Charleroi Airport, Belgium’s second busiest airport, closed to departures for the third day in a row on Wednesday, October 19. It doesn’t seem like the season for strikes, but the airport became a chaotic scene this week, especially on Monday afternoon when access to the airport for departures was restricted. A strike by the airport security staff closed the doors to outgoing travel. The concern: passenger safety. A news release on Monday stated, “It will no longer be possible to access or enter the airport terminal.” The staff strike meant no personnel to screen passengers. Although an agreement was just reached, things aren’t back to normal yet.
What’s a stranded passenger to do? There’s an option. Visit the city of Charleroi.
About Charleroi
While Charleroi may be best known to visitors for its airport, which has served as a base for some low-priced airlines like Ryan Air, few people realize there is a city worth visiting just minutes away.
The city of Charleroi is located in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of the country. About 200,000 people live there, with a total population of more than half a million, including the outlying areas. It’s a city with a strong industrial past. In fact, it was nicknamed Pays Noir or Black Country because of its coal and steel industries. While those facilities closed back in the 1950s, there are still remnants of the old coal spoil tips and industrial buildings. And the city still feels a bit dark, with some buildings looking as if they need a good power washing.
A City Worth A Visit
At first glance, the city is a bit of a disaster right now. Renovation projects have sprouted up everywhere as the city updates its infrastructure, traffic channels, and sites. The central area is torn up, with roads broken up and cables exposed. Narrow paths with metal fencing keep you away from the madness in the touristic heart of the city. Our walk from the tourist office to St. Christopher’s Church took us on a rubble path riddled with holes that are fall hazards, especially for anyone wearing heels or not looking where they are going. So, be careful. Is it worth a visit? Yes.
What to See
Start your visit at the Charleroi Tourist Office, where you can pick up a walking tour guide or hire a guide to show you around the city. That’s what we did, becoming familiar with the lower city, the upper city, and the riverside. Our recommended must-see items are City Hall, the belfry, and St. Christopher’s Church.
Art Deco City Hall
Architect Joseph André is the mastermind behind the Art Deco Hôtel de Ville (city hall) masterpiece located at Place Charles II. Inaugurated in 1936, Charleroi’s city hall was built with the finest building materials available. Rich mahogany, precious marble, and bronze can be seen throughout the building. Everything is grand and oversized. There are high ceilings — and probably high electricity bills to match. Statues, artworks, and lush architectural details are everywhere.
Our tour even gave us access to the matrimonial hall and parliament meeting areas. Beautiful stained glass windows, paintings, and wall hangings adorn the walls. Stairways leading to the rooms were crafted from fine marble with bronze artwork and statues augmenting the grandeur. Be sure to look up to see the Art Deco light fixtures. In fact, look up wherever you are in the city. You can discover lovely Art Nouveau buildings, street art, and historical buildings.
We even saw the famous giants, which are an integral part of the city’s annual carnival parade. These towering characters — with local residents inside manipulating the giant puppets — represent different sects of society, such as farmers, transportation workers, and public officers. But they aren’t the only tall items in the city.
The UNESCO Belfry & St. Christopher’s Church
The city’s modern belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is actually part of City Hall. Both were designed by Joseph André in 1936.
Called a “perfect combination of classicism and art deco,” the nearly 230-foot-high belfry tower can be accessed by its 250 stairs. Three levels of the belfry are reserved for the chambers of 47 clocks of the chimes! How adventurous do you feel? If you’d like to climb to the top, you’ll need to book a tour.
Around the corner is another building that you shouldn’t miss: St. Christopher’s Church. The church, which opened in 1667, was initially commissioned by Louis XIV and dedicated to St. Louis.
The church has gone through numerous transformations, but the most notable was in the post-war years as the city strove to earn its place as a regional capital. Architect Joseph André was the designer responsible for the “rebirth” of St. Christopher, as well as the Art Deco City Hall mentioned earlier and the Exhibition Centre and Fine Arts Center.
The modern twist on this centuries-old church is breathtaking. Venetian artisans created a spectacular glass mosaic that covers the church’s main wall. It represents the Apocalypse, according to St. John, with positive heavenly images on the left and images of hell on the right. The wall glimmers with more than a million colored glass squares covered with gold leaf. A modern, green glass podium stands in front of it. If you don’t say, “wow,” I’ll be surprised.
Walk through the City
Take some time to explore Charleroi’s city parks, museums, Art Nouveau buildings, and architectural sites. You can also enjoy the many fine boutiques, shops, and restaurants along the river.
We found L’Atelier de La Manufacture Urbaine, nicknamed LaM-U. It’s a restaurant, microbrewery, bar, roasting and bread-making space, and venue for exhibitions, concerts, and workshops. Located across the bridge from Charleloi’s rail station on the Sambre River at Rue de Brabant 2, it’s an easy stroll to a great meal.
And, hey, if your flight gets canceled again, you can always cross the bridge from the restaurant and take a train. The train system in Belgium is also pretty impressive.
