1. The capital and largest city of Belgium; seat of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Also called: Belgian capital, capital of Belgium.
2. Village in Illinois (USA).
(Flemish Brussel, French Bruxelles) Capital of Belgium, industrial city (lace, textiles, machinery, and chemicals); est) 950,300 (80% French-speaking, the suburbs Flemish-speaking). It is the headquarters of the European Economic Community (EEC) and since 1967 of the international secretariat of NATO. First settled in the 6th century, and a city from 1312, Brussels became the capital of the Spanish Netherlands 1530 and of Belgium 1830.
features.
It has fine buildings including the 13th-century church of Sainte Gudule; the Hôtel de Ville, Maison du Roi, and others in the Grande Place; the Château Royal. The Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique hold a large art collection. The bronze fountain statue of a tiny naked boy urinating, the Manneken Pis (1388) is to be found here. Brussels is also the site of the world's largest cinema complex, with 24 film theaters.