Brussels is the largest urban area in Belgium and de facto capital city of the European Union. Officially, Brussels is known as ‘Brussels Capital-Region. People often confuse Brussels with the much smaller ‘City of Brussels’ withing it, which is the capital of Belgium. Brussels has turned from a 10th century fortress into a metropolis of more than one million inhabitants. After WWII, Brussels has remained as an important center of international politics. Main institutions of European Union and headquarters of NATO are situated at Brussels. In terms of per capita income, Brussels is the third richest city.Although historically Brussels was a Dutch speaking city but majority of the inhabitants are French speaking and thus both the languages are official. Due to its close proximity to the coastal area, the climate of Brussels is influenced by marine air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. Brussels faces on an average 200 days of rain per year. Brussels is divided into 19 municipalities. Architecture in Brussels is diverse, spanning from the medieval constructions on Grand Place to the modern buildings of EU institutions. Brussels is the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Main attractions of Brussels include Grand Place, Gothic Town Hall, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral, Laken Castle with large greenhouses, Royal palace and many other museums and historical structures and buildings.
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