Maelbeek metro station
![]() | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (March 2016) |
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Coordinates | 50°50′38″N 4°22′37″E / 50.84389°N 4.37694°E | |||||||||||||||
Owned by | STIB/MIVB | |||||||||||||||
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Maalbeek (Dutch) or Maelbeek (French, ancient Dutch spelling) is a Brussels metro station in the City of Brussels. The name of the station originates from a stream named Maalbeek.
History
It was inaugurated on 17 December 1969 as a premetro station (i.e., with tramways instead of metros), part of the first underground public transport route in Belgium, then going from De Brouckère to Schuman. In 1976, this premetro line was converted into a heavy metro line that was later split into two distinct lines in 1982: lines 1A and 1B, both of which serve Maelbeek/Maalbeek. As of 4 April 2009[update] the lines were reorganised and renumbered 1 and 5.
2016 terrorist attack
On 22 March 2016 there was reportedly a terrorist attack at the metro station. The Flemish radio and television organisation VRT officially reported 15 people were killed at the metro station, with 55 injured.[1][2]
Location
The station is located under the Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, a street best known for the many official buildings of the European Parliament, European Union, European Commission and Belgian Government. One of the station's exits leads to Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, with a side entrance leading to Rue Joseph II/Jozef II Straat. The other exit leads to the Chaussée d'Etterbeek/Etterbeekse steenweg. It is located under the bridge carrying the Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat. Close nearby (also on Chaussée d'Etterbeek/Etterbeekse steenweg) is an entrance leading to the SNCB/NMBS (heavy rail) southbound platforms of Schuman railway stations; this entrance is located under the railway bridge with stairs up to the platforms.
Nearby locations
References
External links
Media related to Maalbeek/Maelbeek metro station at Wikimedia Commons