 55.84% of the City of Brussels's population is from non-European countries (predominantly Morocco), 27.21% is from another European country (mainly France, Romania, Italy, Spain, and Poland), while the native Belgian population is 16.94%. [79] Among all major migrant groups from outside the EU, a majority of the permanent residents have acquired Belgian nationality. [80] Mont des Arts – Inventaire du patrimoine architectural". monument.heritage.brussels (in French) . Retrieved 26 October 2023.a b "Colonne du Congrès – Inventaire du patrimoine architectural". monument.heritage.brussels (in French) . Retrieved 26 October 2023. The City of Brussels has a LOT of people. There is currently an average of 14,200 people per square mile / 5,500 per square kilometer. The total population is around 180 thousand people and 1.2 million in the Brussels-Capital Region. 19. 874 Hairdressers, 647 Pharmacies Variants [ edit ] The flag on the Royal Palace of Brussels The 2:3 ratio is more commonly displayed on town halls. Pictured: town hall of Hasselt. National flag and civil ensign [ edit ]