EDUCATION. Among the numerous educational establishments, the university (q.v.), with its splendid library, stands first. There are also an academy of medicine, a veterinary school, a mili tary school. a conservatory of music, numerous scientific and art associations, and an academy of art. The Royal Library. founded in 1838, has 500.000 volumes, about 25,000 manuscripts, 100.000 engravings and prints, and a vast collec tion of coins and medals. The Palais des Beaux Arts is a classical building. completed in 1880, and devoted mainly to paintings and sculpture. It contains about (100 paintings of the old Flem ish school, and a gallery of modern Flemish art numbering about 350 canvases. Among the the atres the most important is the Theatre de la Monnaie, built in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century and devoted to opera.
In industry and commerce Brussels occupies a secondary position. The chief manufactures are laces (for which this city has long been famous), furniture. metal, and leather goods. It is the centre of the national railway system, and is connected with different parts of Belgium by two canals. The population of Brussels has in creased with remarkable rapidity. From 84,000 in 1825 it rose to 152,828 in 1856, 182,305 in 1890, and 211,429 in 1900. Including its sub urbs, the inhabitants number 500.000. The for eign element, especially natives of France, is very prominent.
The hamlet of Brncselle (swamp dwelling) first sprang up in the Seventh Century, round a chapel erected by Saint Gerald, on an island in the Senne. .About 1050 it became a cathedral town and acquired extensive municipal rights, in defense of which it fought bitterly against the Dukes of Burgundy. into whose possession
it came in 1430. Alary of Burgundy brought the town to her husband, Maximilian I. Under Charles V. Brussels was made the Court resi dence in the Netherlands. and became after wards, under Philip II., the chief scene of the Revolution and of the atrocities committed by the Duke of Alva and the Inquisition. It sur rendered to Alexander of Parma in 15S5. Brus sels suffered greatly in the war of Spain against Louis XIV., in whose reign it was bombarded by Marshal Villeroi, and in that of Austria against Louis XV.; but still more from the con tinual prevalence of party animosities caused by the policy of Austria. Under the mild rule of Maria Theresa Brussels flourished greatly, and in this time many of its best institutions and public buildings were founded. In 1789 occurred the Brabant Revolution, under Joseph 11., and scarcely had Austrian rule been reestab lished, after a brief time of independence, when Brussels fell into the hands of the French, under Dumouriez (1792). After other changes of for tune, Brussels, with the other parts of Belgium, was incorporated with the kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, and so remained until the Revolution of 1S30, when, after a four days' murderous struggle between the soldiers and populace in the streets of the town, the inde pendence of Belgium was declared, and Brussels was made the capital of the kingdom.