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 known as Brusselian, 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. |
 | 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. [1] |
 | 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. |
 | 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"). [2] |
 | 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". [3] |
 | 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 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 Patriarchal cross is a variant of the Christian cross, the religious symbol of Christianity, and is also known as the Cross of Lorraine. Similar to the familiar Latin cross, the patriarchal cross possesses a smaller crossbar placed above the main one so that both crossbars are near the top. Sometimes the patriarchal cross has a short, slanted crosspiece near its foot. This slanted, lower crosspiece often appears in Byzantine Greek and Eastern European iconography, as well as in other Eastern Orthodox churches. In most renditions of the Cross of Lorraine, the horizontal bars are "graded" with the upper bar being the shorter, though variations with the bars of equal length are also seen.
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 coat of arms of Iceland displays a silver-edged, red cross on blue shield, alluding to the design of the flag of Iceland. It is the only national arms to feature four supporters: the four protectors of Iceland (landvættir) as described in Heimskringla, standing on a block of columnar basalt. The bull (Griðungur) is the protector of northwestern Iceland, the eagle or griffin (Gammur) protects northeastern Iceland, the dragon (Dreki) protects the southeastern part, and the rock-giant (Bergrisi) is the protector of southwestern Iceland. Great respect was given to these creatures of Iceland, so much that there was a law during the time of the Vikings that no ship should bear grimacing symbols when approaching Iceland. This was so the protectors would not be provoked unnecessarily.
The coat of arms of Montenegro was officially adopted by the law passed in the Parliament on 12 July 2004. It is now the central motif of the flag of Montenegro, as well as the coat of arms of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. It was constitutionally sanctioned by the Constitution proclaimed on 2 October 2007.
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.
The coat of arms of Amsterdam is the official coat of arms symbol of the city of Amsterdam. It consists of a red shield and a black pale with three silver Saint Andrew's Crosses, the Imperial Crown of Austria, two golden lions, and the motto of Amsterdam. Several heraldic elements have their basis in the history of Amsterdam. The crosses and the crown can be found as decorations on different locations in the city.
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 Cross of Saint Euphrosyne or Cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk was a revered relic of the Orthodox Church in Belarus, which was made in 1161 by Lazar Bohsha on the order of Euphrosyne of Polotsk and is regarded as a national treasure of Belarus.
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.
