In the Belgian French pronunciation as well as in Dutch, the k eventually disappeared and z became s, as reflected in the current Dutch spelling, whereas in the more conservative French form, the spelling remained. Originally, the written x noted the group / k s/.

In the Brabantian dialect of Brussels (known as Brusselian, and also sometimes referred to as Marols or Marollien), they are called Brusseleers or Brusseleirs. Inhabitants of Brussels are known in French as Bruxellois (pronounced ⓘ) and in Dutch as Brusselaars (pronounced ).

In French, Bruxelles is pronounced ⓘ (the x is pronounced / s/, like in English, and the final s is silent) and in Dutch, Brussel is pronounced ⓘ. The names of all the municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region are also of Dutch origin, except for Evere, which is possibly Celtic or Old Frankish. Saint Vindicianus, the Bishop of Cambrai, made the first recorded reference to the place Brosella in 695, when it was still a hamlet. The most common theory of the origin of the name Brussels is that it derives from the Old Dutch Bruocsella, Broekzele or Broeksel, meaning ' marsh ' ( bruoc / broek) and ' home, settlement ' ( sella / zele / sel) or ' settlement in the marsh '. See also: Names of European cities in different languages (B) Etymology Due to its long tradition of Belgian comics, Brussels is also hailed as a capital of the comic strip. Principal attractions include its historic Grand-Place/Grote Markt (main square), Manneken Pis, the Atomium, and cultural institutions such as La Monnaie/De Munt and the Museums of Art and History. īrussels is known for its cuisine and gastronomic offer (including its local waffle, its chocolate, its French fries and its numerous types of beers), as well as its historical and architectural landmarks some of them are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, both its airport and railway stations are the largest and busiest in the country. The Brussels Metro is the only rapid transit system in Belgium. It is also a national and international hub for rail, road and air traffic, and is sometimes considered, together with Belgium, as Europe's geographic, economic and cultural crossroads. As Belgium's economic capital and a top financial centre in Western Europe with Euronext Brussels, Brussels is classified as an Alpha global city. It is also part of a large conurbation extending towards the cities of Ghent, Antwerp, and Leuven, known as the Flemish Diamond, as well as the province of Walloon Brabant, in total home to over 5 million people. Its five times larger metropolitan area comprises over 2.5 million people, which makes it the largest in Belgium. The Brussels Region covers 162 km 2 (63 sq mi) and has a population of over 1.2 million. īrussels is the most densely populated region in Belgium, and although it has the highest GDP per capita, it has the lowest available income per household. The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of NATO are also located in Brussels. Because of this, its name is sometimes used metonymically to describe the EU and its institutions. Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union, as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions, including its administrative-legislative, executive-political, and legislative branches (though the judicial branch is located in Luxembourg, and the European Parliament meets for a minority of the year in Strasbourg). Since the end of the Second World War, it has been a major centre for international politics and home to numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants. īrussels grew from a small rural settlement on the river Senne to become an important city-region in Europe. English is spoken widely and many migrants and expatriates speak other languages as well. Brussels is also increasingly becoming multilingual. Nowadays, the Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual in French and Dutch, although French is the majority language and lingua franca. Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels saw a language shift to French from the late 19th century. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country and is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, but is separate from the Flemish Region (within which it forms an enclave) and the Walloon Region, located less than 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south. Brussels ( French: Bruxelles ⓘ or ⓘ Dutch: Brussel ⓘ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest), is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium.

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