The symbols of Brussels are the objects, images, or cultural expressions that are emblematic, representative, or otherwise characteristic of Brussels or Brussels culture. As a rule, these national symbols are cultural icons that have emerged from Brusselian folklore and tradition, meaning few have any official status. However, most if not all maintain recognition at a national or international level, and some, such as the flag of the Brussels-Capital Region, have been codified in, and are established, official, and recognised symbols of Brussels.
 | The flag of the Brussels-Capital Region consists of a stylized yellow iris on a blue background. |
 | The flag of the Flemish Community Commission consists of the former flag of the Brussels-Capital Region and the flag of Flanders. |
 | The flag of the French Community Commission consists of the former flag of the Brussels-Capital Region and the flag of Wallonia. |
 | Saint Verhaegen often shortened to St V is an annual holiday celebrating the founding of the Free University of Brussels and its founder held on 20 November. |
 | The Ommegang, a folkloric costumed procession, commemorating the Joyous Entry of Emperor Charles V and his son Philip II in the city in 1549, takes place every year in July. |
 | The Meyboom is an annual tradition in Brussels dating back to the 13th century, featuring the planting of a symbolic maypole on August 9 to celebrate the city's folklore. |
 | The Royal Theatre Toone is a typical puppet theater, playing in the local dialect, with a legacy dating back to 1830. Renowned for its commitment to traditional Brussels-style puppetry known as poechenelle. |
 | The Manneken-Pis is a bronze statue depicting a small boy urinating into a fountain. It is recognized as depicting the playful spirit of the Brusselians known as zwanze and historical tradition of being adorned in diverse costumes reflecting various themes and events. |
 | The Iris Festival is the annual and official celebration of the Brussels-Capital Region. It takes place on May 8 and is a day off for Brussels officials. |
 | Zwanze is a type of self-deprecating humour associated with Brussels. By extension, the term refers to a lifestyle. It is often linked to the local dialects. [1] |
| Brusselian | Heavily-Francisized Brabantian Dutch dialect that incorporates a sprinkle of Spanish loanwords. [2] |
| Beulemans | Heavily-Dutchified Belgian French dialect. [2] Named after the play Le Mariage de Mlle Beulemans . |
| Marollian | Picard dialect heavily influenced by Dutch and French. [2] Originating in the Marolles/Marollen neighbourhood of Brussels. |
| Bergades | Brussels variety of bargoens. [2] |
 | The Brussels Griffon a breed of toy dog originating in the city. |
 | The yellow iris, Brussels' floral emblem. Legend has it that during the time of the Dukes of Brabant in the 11th and 12th centuries, the duke's men on horseback navigated marshes by following spots where irises grew, gaining an advantage over opponents who got stuck in the unfamiliar terrain during an assault. [3] |
 | Brussels sprouts a cultivar group of cabbages originating in the city. |
 | Brussels waffle, type of waffle dating back to the 18th century. |
 | Pain à la grecque is a pastry consisting of a simple rectangle of milk bread, brown sugar, and cinnamon sprinkled with granulated sugar. |
 | Lambic and its derived beers. |
 | Pralines type of chocolate invented by the chocolatier Jean Neuhaus II in the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries. |
 | Witloof are blanched endives was accidentally discovered in the 1850s at the Botanical Garden of Brussels. |
 | Speculoos is a type of biscuit developed in the 20th century, as an alternative for people who could not afford Dutch speculaas. |
 | Colijn Caillieu (c. 1430-1440 - 1503) served as the first poet of Brussels from 1474 to 1485 and was the factor of a number of chambers of rhetoric. Surviving works include Tdal sonder wederkeeren and Vrou Margriete. Experts often identify him with Colijn van Rijssele, possibly the author of De Spiegel Der Minnen and the play Van Narcissus ende Echo. |
 | Michel de Ghelderode (Adémar Adolphe Louis Martens, 1898–1962): avant-garde dramatist who wrote in French. Known for exploring the extremes of human experience, one of his notable works is the play Pantagleize , which reflects his thematic range by addressing societal absurdities and the human condition. |
 | Charles De Coster (1827–1879) was a novelist and folklorist best known for his influential work The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak . |
 | Hergé (Georges Prosper Remi, 1907–1983): cartoonist known for creating the iconic series The Adventures of Tintin , considered one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century. |
 | Jean d'Osta (Jean Van Osta, 1909–1993): writer, journalist, and humorist known for his works on Brussels and its dialect, Brusselian. He created the popular character Jef Kazak, featured in Belgian magazines Pourquoi Pas? and Vlan. |
 | Jacques Brel (1929 – 1978): singer-songwriter, and performer, renowned for his emotionally charged and poetic chansons. |
 | Toots Thielemans (Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans, 1922 – 2016): jazz harmonicist, guitarist, and whistler, renowned for his remarkable contributions to the world of jazz and his iconic harmonica solos. |
 | Annie Cordy (Léonie Juliana, Baroness Cooreman, 1928 – 2020) singer, actress, and comedian renowned for her vibrant stage presence and a prolific career that encompassed music, film, and theater. |
 | Grand Jojo (Jules Jean Vanobbergen, 1936 – 2021): singer-songwriter known for his comedic and festive music. |
 | Herkenbald was a legendary magistrate of Brussels who is said to have lived in the around 1020. He was considered the example of an incorruptible judge. |
 | Pogge den Boer (Pierre De Cruyer, 1821-1890): folk hero, revered for his honesty, strong sense of justice, and dedication to doing good. He became highly esteemed for his ability to address local issues with his consistent mantra, "Alles es just" ("Everything is fine"). [4] |
 | Saint Michael the Archangel the patron saint of Brussels together with Saint Gudula. |
 | Saint Gudula the patron saint of Brussels together with Saint Michael the Archangel. |
 | Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine who founded Brussels in 979. |
 | Everard t'Serclaes, national hero and Lord of Kruikenburg during the War of the Brabantian Succession. |
 | Charles Picqué, the first Minister-President of the Brussels Capital-Region regarded as "Father of the Nation". [5] |
 | The Grand Place, is a historically significant and Brussels' central square known for its well-preserved medieval and baroque architecture, prominently featuring the Town Hall and guildhalls. The square serves as a venue for various events, cultural festivals, and markets, contributing to its status as a central gathering place with a diverse array of activities throughout the year. |
 | The Cinquantenaire is an expansive public park located in the European Quarter, recognized for its triumphal arch constructed for the Brussels International Exposition. Serving both cultural and recreational purposes, the park encompasses museums such as the Art & History Museum and Autoworld. |
 | The Atomium, a symbolic 103 m-tall (338 ft) modernist structure built for Expo 58. It consists of nine steel spheres connected by tubes, and forms a model of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. |
 | Art Nouveau, prominent art style in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is characterized by ornate and organic designs. Architects such as Victor Horta and Henry van de Velde significantly contributed to the city's artistic landscape, leaving a lasting impact with their buildings and decorative arts featuring flowing lines and nature-inspired motifs. |
 | Brussels lace type of pillow lace that originated in and around the city. |
 | The Sonian Forest, is a large and ancient forest located southeast of Brussels. Stretching across the three federal regions of Belgium, the forest is characterized by diverse ecosystems, including beech and oak woodlands, and is a significant natural and recreational area for residents and visitors. |
| Coat of arms of the City of Brussels | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
 Lesser version | |
| Shield | Archangel Michael slaying the Devil |
| Supporters | Two lions argent, each holding a banner. The two banners show the coats of arms of respectively Brabant and the City of Brussels. |
| Compartment | Mount vert |
| Other elements | Two crossed flags |
The coat of arms of the City of Brussels shows two lions on a grassy mount supporting a red shield. The motif of the escutcheon is a golden Archangel Michael (the patron saint of Brussels) slaying a black Devil by piercing it with a spear shaped like a cross. Other elements include two crossed flags behind the shield; one showing a lion on a black field and the other repeating the motif of the shield on a red field.
A lesser version of the coat of arms which includes the shield only, is also common.
The municipal flag of Brussels (City of Brussels), as flown from the Town Hall and other buildings is a rectangle, divided horizontally with green over red, with a very large version of the municipal logotype in the centre, and a stylised, disc-shaped silhouette of St. Michael trampling the devil, in dark yellow. It is essentially the same motif as the coat of arms.
| Municipality | Flag | Coat of arms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser version | Greater version | ||
| Anderlecht |  |  | — |
| Auderghem |  |  | — |
| Sint-Agatha-Berchem |  |  | — |
| City of Brussels |  |  |  |
| Etterbeek |  |  | — |
| Evere |  |  |  |
| Vorst |  |  | — |
| Ganshoren |  |  | — |
| Ixelles |  |  | — |
| Jette |  |  |  |
| Koekelberg |  |  |  |
| Sint-Jans-Molenbeek |  |  | — |
| Sint-Gillis |  |  | |
| Sint-Joost-ten-Noode |  |  |  |
| Schaarbeek | |  | — |
| Ukkel |  |  | — |
| Watermaal-Bosvoorde |  |  | — |
| Sint-Lamberts-Woluwe |  |  |  |
| Sint-Pieters-Woluwe |  | |  |
The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys, is a common heraldic charge in the shape of a lily. Most notably, the fleur-de-lis is depicted on the traditional coat of arms of France that was used from the High Middle Ages until the French Revolution in 1792, and then again in brief periods in the 19th century. This design still represents France and the House of Bourbon in the form of marshalling in the arms of Spain, Quebec and Canada, for example.
The national coat of arms of Armenia was adopted on April 19, 1992, by resolution of the Armenian Supreme Council. On June 15, 2006, the Armenian Parliament passed the law on the state coat of arms of Armenia.
The coat of arms of Belgium bears a lion or, known as Leo Belgicus, as its charge. This is in accordance with article 193 of the Belgian Constitution: The Belgian nation takes red, yellow and black as colours, and as state coat of arms the Belgian lion with the motto UNITY MAKES STRENGTH. A royal decree of 17 March 1837 determines the achievement to be used in the greater and the lesser version, respectively.
The coat of arms of Bulgaria consists of a crowned golden lion rampant over a dark red shield; above the shield is the Bulgarian historical crown. The shield is supported by two crowned golden lions rampant; below the shield there is compartment in the shape of oak twigs and white bands with the national motto "Unity makes strength" inscribed on them.
The coat of arms of Ukraine is a blue shield with a golden trident. It is colloquially known as the tryzub.
The coat of arms of Estonia is a golden shield which includes a picture of three left-facing blue lions with red tongues in the middle, with golden oak branches placed on both sides of the shield. The insignia derive(s) from the coat of arms of Denmark, which ruled northern Estonia in the 13th-14th centuries and parts of western Estonia in the 16th-17th century.
The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right foreleg replaced with an armoured human arm brandishing a sword, trampling on a sabre with the hindpaws. The coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580.
The coat of arms of Romania was adopted in the Romanian Parliament on 10 September 1992 as a representative coat of arms for Romania. The current coat of arms is based on the lesser coat of arms of interwar Kingdom of Romania, which was designed in 1921 by the Transylvanian Hungarian heraldist József Sebestyén from Cluj, at the request of King Ferdinand I of Romania, it was redesigned by Victor Dima. As a central element, it shows a golden aquila holding a cross in its beak, and a mace and a sword in its claws. It also consists of the three colors which represent the colors of the national flag. The coat of arms was augmented on 11 July 2016 to add a representation of the Steel Crown of Romania.
The coat of arms of Malta is the national coat of arms of the country of Malta.
The double-headed eagle is an iconographic symbol originating in the Bronze Age. A heraldic charge, it is used with the concept of an empire. Most modern uses of the emblem are directly or indirectly associated with its use by the late Byzantine Empire, originally a dynastic emblem of the Palaiologoi. It was adopted during the Late Medieval to Early Modern period in the Holy Roman Empire, Albania and in Orthodox principalities, representing an augmentation of the (single-headed) eagle or Aquila associated with the Roman Empire. In a few places, among them the Holy Roman Empire and Russia, the motif was further augmented to create the less prominent triple-headed eagle.
The coat of arms of Kyiv features the Archangel Michael officially named as "Saint Michael the Archistrategos", wielding a flaming sword and a shield on an azure field.
The National Emblem of Iran since the Iranian Revolution features four curves and a sword, surmounted by a shadda. It is very similar to the Sikh Khanda symbol. The emblem was designed by Hamid Nadimi, and was officially approved by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the first supreme leader of Iran, on 9 May 1980.
The German state of Brandenburg has a coat of arms depicting a red eagle.
Attributed arms are Western European coats of arms given retrospectively to persons real or fictitious who died before the start of the age of heraldry in the latter half of the 12th century. Once coats of arms were the established fashion of the ruling class, society expected a king to be armigerous. Arms were assigned to the knights of the Round Table, and then to biblical figures, to Roman and Greek heroes, and to kings and popes who had not historically borne arms. Individual authors often attributed different arms for the same person, although the arms for major figures eventually became fixed.
The national emblem of North Macedonia depicts two curved garlands of sheaves of wheat, tobacco leaves and opium poppy fruits, tied by a ribbon decorated with embroidery of traditional Macedonian folk motifs. In the center of the ovoid frame are depicted a mountain, a lake and a sunrise. The features of the national coat of arms contain a rising sun which symbolizes freedom, the Šar Mountains with its peak named Ljuboten or Mount Korab and the river Vardar, with Lake Ohrid. The emblem also contains opium poppy fruits; this poppy was brought to the area during Ottoman times in the first half of the 19th century. Until 16 November 2009, the emblem also depicted a socialistic five-pointed star in the top. This emblem had been in use since 1946, shortly after the republic became part of Yugoslavia.
The city of Manchester in North West England is represented by various symbols. Many of these symbols are derived from coat of arms granted to the Corporation of Manchester when the borough of Manchester was granted city status in 1842. Notably, the motif of the worker bee has been widely used to represent the city as a symbol of industry.
Coat of arms of Riga is one of the official symbols of Riga, along with the flag of Riga.
The first instance of a figure of the lion as symbol of the Kingdom of León is found in minted coins of Alfonso VII, called the Emperor (1126–1157). Until then, the cross had a preponderant position on documents and coins of Leonese monarchs since that reign the cross was gradually displaced by the lion. The Spanish historian and heraldist Martín de Riquer explained that the lion was already used as heraldic emblem in 1148. At the end of the reign of Alfonso VII, the figure of this animal began to appear on royal documents as personal device of the monarch and became pervasive during reigns of Ferdinand II (1157-1188) and Alfonso IX (1188-1230).
The Flag of Florence, also known as the Giglio of Florence, was the flag of the Republic of Florence between 1250 and 1532. The flag persisted as a symbol of the city following the dissolution of the Republic and enjoys continued usage throughout Florence today.
The Ruthenian lion, Ukrainian lion, or Galicianlion is a golden lion on an azure background. The lion was featured on the historic coat of arms of the Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia (Ruthenia), the Ruthenian Voivodeship and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic. During the revolutions in the Austrian Empire in 1848, it was restored as one of the national symbols of Ukrainians and the Ukrainian national liberation movement. Today it is featured on the coat of arms of the city of Lviv and its surrounding province, Lviv Oblast.
