Timeline of Brussels

Prior to 18th century

• 1273 – First stage of the rebuilding of Brussels minster in the Gothic style completed.
• 1304 – Notre Dame du Sablon founded.
• 1348 – Ommegang begins.
• 1356
• * Joyous Entry of Joanna and Wenceslaus into city.
• * Expansion of fortifications of Brussels begins.
• 1370 – the Brussels massacre, an anti-Semitic episode linked to host desecration, occurs. This was followed by the expulsion of the city's remaining Jewish population.
• 1381 – Halle Gate built.
• 1393 – Anderlecht becomes part of Brussels.
• 1420 – Brussels Town Hall built.
• 1455 – Chapelle du Saint-Sacrement de Miracle built.
• 1476 – Printing press in operation.
• 1477 – Habsburgs come to power in Burgundy.
• 1536 – Maison du Roi built for Duke of Brabant.
• 1585 – City becomes capital of Spanish Netherlands.
• 1619 – Bronze Manneken Pis statue installed.
• 1622 – Funeral of Albert VII of Austria
• 1695 – The city is bombarded by the French.

• 1700 – The Monnaie theatre built.

  18th century

• 1731 – Palace of Coudenberg destroyed.
• 1746 – Siege of Brussels.
• 1772 – Imperial and Royal Academy of Brussels established.
• 1774 – Rue Royale laid out.
• 1775 – Brussels Park laid out.
• 1787 – Vauxhall opens.
• 1783 – Royal Palace of Brussels construction begins.
• 1787 – Church of Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg consecrated.
• 1795 – Brussels becomes part of Dyle.

  19th century

• 1803 – Museum of Brussels opens.
• 1815
• * Duchess of Richmond's ball.
• * City becomes joint capital of United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• 1819 – New opera theatre inaugurated.
• 1822 – Société Générale de Belgique headquartered in city.
• 1826 – Botanical Garden founded.
• 1830
• * Belgian Revolution.
• * City becomes capital of the Kingdom of Belgium.
• * Population: 98,279 city; 120,981 metro.
• 1832 – Royal Conservatory of Brussels founded.
• 1834 – Free University of Brussels founded
• 1835 – Groendreef/Allée Verte railway station, Belgium's first, is inaugurated.
• 1846
• * Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences founded.
• * Population: 123,874.
• 1847
• * Avenue Louise commissioned.
• * Galerie du Roi, Galerie de la Reine and Galerie du Prince open.
• 1848 – International Peace Congress held.
• 1850 – Population: 142,289 city; 222,424 metro.
• 1855 – Brussels-Luxembourg railway station built.
• 1856 – Théatre Royal de la Monnaie opens.
• 1859 – Congress Column erected.
• 1860 – Population: 185,982 city; 300,341 metro.
• 1861 – Bois de la Cambre laid out.
• 1869 – Trams begin operating.
• 1871
• * Covering of the Senne.
• * established.
• 1873 – New building for the Brussels Stock Exchange completed
• 1877 – Ixelles Cemetery created.
• 1880 – Cinquantenaire created.
• 1881 – L'Echo newspaper begins publication.
• 1883 – Palace of Justice inaugurated.
• 1885
• * Église Royale Sainte-Marie built.
• * Population: 171,751.
• 1887
• * Le Soir newspaper begins publication.
• * Palais des Beaux-Arts built.
• 1888 - Het Laatste Nieuws begins publication.
• 1889 – November: Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference 1889–90 begins.
• 1891 – August: International Socialist Labor Congress held in Brussels.
• 1893 – Paris-Brussels Cycle Race begins.
• 1894 - Société Belge d'Études Coloniales headquartered in Brussels.
• 1895
• * Royal Greenhouses of Laeken built.
• * Hotel Metropole in business at.
• 1897 – Brussels International world's fair held.
• 1900
• * Cantillon Brewery founded.
• * Hospital Saint-Jean built.

  20th century

• 1901 – Maison & Atelier Horta built.
• 1905
• * Cauchie house built.
• * Cinquantenaire's triumphal arch finished.
• 1908 – Chapel of the Resurrection built.
• 1910 – Brussels International world's fair held.
• 1911 – Solvay Conference held in city.
• 1914 – World War I: Brussels captured and occupied by the German Army.
• 1917 – Constant Vanden Stock Stadium opens.
• 1919
• * Lignes Farman airline begins operating its Paris-Brussels route.
• * Population: 685,268 metro.
• 1920 – Oscar Bossaert Stadium opens.
• 1921 – Haren, Laeken, and Neder-Over-Heembeek, merged into the City of Brussels.
• 1922 – Société du Palais des Beaux-Arts and established.
• 1923 – Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History opens.
• 1927 – Solvay Conference held.
• 1930 – Jubilee Stadium opens.
• 1931 – Brussels Symphony Orchestra founded.
• 1935
• * Brussels International Exposition held.
• * Basilica of the Sacred Heart consecrated.
• 1937 – Queen Elisabeth Music Competition begins.
• 1939 – Constantin Meunier Museum opens.
• 1940 – World War II: German Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France headquartered in Brussels.
• 1944
• * 3–4 September: Liberation of Brussels by the Welsh Guards; Palace of Justice burnt by Germans to destroy legal records during their retreat.
• * 8 September: Belgian government in exile returns to Brussels after four years in London.
• * A de jure District of Brussels formed by Nazi Germany, which is now no longer in control of the territory.
• 1948
• * Treaty of Brussels signed.
• * Brussels Airport opens.
• 1949 – NATO headquarters established.
• 1952 – Brussels-Central railway station and Brussels-South railway station open.
• 1958
• * Brussels World's Fair Expo 58 held.
• * The Atomium is built.
• 1960 – City hosts Congolese Round Table Conference.
• 1967 – L'Innovation Department Store fire.
• 1969 – Free University of Brussels splits along linguistic lines into Université Libre de Bruxelles and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
• 1971
• * created.
• * Flower carpet in Grand Place begins.
• 1974 – Brussels International Independent Film Festival begins.
• 1975
• * Bank Brussels Lambert headquartered in city.
• * Université catholique de Louvain's established.
• 1976 – Brussels Metro begins operating.
• 1978
• * Brussels Ring constructed.
• * RTBF Symphony Orchestra formed.
• 1979 - moves into the former.
• 1980
• * Flemish Community and French Community of Belgium each designate Brussels as capital city.
• * Population of Brussels-Capital Region: 1,008,715.
• 1985
• * Pope John Paul II visits city.
• * 29 May: Heysel Stadium disaster.
• 1988 – Kinepolis Brussels opens.
• 1989
• * Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region, and Belgian Comic Strip Center established.
• * Mini-Europe opens.
• 1990 – Population of Brussels-Capital Region: 964,385.
• 1993 – Espace Léopold opens.
• 1994
• * City of Brussels designated capital of Belgium and seat of federal government.
• * Freddy Thielemans becomes mayor.
• * Besix construction headquartered in Brussels.
• 1996 – Belgacom Towers built.
• 1998 – Ancienne Belgique renovated.
• 1999 – Wedding of Prince Philippe and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
• 2000
• * Municipal website online.
• * Zinneke Parade begins.
• * Musical Instrument Museum relocates.

  21st century

• 2004 – North Galaxy Towers built.
• 2006 – Atomium renovated.
• 2007 – Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel established.
• 2009 – Magritte Museum opens.
• 2010 – Population of Brussels-Capital Region: 1,089,538.
• 2013
• * Yvan Mayeur becomes mayor.
• * Rudi Vervoort becomes Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region.
• 2016 – The 2016 Brussels bombings occur, killing 34 and injuring 230.

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