Molenbeek

Molenbeek is a municipality in the western part of Brussels-Capital Region that runs alongside the waterway connecting the capital to Charleroi. Residential blocks alternate with commercial streets, and several metro stops link the roads to the center of the capital.

The area shifted from a farming village to a center of factories and workshops during the 1800s as industries settled along the canal. The first passenger railway on the European continent left from here toward Mechelen in 1835.

Locals refer to the area by its shortened form in daily conversation, using just the first word of its official double name. Many street markets and neighborhood shops still reflect the working-class heritage that shaped the community through generations.

Several metro lines and bus connections run through the area and provide links to other parts of the capital. Visitors walking or cycling can follow paved paths along the canal promenade that make exploring straightforward.

The industrial past earned the area the nickname of Little Manchester during the late 1800s due to its many textile mills and workshops. Today some renovated factory buildings still recall that era of steam engines and mechanical looms.

Location: Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital

Inception: 1785

Operator: Commune de Molenbeek-Saint-Jean - Gemeente Sint-Jans-Molenbeek

Part of: Brussels-Capital Region, Brussels Fire Department, Police Zone Brussels-West

Shares border with: City of Brussels, Anderlecht

Phone: +3224123790

Email: molenbeek@molenbeek.irisnet.be

Website: https://molenbeek.irisnet.be

GPS coordinates: 50.85472,4.33861

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:56