Maelbeek
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The Maelbeek or Maalbeek is a stream that goes through several municipalities in Brussels, including Etterbeek, Ixelles, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek. It is a tributary of the Senne or Zenne River. Its source is located near the abbey of La Cambre. It was vaulted in 1872. At that time, there were 58 ponds along the stream. Nowadays, only six are left: the ponds of the abbey of La Cambre, of Ixelles (two of them), of the Parc Léopold, of the Parc Josaphat and of the Marie-Louise square.
The name Maalbeek comes from the Dutch words beek (meaning stream) and maal (meaning to mill). Also Molenbeek has the same meaning, from beek and molen (meaning a mill). In French usually the old spelling Maelbeek is used.
The name Maelbeek/Maalbeek was given to a metro station in Brussels.
There is another Maalbeek, tributary to the Zenne, in Grimbergen, and also a few Molenbeek, in Beersel and in Brussels-Laeken.
The Woluwe river also has a tributary, named (Kleine) Maalbeek, in Kraainem.
