Schaerbeek

Schaerbeek (obsolete Dutch spelling, retained in French, pronounced ) or Schaarbeek (Dutch, pronounced ) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. The first mention of the name was Scarenbecca, recorded in a document from the Bishop of Cambrai in 1120. The origin of the name may come from the Franconian (Old Dutch) words schaer (notch, score) and beek (creek).

Schaerbeek is nicknamed "the city of donkeys" (la cité des ânes or de ezelsgemeente). This name is reminiscent of times when people of Schaerbeek, who were cultivators of sour cherries primarily for Kriek production, would arrive at the Brussels marketplace with donkeys laden with sour cherries. Donkeys are still kept in the Parc Josaphat and sour cherry trees line the streets of the Diamant Quarter of Schaarbeek (Avenue Milcamps, Avenue Emile Max and Avenue Opale). The Square des Griottiers is named after these trees.

The Eastern part of Schaerbeek (the area near Square Vergote, Quartier Diamant, and Parc Josaphat) is nowadays a location selected by EU- and affluent people for its architecture and its convenient location (close to the EU Institutions and financial heart of the city, the airport and highways). Young couples are also favouring this suburb for its "Notting Hill" atmosphere and the still reasonable pricing of real estate, while prices are on the surge everywhere else in Brussels.

The Western part of Schaerbeek (the area near the Gare du Nord, the Chaussee de Haecht and the Pont Van Praet) is home to a large Turkish immigrant community, a significant part of which originates from Afyon/Emirdağ, Turkey. It is also home to a large Moroccan population and other immigrant communities. The area around the church Sainte-Marie is the part where the Turkish community gathers in Brussels and has the nickname of "Petite Anatolie" because of all the Turkish restaurants and shops in chaussée de Haecht. However because of the numerous schools like Hogeschool Sint-Lukas Brussel, the administrations and the proximity of the rue royale there is a social mixity. There are also several affluent streets and neighbourhoods in this area including the Quartier des Fleurs, Boulevard Lambermont, Place Meiser, Squares Huart-Hamoir and Francois Riga and Avenue Eugene Demolder)

The Schaerbeek Cemetery, despite its name, is actually in the neighbouring municipality of Evere.

Read more about Schaerbeek:  Sights, Famous Inhabitants, Twin Cities