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Ixelles | |
|---|---|
 Ixelles' Municipal Hall seen from thePlace Fernand Cocq/Fernand Cocqplein | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Ixelles  | |
  Ixelles Location in Belgium Ixelles municipality in the Brussels Capital Region  | |
| Coordinates:50°50′N04°22′E / 50.833°N 4.367°E /50.833; 4.367 | |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community French Community |
| Region | Brussels-Capital |
| Arrondissement | Brussels-Capital |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Christos Doulkeridis [fr] (Ecolo) |
| • Governing party/ies | Ecolo /Groen -PS /sp.a |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.41 km2 (2.47 sq mi) |
| Population (2020-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 87,632 |
| • Density | 14,000/km2 (35,000/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 1050 |
| NIS code | 21009 |
| Area codes | 02 |
| Website | www.ixelles.be(in French) www.elsene.be(in Dutch) |
Ixelles (French,pronounced[iksɛl]ⓘ) orElsene (Dutch,pronounced[ˈɛlsənə]ⓘ) is one of the19 municipalities of theBrussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located to the south-east ofBrussels' city centre, it isgeographically bisected by theCity of Brussels. It is also bordered by the municipalities ofAuderghem,Etterbeek,Forest,Uccle,Saint-Gilles andWatermael-Boitsfort.
As of 1 January 2023[update], the municipality had a population of 88,521 inhabitants.[2] The total area is 6.41 km2 (2.47 sq mi), which gives apopulation density of 13,807/km2 (35,760/sq mi).[2] In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legallybilingual (French–Dutch). It is generally considered an affluent area of the region,[3] and is particularly noted for its communities ofEuropean and Congolese immigrants.[3]
Ixelles is located in the south-east of Brussels and is divided into two parts by theAvenue Louise/Louizalaan, which is part of theCity of Brussels. The municipality's smaller western part includes theRue du Bailli/Baljuwstraat and extends roughly from the Avenue Louise to theAvenue Brugmann/Brugmannlaan, whilst its larger eastern part includes campuses of Brussels' two leading universities—the French-speakingUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the Dutch-speakingVrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)—along with thePlace Eugène Flagey/Eugène Flageyplein. TheBois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos is located just south of Ixelles.
The construction of the Avenue Louise was commissioned in 1847 as a monumental avenue bordered bychestnut trees that would allow easy access fromBrussels' city centre to the popular recreational area of the Bois de la Cambre. It was also to be the firstHaussmann-esque artery of the city. Originally, fierce resistance to the project was put up by the town of Ixelles—then, as now, a separate municipality (local authority) from the City of Brussels—through whose territory the avenue was to run. After years of fruitless negotiations, Brussels finally annexed the narrow band of land needed for the avenue, in addition to the Bois de la Cambre itself, in 1864. That decision accounts for the unusual shape of today's City of Brussels and for the separation of Ixelles into two separate areas.
The placename was first mentioned in 1210 asElsela, from theOld DutchElse(n)lo, meaningalder woods.[4] The origins of the village date from the foundation ofLa Cambre Abbey.Hendrik I, Duke of Brabant, donated the Pennebeke domain[a] to theCistercian nun Gisela in 1201. She in turn founded the Abbey, and in 1210, acquired property on which the duke ordered the construction of a mill.[5] The marshlands around the Abbey were later drained and sanitised, which resulted in four springs which served as a source of fish for the Abbey's inhabitants and the neighbouring hamlets.[6] The Abbey was located near the springs of theMaalbeek stream in theSonian Forest, the remnant of which closest to Brussels became known as theBois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos in the 19th century. The Abbey was recognised by Jan III van Bethune, theBishop of Cambrai in 1202, soon after its foundation.[7] The saintsBoniface of Brussels andAlice of Schaerbeek were two of its most famous residents in the 13th century.
Around 1300, during the reign ofJohn II, Duke of Brabant, a hostel was built near the Abbey to provide meals to the wood bearers working in the forest. Soon, a hamlet and a couple of chapels were built, including the Church of the Holy Cross, also inaugurated by the Bishop of Cambrai and dedicated to Mary and the Holy Cross in 1459.[8][b] Initially, these hamlets and provisions were constructed for the labourers who helped drain and sanitise the marshlands. At that time, part of Ixelles was a dependence of Brussels; the other part was the property of the local lord.
In 1478, the wars between KingLouis XI of France andMaximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, brought devastation to the Abbey and the surrounding areas. In 1585, during the period of theHabsburg Netherlands, the Spanish burned down most of the buildings to prevent them from being used as a refuge byCalvinists. The Abbey was restored in time for theJoyous Entry of the ArchdukesAlbert andIsabella in 1599. Further manors and castles (Ermitage, Ten Bosch and Ixelles, for example) were built in Ixelles in the 16th century, gradually transforming the hamlet into a full-fledged village.
Thanks to the Maalbeek springs and the purity of its waters, a brewing industry became active in the area. It started inside the Abbey, but by the 16th century, had expanded beyond its walls. Due to the liberalisation of beer manufacturing by theCouncil of Brabant in 1602, the industry grew, which resulted in a lively scene by the banks of the spring. By the 17th and 18th centuries, around 20 breweries-cabarets had settled in Ixelles, among which Saint-Hubert, De Sterre and L'Italie.[5]
In 1795, like many other towns surrounding Brussels, Ixelles was proclaimed a separate municipality by theFrench regime after theRevolution. The municipalities of Neder-Elsene ("Lower Ixelles", where the Abbey is located), Opper-Elsene ("Upper Ixelles", a Brussels suburb), Boondaal, Tenbos, and Solbos, all became part of Ixelles. Moreover, the Abbey was stripped of its religious functions, becoming among others a cotton-manufacturing plant, a farm, a military school, and a hospital. Many of themedieval gates of Brussels that lined what is now theSmall Ring (Brussels' inner ring road) were taken down and more streets were built to accommodate the migration towards the suburbs. Ixelles' population grew nearly one-hundredfold, from 677 in 1813 to more than 58,000 in 1900.[citation needed] With this intense growth also came theFrancisation of the municipality.
At the end of the 19th century, some of the ponds were drained, leaving only the so-called "Ixelles Ponds", and a new Church of the Holy Cross was built in 1860. The firsttrams appeared in 1884 and the firstcinema in 1919. By then, Ixelles and the Avenue Louise had become one of the most fashionable areas of Brussels. Artists and celebrities moved in, leading to architectural novelties such asArt Nouveau andArt Deco.
Ixelles is known throughout Belgium for its large community of people ofSub-Saharan African origin. This population is mainly concentrated near theNamur Gate and theChaussée d'Ixelles/Elsensesteenweg, and the neighbourhood is nicknamedMatongé orMatongué after themarketplace and commercial district with the same name inKalamu,Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The core ofMatongé was formed in late 1950s by the foundation ofMaisaf (an abbreviation ofMaison Africaine, meaning "African House"), which served as a centre and residence for university students from theBelgian Congo. After Congolese independence in 1960, the district faced an influx of immigrants from thenew state who shaped the neighbourhood in a style to resemble the originalMatongé. During the 1960s and into the '70s, the area was a well known meeting place for students and diplomats fromZaire. At the time they were known locally asBelgicains.[citation needed] Communities from other African countries (mainly from Rwanda, Burundi, Mali, Cameroon, and Senegal) are also present in the district.
Two famous shopping arcades, the Ixelles Gallery and the Namur Gate Gallery, are located in the heart ofMatongé. In the galleries and the adjoining streets, a large number of specialised food shops and suppliers can be found. The area is renowned for its clothes, shoes and material shops, hairdressers and wigmakers, booksellers, jewellers and craft shops, making the area unmissable for many local and even international visitors. Over 45 different nationalities amongst the residents and shopkeepers can be counted, including most African countries. Statistically, many of the shopkeepers are not necessarily local residents. Amongst the visitors and window shoppers toMatongé are many who appreciateAfrican fashion and lifestyle.
The district also attained notoriety from the early 2000s withgang violence perpetrated by African gangs, partly composed of exiledchild soldiers likeBlack Démolition. It was the scene ofrace riots in January 2001.Matongé, with its more recent immigrant communities from Latin America, Pakistan, and India along with African ones, is seen as a symbol ofmulticulturalism in Belgium. The local authorities, community groups and residents with a certain degree of success have more recently re-established the area as a safe place to visit. As the area and property ages there is increased pressure and interest from property developers to expand theEuropean Quarter on one side and the fashionable Avenue Louise on the other, effectivelyMatongé is sandwiched between the two.
Every year since 2001 at the end of June, a multicultural festival,Matongé en Couleurs, has been organised in the area. The date coincides with the celebration of Congolese independence. The filmJuju Factory, released in 2006, was partly filmed in the area. The local television channel BX1 (formerly Télé Bruxelles) broadcasts a weekly magazine programme,Téle Matongé XL.
The pedestrian streetRue Longue Vie/Lange-Levenstraat has many snack-bars whereAfrican food is sold. Most of these have been decorated by the famous Afro-European artist John Bush.Le Soleil d'Afrique has almost become his museum, with not only his original paintings on display, but also other painted surfaces and furniture.
Several fairs are organised in Ixelles, including the Spring Fair on the Place Eugène Flagey, which takes place between the fourth and sixth Sunday after Easter, as well as the Boondael Fair at the end of July.[citation needed]
Brussels Universities Cyclocross is acyclo-cross race that is regularly held in the adjacent campuses of theUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and theVrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), located in eastern Ixelles.[citation needed]
Migrant communities in Ixelles with over 1,000 people as of 1 January 2020:[11]
 France | 11,470 |
 Italy | 4,504 |
 Spain | 2,540 |
 Portugal | 1,795 |
 Germany | 1,793 |
 Romania | 1,750 |
 Poland | 1,378 |
 United Kingdom | 1,188 |
 Morocco | 1,107 |
 Greece | 1,045 |
| Group of origin | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023[12][13] | ||
| Number | % | |
| Belgians with Belgian background | 20,038 | 22.64% |
| Belgians with foreign background | 23,999 | 27.11% |
| Neighbouring country | 3,587 | 4.05% |
| EU27 (excluding neighbouring country) | 3,657 | 4.13% |
| Outside EU 27 | 16,755 | 18.93% |
| Non-Belgians | 44,484 | 50.25% |
| Neighbouring country | 15,519 | 17.53% |
| EU27 (excluding neighbouring country) | 16,208 | 18.31% |
| Outside EU 27 | 12,757 | 14.41% |
| Total | 88,521 | 100% |
The current city council was elected in theOctober 2018 elections.[14] The current mayor of Ixelles isChristos Doulkeridis [fr], a member ofEcolo, who is in coalition on the municipal council withPS -sp.a.[15]
 | ||||||||||
| Party | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Swing (pp) | Elected 2018 | Change | ||||||
| Ecolo -Groen | 10,817 | 33.05 |  9.53 | 16 / 43 (37%) | 5 | |||||
| MR -Open Vld | 8,364 | 25.55 |  3.54 | 12 / 43 (28%) | 3 | |||||
| PS -sp.a | 6,190 | 18.91 | 2.30 | 9 / 43 (21%) | 1 | |||||
| DéFI | 2,342 | 7.16 | 5.05 | 2 / 43 (5%) | 3 | |||||
| PVDA-PTB | 2,049 | 6.26 | 4.44 | 2 / 43 (5%) | 2 | |||||
| cdH -CD&V(Objective XL) | 1,817 | 5.55 | 3.86 | 2 / 43 (5%) | 2 | |||||
| N-VA | 960 | 2.93 | 0.58 | 0 / 43 (0%) | - | |||||
| Volt | 191 | 0.58 | New | 0 / 43 (0%) | - | |||||
Ixelles istwinned with:
Biarritz, France (since 1958)[16]
Kalamu, municipality inKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (since 2003)[17]
Zababdeh, Palestine (since 2003)[17][18]
Kibbutz Megiddo, Israel (since 2012,[17] suspended in July 2024[19])Lichtenberg, GermanyBorn in Ixelles:
Lived in Ixelles:
Media related toIxelles at Wikimedia CommonsPlaces adjacent to Ixelles | |
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