Anderlecht lies in the southwest of the Belgian capital Brussels and has grown together with the surrounding municipalities. The Senne flows through the area, which borders several neighbouring municipalities, including Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Saint-Gilles. Among the districts are Veeweyde, Aa and Scheut.
The first traces of human settlement date from the Stone Age; later, remains of a Roman villa and a Frankish burial site were found. In the Middle Ages the place was first recorded as Anrelech and developed into a cultural centre. Famous figures such as Erasmus of Rotterdam stayed here, while over the centuries the town was shaped by wars and political upheavals.
The medieval centre with the Gothic church of St Peter and Guido and the Erasmus House is worth seeing. Several museums, such as the Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine and the Musée national de la Résistance, document local history. Anderlecht is also known as the home of the football club RSC Anderlecht and as the location of major companies such as the Delhaize Group.
