Which capital city lies about 15 km north of the Waterloo battlefield? Brussels.
The battlefield is in present-day Belgium, in and around the municipalities of Braine-l’Alleud and Lasne. It lies roughly 15 kilometres south of Brussels, making Brussels the nearby national capital north of the site. The town of Waterloo itself is much closer—about 2 kilometres away—and gives the battle its familiar English name.
The battle was fought on 18 June 1815, when Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army attacked the Anglo-allied army commanded by the Duke of Wellington. Napoleon’s campaign plan depended partly on defeating Wellington before the Prussian army could join him. The road network leading toward Brussels therefore had major strategic importance.
A common mix-up is confusing the city of Waterloo with the battlefield. Waterloo was the nearby town where many allied officers were billeted, while the main fighting took place farther south around Mont-Saint-Jean, Hougoumont, La Haye Sainte and Plancenoit.