(French, ) or (Dutch, ), often simply called Molenbeek, is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, from which it is separated by the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, as well as by the municipalities of Anderlecht, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Dilbeek, Jette, and Koekelberg. The Molenbeek brook, from which it takes its name, flows through the municipality. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
From its origins in the Middle Ages until the 18th century, Molenbeek was a rural village on the edge of Brussels, but around the turn of the 19th century, it experienced major growth brought on by a boom in commerce and manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution. In the 2010s, it gained international attention as the base for Islamist terrorists who carried out attacks in both Paris and Brussels.
Molenbeek is a mostly residential municipality consisting of several historically and architecturally distinct districts. The total area is , which gives a population density of , twice the average of Brussels. and could be literally translated as "Millbrook" in English. It is a very common name for brooks in the Netherlands and Belgium, such as the Molenbeek (Erpe-Mere Bovenschelde), as well as the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek, both in the Denderstreek, Belgium.
Although first applied to the brook that flowed through the village, the name Molenbeek (originally spelled Molembecca) eventually came to be used to designate the village itself, around the year 985. At the end of the 19th century, part of the industry, namely the port area, was lost by Molenbeek when Brussels annexed and reintegrated the canal area within its new port.
20th century
Until the early 20th century, Molenbeek was a booming suburb which attracted a large working-class population. Remarkable new urban developments and garden cities such as the Cité Diongre were built at the beginning of the century to house the influx of newcomers. The Church of St. John the Baptist was also rebuilt between 1930 and 1932 in Art Deco style to accommodate this growing populace.
21st century
In some areas of Molenbeek, the ensuing poverty left its mark on the urban landscape and scarred the social life of the community, leading to rising crime rates and pervading cultural intolerance. Various local revitalisation programmes are currently under way, aiming at relieving the municipality's most impoverished districts. As a result, serious questions were raised about governance, security and the administration of Moureaux. Following a general decrease in crime, the company finally decided to remain in Molenbeek.
Islamic terrorism
According to Le Monde, the assassins who killed anti-Taliban commander Ahmed Shah Massoud both came from Molenbeek. Hassan el-Haski, one of the 2004 Madrid terror bombers, came from Molenbeek. The perpetrator of the Jewish Museum of Belgium shooting, Mehdi Nemmouche, lived in Molenbeek for a time. Ayoub El Khazzani, the perpetrator of the 2015 Thalys train attack, stayed with his sister in Molenbeek. French police believe the weapons used in the Porte de Vincennes siege two days after the Charlie Hebdo shooting were sourced from Molenbeek. The bombers of the November 2015 Paris attacks were also traced to Molenbeek; during the Molenbeek capture of Salah Abdeslam, an accomplice of the Paris bombers, protesters "threw stones and bottles at police and press during the arrest", stated the then-Interior Minister of Belgium, Jan Jambon. Oussama Zariouh, the bomber of Brussels Central Station in June 2017, lived in Molenbeek.
At least four of the terrorists in the November 2015 Paris attacks—the brothers Brahim and Salah Abdeslam, alleged accomplice Mohamed Abrini, and the alleged mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud—grew up and lived in Molenbeek. According to former French President François Hollande, that was also where they organised the attacks. On 18 March 2016, Salah Abdeslam, a suspected accomplice in those attacks, was captured in two anti-terrorist raids in Molenbeek that killed another suspect and injured two others.
Since several of the attackers in the Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks had connections to the area, Belgian police started door-to-door checks in which a quarter of Molenbeek's inhabitants were investigated, a total of 22,668. This operation resulted in that of the 1,600 organisations investigated, 102 were found to be involved with crime and a further 52 were involved with terrorism. 72 individuals were found to have a terrorist connection and were subject to future surveillance.
Geography
Location
thumb|right|Location of Molenbeek within Brussels
Molenbeek is located in the north-central part of Belgium, about from the Belgian coast and about from Belgium's southern tip. It is located in the heartland of the Brabantian Plateau, about south of Antwerp (Flanders), and north of Charleroi (Wallonia). It is the third westernmost municipality in the Brussels-Capital Region after Anderlecht and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe and is an important crossing point for the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, which borders the municipality to the east. With an area of , it is also a relatively small municipality in the region, ranking eleventh out of nineteen. It is bordered by the Brussels municipalities of Anderlecht, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Jette and Koekelberg, as well as the Flemish municipality of Dilbeek.
Climate
Molenbeek, in common with the rest of Brussels, experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) with warm summers and cool winters. Proximity to coastal areas influences the area's climate by sending marine air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. Nearby wetlands also ensure a maritime temperate climate. On average (based on measurements in the period 1991–2020), there are approximately 130 days of rain per year in the region. It also often experiences violent thunderstorms in the summer months.
Districts
thumb|Map of Molenbeek
There are two distinct areas in Molenbeek: a lower area and an upper area. The lower area, next to the canal, consists of working-class, predominantly migrant, communities, mostly of Moroccan (mainly Riffian and Berber) descent, with many being second- and third-generation. The upper area, close to the Greater Ring (Brussels' second ring road), features newer construction and is mostly middle-class and residential.
The territory of Molenbeek is very heterogeneous and is characterised by a mixture of larger districts including smaller residential and (formerly) industrial neighbourhoods. The area along the canal is currently experiencing a large revitalisation programme, as part of the of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Lower Molenbeek
Historical centre
thumb|[[Pinwheel (toy)|Pinwheels along the canal in Molenbeek]]
The historical centre of Molenbeek, sometimes referred to as Old Molenbeek, is the municipality's central district. It is bounded by the Brussels–Charleroi Canal to the east and by the Boulevard Léopold II/Leopold II-laan to the north, with the / as its central artery. It grew up around the medieval village core, located on the site of the present-day /. During the Industrial Revolution, it was a centre of intense industrial activity, concentrated around the canal, and is currently in a fragile social and economic situation due to the decline of its economy and the poor quality of some of its housing. Landmarks from this period include the Brussels Museum of Industry and Labour, a former foundry, and the Gosset factory with its Art Deco/modernist architecture, several former breweries converted into hotels (Hôtel Belvue) or event venues (Brussels Event Brewery), as well as many private lofts. The Municipal Hall of Molenbeek is located on the / ("Municipal Square"), in the heart of this district.
Upper Molenbeek
Karreveld
Located in the north of the upper part of Molenbeek, Karreveld Park and its surrounding district are named after the former domain of Karreveld Castle, which now covers . The name Karreveld derives from the Old Dutch , meaning "field of brick earth", referring to the local brickmaking activity that continued into the early 20th century. Today, it is a mostly residential neighbourhood between the /, the Chaussée de Gand and the railroad.
Korenbeek
Located in the north-east of Molenbeek, Korenbeek takes its name from a former stream that originated near the present-day / and once fed the ponds of Karreveld Castle. The largely residential neighbourhood is characterised by mid-sized housing and a historically mixed working-class population. It is notably home to Molenbeek Cemetery between the Chaussée de Gand and the /. This cemetery was inaugurated in 1864 to replace the old parish cemetery around the Church of St. John the Baptist, which had become too small, and whose last remains were cleared in 1932.
Machtens (Marie-José)
thumb|Albert Park
Located in the upper part of Molenbeek, this district lies in the valley of the Maalbeek (or Molenbeek) that gave the municipality its name. Originally, the area was part of the former Oostendaal estate. In 1920, it was purchased by the municipality and partly turned into two parks, Albert Park and Marie-José Park, in the triangle formed by the /, the / and the /. They were designed by the architect and urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen, and are named after King Albert I and his daughter, Princess Marie-José, the last Queen of Italy.
Osseghem/Ossegem
/ is centrally located in the upper part of Molenbeek, west of the municipality's historical centre. The neighbourhood used to be a rural hamlet. The name is of Germanic (Frankish) origin and is composed of Odso + -inga + heim, meaning "residence/domain of the family of Odso". An old country road, today's /, which led to the Chaussée de Gand near the current Osseghem/Ossegem metro station, connected the hamlet to Molenbeek and Brussels.
Scheutbos (Mettewie)
Located in the extreme west of Molenbeek, near the Boulevard Louis Mettewie, the Scheutbos (or Scheutbosch) is the municipality's remaining "green" area, home to the likewise named semi-natural site of the Scheutbos. Some of the main points of interest include:
- The Municipal Hall of Molenbeek, located on the /, designed in eclectic style by the architect Jean-Baptiste Janssens, which was opened in 1889.
- The Church of St. John the Baptist, a Catholic parish church designed in Art Deco style by the architect and built in 1931–32, which has been listed as a protected monument since 1984.
- The Church of St. Remigius, located on the /, a neo-Gothic building completed in 1907.
- The Church of St. Barbara, located on the /, another neo-Gothic building completed in 1894 and listed since 1998.
- Molenbeek Cemetery, which contains remarkable monuments, including funerary galleries and a columbarium built in 1880. Since 1999, the castle hosts from mid-July to September the , a theatre festival open to other performing arts (i.e. magic, music, circus, etc.).
- The Municipal Museum of Molenbeek (MoMuse), housed in the prestigious building of the Academy of Drawing and Visual Arts.
- The Jubilee Bridge, designed in 1904 by the engineer , which connects the Boulevard du Jubilé to the / over Tour & Taxis Park.
- The monument dedicated to the heroes of the First World War, designed by the sculptor Georges Vandevoorde and the architect Lucien François, and completed in 1925–26. It is located in the centre of the /, along the Boulevard du Jubilé.
- The Vaartkapoen statue, designed by the sculptor Tom Frantzen in 1985, on the /.
Moreover, several rundown industrial buildings have been renovated and converted into prime real estate and other community functions. Examples include:
- The Fonderie, a former smelter of the Compagnie des Bronzes de Bruxelles, operational from 1854 to 1979, now home to the Brussels Museum of Industry and Labour. The museum focuses on the industry, coupled with the social history of Molenbeek, and the impact of industrialisation on the development of the municipality.
- The impressive buildings of the former goods station of Tour & Taxis and the surrounding area bordering the municipality, which are being turned into residences, as well as commercial enterprises.
- Brussels' Circus School, installed in the buildings of Tour & Taxis.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Chateau du Karreveld - Molenbeek.jpg|Karreveld Castle
File:Doperremig19.jpg|World War I memorial on the /
File:Molenbeek Cité Diongre N°33-34 30006.jpg|Diongre garden city
File:La Fonderie (1).jpg|The Fonderie, Brussels' Museum of Industry and Labour
</gallery>
Demographics
Historical population
Historically, the population of Molenbeek was quite low. The municipality counted 690 inhabitants in 1707 and fewer than 2,000 inhabitants at the beginning of the 19th century. However, following the Industrial Revolution, the population underwent a remarkable growth, peaking at 72,783 in 1910. From then, it began to decrease slightly during the first half of the 20th century to a low of 63,528 in 1961, before increasing again rapidly in recent years.
, the population was 98,365.
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bar:1866 from:0 till: 24333
bar:1876 from:0 till: 37292
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bar:1866 at: 24333 fontsize:S text: 24.333 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1876 at: 37292 fontsize:S text: 37.292 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1880 at: 41737 fontsize:S text: 41.737 shift:(-10,5)
bar:1890 at: 48723 fontsize:S text: 48.723 shift:(-10,5)
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- <small>Sources: INS: 1806 to 1981 = census; 1990 and later = population on 1 January</small>
Foreign population
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+Largest groups of foreign residents (2020)
|-
! Country
! Population
|-
| || 5,960
|-
| || 4,242
|-
| || 2,255
|-
| || 1,956
|-
| || 1,759
|-
| || 1,666
|-
| || 1,040
|}
The population has been described as "mainly Muslim" in the media; however, actual figures are estimated to range between 25% and 40%, depending on the catchment area. Nearly 40% of young people in Molenbeek are unemployed. The municipality lies in a semi-circle of neighbourhoods in Brussels often referred to as the "poor croissant". Among all major migrant groups from outside the EU, a majority of the permanent residents have acquired Belgian nationality.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
! rowspan="3" |Group of origin
! colspan="2" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |2023
|-
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|-
!Belgians with Belgian background
|13,083
!13.31%
|-
!Belgians with foreign background
|56,630
!57.63%
|-
|Neighbouring country
|1,873
|1.91%
|-
|EU27 (excluding neighbouring country)
|3,338
|3.4%
|-
|Outside EU 27
|51,419
|52.32%
|-
!Non-Belgians
|28,557
!29.06%
|-
|Neighbouring country
|2,301
|2.34%
|-
|EU27 (excluding neighbouring country)
|9,709
|9.88%
|-
|Outside EU 27
|16,547
|16.84%
|-
|
|
|
|-
!Total
|98,270
!100%
|}
Politics
Molenbeek is governed by an elected municipal council and an executive college of the mayor and aldermen. The longtime mayor from 1992 to 2012 was Philippe Moureaux (PS). Following the Belgian local elections, 2012, an alternative majority was formed headed by then-mayor Françoise Schepmans (MR) and consisting of MR (15 seats), CDH-CD&V (6 seats) and Ecolo-Groen (4 seats). The Socialist Party (16 seats) became the opposition next to the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB), Democratic Federalist Independent (DéFI), the ISLAM party and the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), each having one seat.
The 2018 local elections saw PS return to the majority, with a coalition between the aforementioned and MR being agreed upon. The current mayor is .
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Molenbeek-Saint-Jean local election – 14 October 2018
|-
| bgcolor=white colspan=11| center|360px
|- style="text-align:right; background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Party
|- style="text-align:right; background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center"
! data-sort-type="number"| Votes
! data-sort-type="number"| %
! data-sort-type="number"| Swing (pp)
! data-sort-type="number"| Elected<br />2018
! data-sort-type="number"|
|-
| – sp.a
|12,122
|31.34
|2.16
|
|1
|-
| – Open Vld
|9,268
|23.96
|3.37
|
|2
|-
|
|5,262
|13.61
|9.09
|
|6
|-
| – CD&V
|3,246
|8.39
|3.22
|
|3
|-
|
|3,163
|8.18
|0.88
|
|1
|-
|
|1,842
|4.76
|0.29
|
|
|-
|
|1,307
|3.38
|0.62
|
|
|-
|
|940
|2.43
|New
|
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|-
| bgcolor=#0F62D9 |
| align="left" | Molenbeek Act
|734
|1.90
|New
|
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|-
|
|695
|1.80
|2.32
|
|1
|-
|
|align="left" | CITOYEN D'EUROPE M3E
|95
|0.25
|New
|
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|}
Mayors
thumb|upright|[[Philippe Moureaux was mayor of Molenbeek from 1992 until 2012.]]
Historical list of mayors or burgomasters of Molenbeek:
Pre-independence (before 1830)
- 1800–1812: J.-B. De Roy
- 1812–1818: FR. De Putte
- 1818–1819: V. Van Espen
- 1819–1830: F. Vanderdussen
Kingdom of Belgium (1830–present)
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Name
!Start date
!End date
!Length
! colspan="2" |Political Party
|-
|Charles De Roy
|1830
|1836
|6 years
|
|-
|Pierre-Joseph Meeûs
|1836
|1842
|6 years
|
|-
|Albert Vanderkindere
|1843
|1848
|5 years
|
|-
|H.-J.-L. Stevens
|1848
|1860
|12 years
|
|-
|J.-B. Debauche
|1861
|1863
|2 years
|
|-
|L.-A. De Cock
|1864
|1875
|11 years
|
|-
|Guillaume Mommaerts
|1876
|1878
|2 years
|
|-
|Henri Hollevoet
|1879
|1911
|32 years
|Liberal
|-
|Julien Hanssens
|1912
|1914
|2 years
|Liberal
|-
|Louis Mettewie
|1914
|1938
|24 years
|Liberal
|-
|Edmond Machtens
|1938
|1978
|40 years
|PSB
|-
| rowspan="2" |Marcel Piccart
| rowspan="2" |1978
| rowspan="2" |1989
| rowspan="2" |11 years
|PS
|-
|FDF
|-
|Léon Spiegels
|1989
|1992
|3 years
|PRL
|-
|Philippe Moureaux
|1992
|2012
|20 years
|PS
|-
|Françoise Schepmans
|2012
|2018
|6 years
|MR
|-
|Catherine Moureaux
|2018
|Present
|Ongoing
|PS
|}
Sports
As in the rest of Brussels, sport in Molenbeek is under the responsibility of the Communities. The (ADEPS) is responsible for recognising the various French-speaking sports federations. Its Dutch-speaking counterpart is (formerly called BLOSO).
Football
thumb|[[Edmond Machtens Stadium]]
Molenbeek's historical football club, Racing White Daring Molenbeek, often referred to as RWDM, was very popular until its dissolution in 2002. Its successor, R.W.D.M. Brussels F.C., used to play in the Belgian first division. It folded at the end of 2012–13 as a member of the Belgian Second Division. Since 2023, its reincarnation, RWDM47, is back playing in the first division. The club's home stadium is the Edmond Machtens Stadium.
Other sports
The municipality is home to the Royal Daring Hockey Club Molenbeek, a field hockey club.
Education
Most of Molenbeek pupils between the ages of 3 and 18 go to schools organised by the French-speaking Community or the Flemish Community.
Primary education
There are 17 French-language and six Dutch-language primary schools in Molenbeek.
Secondary education
- Athénée royal Serge Creuz (French-speaking)
- Athaneum Toverfluit (Dutch-speaking)
Transportation
Road network
thumb|[[Boulevard Léopold II|Boulevard Léopold II/Leopold II-laan]]
The Boulevard Léopold II/Leopold II-laan in the north of Molenbeek is part of a monumental east–west axis, at the end of which is the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg. Some other main roads that cross the municipality are the /, the / and the / running east–west, as well as the / running north–south.
Public transport
thumb|[[Brussels-West station|Brussels-West Station is a multimodal transport hub in western Brussels]]
Molenbeek is served by Brussels' metro lines 1, 2, 5 and 6, with Comte de Flandre/Graaf van Vlaanderen, Étangs Noirs/Zwarte Vijvers, Osseghem/Ossegem, Belgica, Beekkant, Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation (Brussels-West Station), and Ribaucourt stations. Brussels-West and Beekkant are connected to all the metro lines and are multimodal transport hubs in western Brussels. The former will also gain importance in the framework of the Brussels Regional Express Network (RER/GEN)'s development, which will connect the capital and surrounding towns. Additionally, a comprehensive bus and tram service links Molenbeek to other parts of the region. The municipality also has a number Villo! public bicycle stations on its territory.
Waterways
Molenbeek is on the route of the second largest axis of the Belgian network of inland waterways, that is the Antwerp–Brussels–Charleroi axis via the maritime Scheldt, the Maritime Canal and the Brussels–Charleroi Canal.
Parks and green spaces
thumb| regional nature park
Green spaces in the municipality include:
- , a regional nature park of
- Semi-natural site of the Scheutbos, a protected area of
- Karreveld Park
- Marie-José Park
- Albert Park
- Muses' Park
- Hauwaert Park
- Bonnevie Park
- Fonderie Park
Notable inhabitants
<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
- Abdelhamid Abaaoud (1987–2015), French jihadist terrorist involved in the November 2015 Paris attacks
- Salah Abdeslam (born 1989), French jihadist terrorist involved in the November 2015 Paris attacks
- Montasser AlDe'emeh (born 1989), Belgian-Palestinian researcher
- (1913–1999), politician, senator, and mayor of Jette, was born there.
- (Norbert Benoit Van Peperstaete) (1910–1993), filmmaker
- (1856–1943), politician, author, and Minister of State
- (born 1928), artist
- (1924–1996), painter
- Jean de la Hoese (1846–1917), painter
- (1908–1986), musician
- Eugène Demolder (1862–1919), writer
- (1878–1963), modernist architect
- (1898–1949), professor at the Brussels Conservatory, violinist, and teacher of the violinist Arthur Grumiaux
- (1877–1962), architect of the Citroën building (now part of KANAL – Centre Pompidou)
- Ferdinand Elbers (1862–1943), mechanic, trade unionist, politician, and senator
- (1906–1997), politician, Minister of European Affairs, and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- (1833–1911), politician and mayor of Molenbeek
- (1839–1923), founder of the newspaper La Pensée, leader of the Belgian freethinking movement, and co-founder of the Socialist International
- Marcel Josz (1899–1984), actor
- Eugène Laermans (1864–1940), painter and engraver
- , Esq. (1881–1957), politician, senator, and mayor of Itterbeek, was born there.
- (1902–1978), politician and mayor of Molenbeek
- Marka, Serge Van Laeken (born 1961), singer, songwriter, composer, and filmmaker
- (1793–1873), industrialist, politician, mayor of Neder-over-Heembeek and Molenbeek, and registrar of the Court of Audit. He lived at 7, faubourg de Flandre.
- (1855–1942), politician and mayor of Molenbeek
- (1870–1935), painter
- , also known as Norge (1898–1990), poet
- Philippe Moureaux (1939–2018), politician, senator, mayor of Molenbeek, and Professor of Economic History at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
- (1845–1915), geologist, palaeontologist, and curator of the Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium
- (1924–1988), writer
- Gabrielle Petit (1893–1916), spy and World War I martyr
- Zeynep Sever (born 1989), Miss Belgium 2008
- (1912–1997), architect and painter
- Shay (born 1992), rapper
- (1889–1978), war pilot and aircraft manufacturer including of the famous Stampe SV-4
- Reimond Stijns (1850–1905), writer
- Eric Struelens (born 1969), professional basketball player
- Herman Teirlinck (1879–1967), writer
- Isidoor Teirlinck (1851–1934), writer
- Pierre Tetar van Elven (1828–1908), painter
- Toots Thielemans (1922–2016), jazz musician
- Henri Joseph Thomas (1878–1972), painter
- Pierre Van Humbeeck (1829–1890), politician and Minister of Education
- Leon Vanderkindere (1842–1906), historian and professor at the Free University of Brussels
- Philippe Vandermaelen (1795–1869), geographer and cartographer. He founded the geographical establishment of Brussels in Molenbeek.
- Franky Vercauteren (born 1956), football personality
- (1874–1962), painter
- Thierry Zéno (1950–2017), author-filmmaker
International relations
Twin towns and sister cities
Molenbeek is twinned with:
- Oujda, Morocco
- Levallois-Perret, France