The region’s second-largest city (about 200,000 people, metro area 430,000), located about an hour from Brussels, is often dismissed as gritty or even derelict—a former mining hub marked by high unemployment and crime along with a mix of brutalist, utilitarian, and occasional Belle Époque architecture. But as Visit Wallonia likes to say, "don´t judge a book by its cover." Founded in 1666, Charleroi is home to some of Wallonia’s most significant historical sites, and it´s also been undergoing a significant renaissance in recent years. Chief among local historical allures are the 300-foot-high art-deco Belfry, part of the city hall built in 1936, and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Bois du Cazier, a former coal mine and now a deeply affecting museum and the nearby Canal du Centre hydraulic boat lifts. No, Charleroi isn´t conventionally attractive, but it is fascinating for those interested in industrial history and urban reinvention.
Read more in my post 7 Allures of Wallonia, Belgium´s Overlooked, French-speaking South.
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