The municipality's smaller western part includes the Rue du Bailli/Baljuwstraat and extends roughly from the Avenue Louise to the Avenue Brugmann/Brugmannlaan, whilst its larger eastern part includes campuses of Brussels' two leading universities—the French-speaking Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)—along with the Place Eugène Flagey/Eugène Flageyplein.

Originally, fierce resistance to the project was put up by the town of Ixelles—then, as now, a separate municipality (local authority) from the City of Brussels—through whose territory the avenue was to run.

After years of fruitless negotiations, Brussels finally annexed the narrow band of land needed for the avenue, in addition to the Bois de la Cambre itself, in 1864.

[6] The Abbey was located near the springs of the Maalbeek stream in the Sonian Forest, the remnant of which closest to Brussels became known as the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos in the 19th century.

Around 1300, during the reign of John II, Duke of Brabant, a hostel was built near the Abbey to provide meals to the wood bearers working in the forest.

In 1478, the wars between King Louis XI of France and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, brought devastation to the Abbey and the surrounding areas.

Due to the liberalisation of beer manufacturing by the Council of Brabant in 1602, the industry grew, which resulted in a lively scene by the banks of the spring.

This population is mainly concentrated near the Namur Gate and the Chaussée d'Ixelles/Elsensesteenweg, and the neighbourhood is nicknamed Matongé or Matongué after the marketplace and commercial district with the same name in Kalamu, Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The core of Matongé was formed in late 1950s by the foundation of Maisaf (an abbreviation of Maison Africaine, meaning "African House"), which served as a centre and residence for university students from the Belgian Congo.

After Congolese independence in 1960, the district faced an influx of immigrants from the new state who shaped the neighbourhood in a style to resemble the original Matongé.

[citation needed] Communities from other African countries (mainly from Rwanda, Burundi, Mali, Cameroon, and Senegal) are also present in the district.

Matongé, with its more recent immigrant communities from Latin America, Pakistan, and India along with African ones, is seen as a symbol of multiculturalism in Belgium.

The local authorities, community groups and residents with a certain degree of success have more recently re-established the area as a safe place to visit.

The local television channel BX1 (formerly Télé Bruxelles) broadcasts a weekly magazine programme, Téle Matongé XL.

[14] The current mayor of Ixelles is Christos Doulkeridis [fr], a member of Ecolo, who is in coalition on the municipal council with PS - sp.a.