Historical Landmarks

AD 979 Founding of the city with the building of a fortress.

1047 Construction of the first city wall.

1303 Uprising of craftsmen demanding greater say in city government.

1406 Dukes of Burgundy take control of Brussels.

1515 The future emperor Charles V becomes Archduke of Brabant.

1531 Brussels becomes the capital of the Spanish Netherlands.

1555 Charles V abdicates. Brussels is subject to Philip II of Spain.

1568 Belgian counts Egmont and Hornes beheaded for high treason.

1576 Under the Prince of Orange, Brussels revolts and drives out the Spanish, but the latter re-occupy the city in 1585.

1695 Louis XIV of France bombards Brussels.

1713 The Treaty of Utrecht: Brussels becomes subject to Austria.

1794 Belgium is annexed by France.

1815 The French are defeated at Waterloo. Congress of Vienna cedes Belgium to the Netherlands; William of Orange is crowned.

1830 Belgian Revolution begins in Brussels, leading to independence.

1831 Leopold of Saxe-Coburg is made first king of the Belgians.

1914–18 World War I: most of Belgium is occupied by German army.

1940–5 World War II: Belgium is again occupied by Germany.

1951 King Leopold III abdicates in favour of his son, Baudouin.

1957 The EEC (European Union) makes its headquarters in Brussels.

1967 NATO’s headquarters are moved to Brussels.

1993 King Baudouin is succeeded by Albert II.

1994 Brussels-Capital becomes one of three federal regions in Belgium.

1995 Brabant province, surrounding Brussels, separates into Dutch-speaking Flemish Brabant and French-speaking Walloon Brabant.

2002 The euro replaces the Belgian franc as the national currency.

2013 King Albert II abdicates in favour of his son, Philippe (born 1960).

2014 The separatist Flemish N-VA party wins the parliamentary elections.

2016 Three coordinated suicide bombings in Brussels kill 32 and injure around 300 civilians.

2018 Belgium’s national football team finish third in the World Cup.