Have you ever considered what lies beneath our feet as we traverse Brussels? Here at Macadam, we delve into the very fabric of this city. Brussels history is layered like a tapestry. Let me tell you a story about how Brussels transformed.
Back in 979 Charles Duke of Low Lotharingia officially founded Brussels. But it was already settled in prehistoric times. A chapel was built on the banks of the Senne River in 695 by Saint Gery. This area is now called Place Saint Gery. Brussels grew quickly from a town into a city after its charter. It became a vital trade hub connecting Bruges Ghent and Cologne. The Senne River met the east-west economic route here.
The first city walls were completed in the 11th century providing crucial protection. The population grew. A second city wall was built shortly after to protect citizens outside the walls. Brussels became important under the Duke of Brabant from the 12th century. The Duke made Brussels the capital of the Duchy of Brabant for several centuries.
Brussels thrived economically exporting luxury fabrics and tapestries to Paris and Venice. Artists such as Rogier van der Weyden flourished. His paintings became backgrounds for tapestries that decorated royal homes across Europe. Tapestries can still be seen in museums today. The Town Hall and King’s House rose over the Grand Place in the 1400s. These buildings still face each other.
The 15th century was marked by rebellions. Brussels temporarily lost its capital status after an uprising against Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Charles V regained the city’s status between 1519 and 1559. The city’s population grew to 50000 by the mid-16th century.
King Louis XIV of France bombarded Brussels in 1695 leaving the Grand Place in ruins. Craftmen’s guilds rebuilt Brussels leaving their mark with guildhalls. These gave the Grand Place its enclosed shape. Brussels was a centre of economic development occupations and revolts throughout the 1700s. French troops took hold from 1746-48. The Brabant Revolt occurred from 1788-90. Brussels was overtaken again during the Napoleonic era.
Belgium gained independence in 1830. The walls of the city were taken down between 1810 and 1840. These were replaced by boulevards following the Old Town’s outline. This is now the Inner Ring Road. The metro line follows this ring road. The population grew rapidly and reached 123000 by 1846.
Brussels was occupied by Germany during both World War I and World War II. The Brussels Pact in 1948 initiated Western European defence cooperation. The European Union continues to develop here. The first metro lines were built in the 1960s to ease congestion. Political reform in the 1970s and 1980s created the Brussels Capital Region.
The idea to build a road around Brussels first emerged in 1949. The oldest part of the Ring Road is 65 years old. Even the newest part was constructed 35 years ago. The whole Ring Road was finally opened in 1978.
So as you explore Macadam remember the rich history beneath your feet. Each stone tells a story of Brussels enduring spirit. It has grown and changed over centuries.