The Atomium in Brussels
This article in our article series Streets & Squares is about Brussels. The capital of Belgium, and also the center of the world’s attention, being de facto capital of the European Union. Because of this, its name is sometimes used metonymically to describe the EU and its institutions.The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of NATO are also located in Brussels.
Brussels was historically Dutch-speaking (using the Brabantian dialect), but over the two past centuries French has become the predominant language of the city.
As always in Streets & Squares, clicking on the address links leads you to Google Maps, and clicking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page. We give you here first the French name of the street, and then the Flemish (in Italics). So, let’s get to know Brussels à la Journeys of Life:
Avenue Albert Jonnart (Albert Jonnartlaan, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert) Albert Jonnart (1889-1944 ) was a lawyer and resistance fighter who hid Ralph Mayer, a Jewish teenage refugee in his house during WW2. Born in Mons, Belgium - StreetView - katherinemarsh.com
Parc d’Egmont (Sablon) John IV of Egmont (1499-1528) the second Count of Egmont/m to Françoise of Luxembourg. Born in Egmond aan den Hoef, North Holland. The park was the property of his wife. - Visit Brussels
Parc Leopold (Jourdan) Leopold I (1790-1865) the first king of the Belgians, born at Ehrenburg Palace, Coburg, Holy Roman Empire - StreetView -Visit Brussels - Wiki
Rue Abbe Cuypers (Priester Cuypersstraat, Etterbreek) Eduard Cuypers (1872-1906) was a Belgian priest, born in Stabroek - StreetView
Rue Charles Quint (Kaiser Karelstraat, Quartier des Squares) named after Charles V (1500-1558) Holy Roman Emperor. Born in Ghent, Flanders, Habsburg Netherlands, Charles was very attached to his homeland and spent much of his life in Brussels and various Flemish cities. A Flemish legend about Charles being served a beer at the village of Olen, as well as the emperor’s lifelong preference of beer above wine, led to the naming of several beer varieties in his honor. The Haacht Brewery of Boortmeerbeek produces Charles Quint - StreetView -
Rue Frédéric Pelletier (Frédéric Pelletierstraat, Schaerbeek) named after Frédéric Pelletier who was the founder of Original Crown Mill (1870-), a writing paper and envelope factory in Brussels. He was one of the first manufacturers to produce silk-lined envelopes, packed in elegant boxes decorated with distinguished script - StreetView
Rue Général Gratry (Generaal Gratrystraat, Schaerbeek) named after Alexandre Gratry - StreetView -
Rue Général Leman (Generaal Lemanstraat, Etterbeek) Gérard Leman (1851-1920) wasa Belgian general and the commander of the forts surrounding Liège during WWI. Born in Liège - StreetView
Rue Joseph II (Jozef II-straat) - Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (1741-1790) was son of Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I and a brother of Marie Antoinette. Born at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire - StreetView
Rue Joseph Stevens (Joseph Stevensstraat) named after Joseph Stevens (1816-1892), an animalier painter and engraver who was born in Brussels - StreetView -
Rue Louis Hap (Louis Hapstraat, Etterbreek) - StreetView -
Rue Melsens (Melsensstraat) - Louis Melsens (1814-1886) was a physicist and chemist, and though not a medical doctor himself, he became internationally famous for his research on and promoting the use of potassium iodide as a cure for lead or mercury poisoning. Born in Leuven, Belgium - StreetView -
Rue Victor Lefèvre (Victor Levèvrestraat, Schaerbeek) named perhaps after Victor Lefèvre (1822-1904), a Belgian writer who was born in Brussels - StreetView -
StreetView
A to Z FROM BRUSSELS
i.e. a list of people born in Brussels (i.e. the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region). Just another fun way to know something more about the city. We pick a couple of people for each alphabet, if possible. The numbers you see at the end of each line indicate the year of birth. This list is updated from time to time. And last but not least: the flag of the Brussels Capital Region!
A – Paul Anspach* épée and foil fencer/OG (1882) - Chantal Akerman* screenwriter/ film director/artist (1950)
B – Patrick Bauchau* actor (1938) - Thierry Boutsen* racing driver (1957)
C – Liz Claiborne* American fashion designer/businesswoman (1929) - Gérard Corbiau* film director (1941)
D – Paul Deschanel* French statesman/P (1855) - Clementine de Vere* British magician (1888) - Antoine Duquesne* politician (1941)
E – François Englert* theoretical physicist/N (1932)
F – André Fontainas* poet/ critic/active in France (1865)
G – Robert Goldschmidt* chemist/ physicist/engineer (microfilm) (1877) - Fernand Gravey* actor (1905)
H – Hergé* comics writer/cartoonist (The Adventures of Tintin) (1907) - Pierre Harmel* lawyer/ diplomat/politician/PM (1911) - Audrey Hepburn* British actress (1929)
I –
J – Paul-Émile Janson* francophone politician/PM (1872)
K – Vincent Kompany* football player/manager – Uccle, Belgium (1986)
L – Henri La Fontaine* lawyer/active in the peace movement in Europe/N (1854) - Claude Lévi-Strauss* French anthropologist/ethnologist (1908)
M – Victor-Charles Mahillon* musician/ instrument builder/writer on musical topics (1841) - Stella Maxwell* British fashion model (1990)
N – Joseph Noiret* painter/writer/poet (1927)
O –
P – Joseph Plateau* physicist/mathematician (1801) - Étienne Pinte* French politician/mayor of Versailles (1939)
Q –
R – Raymond Rouleau* actor/ film director (1904)
S – Joseph Stevens* animalier painter/engraver (1816) - Paul Saintenoy* architect/ historian/writer (1862)
T – Philippe Thys* cyclist/ Tour de France winner (1889) - Toots Thielemans* jazz musician/composer (1922)
U –
V – Agnès Varda* French film director (1928) - Ivo Van Damme* athlete (middle-distance runner/OS) (1954) - Jean-Claude Van Damme* martial artist/ actor/director (1960) - Alexandra Vandernoot* actress (1965)
W – Juliette Wytsman* (b Trullemans) painter (1866)
X –
Y –
Z – Régine Zylberberg* French singer/pioneer of the modern nightclub (1929)
x - List of people born in Brussels - Timeline of Brussels -
Updated 21.3.2023