Small Ring (Brussels)
The Brussels small ring (French: petite ceinture, Dutch: Kleine Ring) or inner ring road is a series of roadways in central Brussels, Belgium, surrounding the historic city centre. It was built on the site of the Second walls of Brussels, built in the 16th century, after they were torn down.
The small ring and the area within it are often called the pentagon, as it has a pentagonal shape. The small ring is about 8 km long. It is surrounded by the Greater Ring, which runs about 30 km and by the Ring (about 80 km).
During the second stage of the covering of the Senne in the 20th century, the river was diverted to underneath the western boulevards of the ring. This freed up the main tunnels that had contained the water to allow construction of the Brussels premetro with minimal disruption of the surface.
The road passes through tunnels allowing vehicles to avoid traffic lights that regulate the circulation at surface level. Thus, it is possible to travel from the Brussels-South railway station to the Place Sainctelette/Saincteletteplein (via Arts-Loi), and even further to the Basilica, or the reverse route, through tunnels without having to stop at traffic lights. The section of the small ring between the Place Sainctelette and the south station via the Anderlecht gate is completely at surface-level and is subsequently slower to travel along.
Read more about Small Ring (Brussels): History, Ring 20, Roads That Make Up The Small Ring, Crossroads, Public Transport
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