Charleroi

Charleroi (in Walloon Tchålerwè ) is a Ville of Belgium, located in Walloon region, chief town of district in Province of Hainaut, on the Sambre.

It counts: 201550 inhabitants (: 423000 in the agglomeration - the 5ère of Belgium - which extends from Thuin to Sambreville). It is thus the first city Walloon in term of inhabitants and third common Belgian. Its inhabitants are called the Carolorégiens or more usually Carolos .

The small section of Charleroi counted: 21307 inhabitants in 1976 before the creation of “large Charleroi”.

Center industrial, Sidérurgie, Verrerie S, chemicals, electrical engineerings. Charleroi is in the center of a vast basin Houiller, maintaining completely given up, called black Pays . Great road junction and railway, Charleroi is one of the large Belgian metropolises.

Charleroi has an important cultural dimension thanks to its many museums and theaters. She saw hatching of many talents of draftsmen of Cartoon under the crook of her famous school of Marcinelle whose statues of the characters decorate the city. Charleroi is an important center of teaching.

Charleroi is also present on the sporting level. Rich person in infrastructures and known sporting clubs.

Charleroi is the seat of the social institutions of the Walloon region.

History of the city, the XVIIe century at our days

From 1666 to 1945

The origin of the city is a small village named Charnoy which counted about fifty houses at the 17th century. Its situation of domination on Sambre vis-a-vis the strengthened city of Châtelet (then related to the principality of Liege) would make it possible to be guarded against it. Charleroi belonged him to the county of Namur, from where need for the creation of a new fortress, in 1666 by the Spaniards. It was named Charleroy in the honor of the child-king Charles  II.

The Latin Chronogram " FVNDATVR CAROLOREGIVM" is registered in the register of the baptisms of the parish of Charnoy at the date of the September 3rd 1666, i.e. the day of opening of work of the fortress.

The place still in construction is taken the following year, on May 31st, by the French, under the command of Turenne. The works of art perfect and are then increased by Vauban. After the peace of Aachen allotted to France, Louis XIV grants privileges to the inhabitants of new city (ground offered free, premiums with construction, etc) in order to develop it.

In 1673, the city extends on Right Bank from the Sambre, which will become the " basse" city; , in opposition to the existing fortress placed on the heights, bearing the name of " logically; haute" city;. The current bond between the high city and the low city is the street of the Mountain, which bears its name well since it joined the high city while going up.

The city is besieged on several occasions before being conceded with the Spain by the Traité of Nimègue of 1678. In 1692, the city is bombarded by the French Armies, then the following year, it is taken by Vauban, under the glance of Louis XIV, takes again control of it. This last is indeed not solved to lose the place which locks Sambre and Meuse and represents a advanced station towards Brussels.

Catch and taken again, it passes to the Spanish to the Traité of Ryswick (1697), turns over to the France, is occupied by the Dutch then yielded to the Austria by the treaty of Bade. It is taken again by the prince of Conti in 1745. Finally it is returned to the Austria in 1748, in the condition which the fortresses are dismantled. The city knows 45 years of prosperity then, under Joseph II.

The city benefits from very important layers of coal to ground flower (from where the name of the city: " Noir" country;). Glassmakings settle with Lodelinsart, of the mills, the Houillère S and the blast furnaces in Charleroi. The production of glass, coal and metallurgy beats full sound.

In December 1790 begins the Révolution brabançonne and Charleroi knows new a period of disorders: the Autrichiens occupy the city on December 25th; they yield the place to the French winners of Jemappes before taking it again in March 1793. Charleroi, as of the arrival of the French, proclaims his secession of the County of Namur. She asks later, whereas it is question of creating the United States of Belgium, to be rather attached directly to France. In 1794, the general Charbonnier puts the seat in front of the city but is pushed back. It is Jourdan, which after six days of an intensive bombardment, will manage to take the place. It should be noted that it is during this double battle that one had recourse for the first time to the aerial observation of a battle field.

The city will change name on several occasions: Tank-on-Sambre, Charles-on-Sambre or Free-on-Sambre (it will keep this revolutionary name until March 8th, 1800).

Little before the battle Waterloo of 1815, Carolorégiens very " francophiles" accommodate with enthusiasm the French troops which recover the city until there with the hands of the Dutch. But Napoleon essuie a defeat more in North, famous the Battle of Waterloo. Forty-eight hours later, Charleroi collects the remains of the Large army; 19 to 5 a.m., Napoleon himself is in the city before continuing towards Paris. Charleroi, after this short French bracket falls down under the Dutch yoke. To guard itself against France, the city will be seen in the obligation to build new walls. During fifty years, it of it will be captive, occupying a very reduced surface.

After the revolution of the 1830, to which the population takes an active share, economic activity develops grace rise of old industries and with the installation of new productions like to the multiplication of the transportation routes. The city becoming too narrow, the demolition of the ramparts is decided in 1867; it will be completed in 1871. The economic activity of Charleroi east in full rise. It is then the second richest city of the country, thus propelling Belgium with the row of second world power, just behind the England.

Unfortunately, the industrial revolution is blown, and the discovery of a new fuel (the Pétrole), more powerful and less dear definitively fine met with the career of the mining cities of Belgium and North of the France. The mine S then close the ones after the others. At present, only the Sidérurgie was maintained while being modernized considerably (continuous casting, special steels and stainless), but it tests great difficulties of remaining competitive, as well as all European industry.

In 1914, Charleroi corresponds to the demolished of the French Armies by the German armies (August 21st, 22nd and 23rd).

In 1945, Charleroi will be still largely coveted by the protagonists of both camps : Allied and country of the axis, for the possession of the bridges on the Sambre. After the Second world war, it will be the economic decline related to the fall of the Heavy industry (see previously).

Since 1977

August 1st

The history of Large Charleroi begins on January 1st, 1977 following the coming into effect of the law on the fusion of the communes. Charleroi becomes the most populated Walloon city then.

The first burgomaster of the new entity will be Lucien Harmegnies, former minister and hitherto burgomaster of Marcinelle.

  • URL: http://www.megghy.com/fr_charleroi_historie.htm, consulted page the 4/7/2007, line

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    Geography

    August 1st

    Limits of the city

    The communes bordering on Charleroi are the Goods Villers, Fleurus, Châtelet, Gerpinnes, Ham-on-Hour-Nalinnes, Montigny-the-Lime, Fountain-the Bishop, Courcelles and Bridge-with-That.

    Climate

    The climate of the area of Charleroi is a moderate Climat oceanic as for the whole of the Western part of the Belgium, that thanks to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean which controls time thanks to the calorific inertia of its water. The climate can be influenced by wetlands and soft coming from the ocean, but also by dry zones (hot in summer and cold in winter) coming from the interior of the European continent . On average (average made over one period covering the 100 last years), one observes per annum approximately 200 days of Pluie in the area of Charleroi.

    Human geography

    In 1977, the commune of Charleroi amalgamated with other communes to form a new entity. Here the pattern of the settlement and the respective surface of these old communes the year of fusion:

    Demography

    Charleroi counts: 201550 inhabitants, is a density of: 1973 habitants/km ².

    Among the 69 communes of the province of Hainaut, it is located at the 7ère place compared to its surface, the 1 compared to its number of inhabitants and at 1 place compared to his densité.
    Among the 262 communes of the Walloon region, it is located at the 51ère place compared to its surface, 1 place compared to its number of inhabitants and at the 3ère place compared to its densité.
    Among the 589 common Belgians, it is located at the 64ère place compared to its surface, the 3ère place compared to its number of inhabitants and at the 28ère place compared to its density.

    The foreign population is very important in Charleroi, it allowed to increase the demography of the city throughout the 20th century and is mainly made up of Italian, Moroccan Turkish and .
    Statistically the town of Charleroi is the city or one finds the most important community Italian of the country with approximately: 50000 nationals (+ - 25% of the population). But proportionally, it is the town of Louvière which has the most rate of population of origin italienne.
    With the national scales, Moroccan community with supplanted in 2006 the Italian community which was the greatest foreign community of Belgium since after Guerre.

    The most populated sections of commune of Charleroi are Jumet and Marcinelle.

    Evolution of the population since 1831

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    bar: 1831 At: 5826 fontsize: S text: 5.826 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1841 At: 5627 fontsize: S text: 5.627 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1851 At: 7937 fontsize: S text: 7.237 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1861 At: 11806 fontsize: S text: 11.806 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1871 At: 12952 fontsize: S text: 12.952 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1881 At: 17539 fontsize: S text: 17.539 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1891 At: 22766 fontsize: S text: 22.766 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1901 At: 27515 fontsize: S text: 27.515 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1911 At: 32553 fontsize: S text: 32.553 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1921 At: 27394 fontsize: S text: 27.394 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1931 At: 28490 fontsize: S text: 28.490 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1941 At: 28211 fontsize: S text: 28.211 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1951 At: 25624 fontsize: S text: 25.624 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1961 At: 25605 fontsize: S text: 25.605 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1971 At: 23296 fontsize: S text: 23.296 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1977 At: 21083 fontsize: S text: 21.083 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1977 At: 227115 fontsize: S text: 227.115 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1981 At: 218670 fontsize: S text: 218.670 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1991 At: 206107 fontsize: S text: 206.107 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2001 At: 200293 fontsize: S text: 200.293 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2007 At: 201550 fontsize: S text: 201.550 shift: (- 10,5)

    Note: In 1977, one attended the fusion of the communes.

    Economy

    August 1st Second agglomeration of Wallonia and first commune, Charleroi is an important economic pole. Traditionally, three sectors constituted the essence of the economic activity: coal, iron and steel industry and glass. If coal definitively disappeared, industries iron and steel and glass were restructured and modernized and always occupy an important place. Thus, Industeel, subsidiary of Arcelor is a world leader in the special steels and stainless, AGC Automotive, subsidiary of Asahi Glass, is active in the sector of the automobile glazing, and the Laminoirs of Ruau, subsidiary of the Commercial bar Europeans, always produce commercial bars intended mainly for export.

    More recently of other sectors developed, mainly aeronautics (SABCA, Sonaca), logistics, printing works and biotechnologies. This last sector profited from the establishment from a research center of the Universit3e libre de Bruxelles in Charleroi and creation of a scientific and technological park with Gosselies, Aéropole. Several spin-off exits of the research center of the ULB are indeed established on this site. It is also with Gosselies, that the most important factory of the Caterpillar group is, except the United States. With Marcinelle, the activities of A.C.E.C., one of the most powerful European industry groups credit in the fields of the heavy electrical engineerings and industrial and space electronics before 1970, were absorbed and continued by the groups Alcatel, Alstom and Nexans

    The trade of center town suffers since the Nineties, as in much of big cities, of a clear disaffection to the profit of shopping malls in periphery, easier of access and offering many parking spaces. Thanks to its policy of low price and its flexibility, the craft industry of the building carolorégien finds its customers in a very broad surface (Mons, Brussels, Namur, the Brabant Wallon)

    Many navetteurs leave each morning the city to work in Brussels, the relatively accessible price of the real estate maintaining in the area.

    Inter-commune Igretec is the public structure specialized in economic promotion of the metropolis and the reception of the investors. She plays also a part of support for the activity of SME, in particular establishment assistances to the investment.

    Transport

    In the middle of a highway node , ferrovier and of hydraulic ways very dense, Charleroi is ideally served. The city is girdled by two peripherals (boxing ring). The R9, called also small belt, serves the urban center. The R3, large belt, serves him, all the agglomeration. It is crossed by two highways: the A54 which connects it to Brussels via Nivelles and the E42, the Highway of Wallonia. One can regard the motor vehicle traffic between the various communes and industrial parks as very fast, in comparison with many metropolises.

    The urban transport (drunk and light subway) is managed by the company tce Charleroi.

    See also: Light subway of Charleroi

    The railroads are managed by the company SNCB (on the scale of the Belgium). The main station of the city east Charleroi-South, from which are served the Belgian big cities (Brussels, Antwerp, Liege, Namur, Mons,…) as well as the town of Paris via the Thalys. The other stations of the agglomeration, less important, are: Charleroi-west, Marchienne-with-Bridge, Russet-red, Courcelles, Lodelinsart, Ransart and Couillet.

    The City has its own airport, with Gosselies. It is about the Aéroport of Charleroi Brussels-South, second airport of the country in transport of passengers, located at about fifty kilometers in the south of the Capital of Europe. In full growth, this one accommodates since years 2000 of the companies with low tariffs which propose a series of destinations towards whole Europe.

    The port authority of Charleroi (CAP) and the multimode Platform of Charleroi-Châtelet (MCC)

    Teaching

    Charleroi has many secondary schools, as well in the center as in its agglomeration.

    schools of the center town:

    The free network (catholic):

    • Institute Saint-Andrew (ISA)
    • Institute Saint-Joseph (ISJ)
    • Institute Notre Dame (IND)
    • IET Notre-Dame (IETND)
    • College Jesuit of Crowned Heart

    The official network:

    • Athenaeum Vauban
    • Athenaeum Solvay

    The private network:

    • Tagnon School (Esthetic)

    The city also has many prestigious High Schools like Charleroi-Europe, the IESCA or the school of Providence.

    The true lack of the city is a university. Indeed, Charleroi is the only Belgian big city has not to have a university. This lack pushes the very many graduates of the secondary to leave the city to follow their courses elsewhere. One or of the universities would increase considerably the rate by 15-25 years in the city and would probably make it possible to make revive the downtown area or of many students could place.

    Famous characters

    Tourism

    As a city of the Great Area, Charleroi takes part in the program of the Européenne year of the Capitale of the Culture 2007 .

    The site more visited of Charleroi and the mining site of the Wood of Cazier, in Marcinelle. It shelters:

    • a museum dedicated to the catastrophe of August 8th, 1956.
    • a museum with the glory of the industrial past of Charleroi
    • the museum of Glass
    • Of the workshops of blacksmiths

    Civil inheritance

    • the Town hall, of which the belfry is included in the list of the inheritance of UNESCO
    • Gilded Maison, decorated Sgraffite S by Gabriel van Dievoet (1875-1934).
    • House Dermine
    • House of the doctors
    • House of the Baillif

    Military inheritance

    • Vestiges of the fortress
    • Barracks Corporal Trésignies

    Industrial inheritance

    Religious heritage

    • the church Saint Antoine
    • the church Saint Christophe
    • the vault Saint Hackney carriage
    • the Temple Protesting
    • the church Martin Saint with Marcinelle
    • the vault Notre-Dame de Heigne with Jumet
    • the old Abbey of Soleilmont with Gilly
    • old Carmel with Mount-on-Marchienne
    • the Saint-Ghislain vault with Dampremy
    • the Saint Laurent church with Couillet
    • the Notre-Dame vault of Afflicted with Jumet
    • the church Jean-Baptiste Saint with Gosselies
    • the church Sulpice Saint with Jumet
    • The Saint Paul church with Mount-on-Marchienne
    • the church Rémy Saint with Gilly

    Museums

    • B.P.S.22
    • Museum of the Art schools
    • Museum Jules Destrée
    • Museum of archaeological glass
    • Museum
    • Museum of photography
    • Wood of Cazier
    • Museum of the hunters to foot
    • Center of Scientific culture (CCS) of the ULB

    Traditions and Folklore

    Stroll

    The landscape carolorégien is animated by the many ones of spoil heaps, memories of a long mining past. Some were refitted in spaces of relaxation and escape, constituting superb natural reserves sometimes. Without forgetting that, top of these spoil heaps, one can discover a vast panorama of the metropolis. These spoil heaps are crossed by Ravel. Ideal for stroll with feet, with horse or equipped with a bicycle. If the spoil heaps hardly attract you, you will be able to always walk you in the many communal parks of the metropolis.

    International center of edition of the cartoon (Editions Dupuis), Charleroi which saw hatching of many talents of draftsmen under the crook of his famous school of Marcinelle, saw being born from the famous characters of the ninth art such as Spirou and Fantasio, the Marsupilami, Boule and Bill, and Lucky Luke, whose polychrome statues decorate the city.

    Sunday morning, the visitor will not fail to visit immense the Marché which occupies most of the center town.

    Events

    Frequently, of the festivals or concerts of musics are organized in the many coffees of the city, like the Carolo Musique Rally. Each year, at the end of June, is also held one of the greatest secondhand trades of Belgium, namely, the Secondhand trade of the quays which lasts 24 hours. In 2006, on June 24th, the city would accommodate the City Parade, large gathering of electronic musics.

    Sport

    Principal teams

    The town of Charleroi accommodates several sporting teams of reputation, of which Royal Sporting Club of Charleroi which evolves/moves in division 1, the club of tennis shoe ball of Spirou which evolves/moves with the head of the national championship after having appeared a few years out of cut of Europe. On its side the club of table tennis Royal the Villette Charleroi comprises some elements of very first plan, of which Jean Michel Saive, former world champion.

    Football:

    • Royal Charleroi Sporting Club in the Stade of the Country of Charleroi

    • Royal Olympic Club of Charleroi-Marchienne in the Stade of Neuville
    • Royale Association Rings Sporting Couillet in the Stade of Neuville

    Basketball:

    Table tennis:

    Football in room:

    • Action21

    Volley ball:

    Balle winds into a ball:

    In practically each commune of Charleroi, there is a team of ball winds into a ball. This traditional sport remained very popular in the area where one still finds many Ballodrome S.

    Sports events

    • international Tournament of tennis for juniors Astrid Bowl
    • Race on foot of the 10 Miles.
    • the Walloon Arrow

    Infrastructures

    The city lays out:
    • several sporting centers and stages of great dimension
    • of an Olympic swimming pool of dimension

    Armorial bearings

    will last until May 28th, 2007, date on which the two aldermen MR., Olivier Chastel and Philippe Sonnet, decide to leave the majority following what they name a " miss loyauté" PS of Charleroi in the problem of the forced departure of Jean-pol. Demacq, alderman PS accused of forgery and use of forgery by public servant. This last also presents its resignation. The three resignations will be ratified at an extraordinary meeting of the Town council on June 1st, 2007

    June 11th, 2007, the shortly after federal legislative elections, Elio Di Rupo, president of the PS, announces the setting under the supervision of Paul Magnette of the communal socialist union of Charleroi. He in addition asks the resignation of the burgomaster and all the aldermen PS of Charleroi.

    June 12th, 2007, the whole of the college of the burgomaster and aldermen of Charleroi resigns (including the alderman cdH Jean-Jacques Viseur), in accordance with the wish of Elio Di Rupo.

    June 22nd, 2007, signature of a preliminary agreement of majority to form a coalition with three. The PS obtains seven aldermen of which the president of the CPAS; MR., two aldermen; and the CDH, an alderman plus the post of burgomaster who would go to Jean-Jacques Viseur.

    June 28th, 2007, official presentation of the future communal College.

    July 9th, 2007, official installation of the new communal College.

    List burgomasters

    See also: List of the burgomasters of Charleroi

    Results of the elections

    Results of the elections and distributions of the seats at the town council since the fusion of the communes (1977) and the creation of “Large Charleroi”. The town council, including the burgomaster and the alderman S, is composed of 51 members (commune of 200  000 with 249  999 inhabitants).




































    Legal affairs

    Since 2005, many legal affairs blamed of the personalities of the municipal authorities of Charleroi. The repercussion and the impact are important at the local, regional level and even national. Elio Di Rupo, president of the PS allots even the defeat of its party at the time of legislative elections of June 10th, 2007 to those.

    See also: Legal affairs carolorégiennes

    See too

    Internal bonds

    Official sites

    • Official site of the town of Charleroi
    • Charleroi 2020
    • Positive Charleroi Foundation
    • Charleroi Sporting the
    • the Palate of the Art schools
    • Exhibition center of Charleroi

    Dance

    In the mobility of the establishment in Charleroi in 1957 of what will become later the royal Ballet of Wallonia, the town of Charleroi knew since 1970 a very sharp passion for the ballet dancing and contemporary, with the creation of many private schools of dance and even of semi-professional companies like Charleroi City Ballet or Carolo King Ballet.

    The royal Ballet of Wallonia important company of about fifty dancers, directed towards the neo-classic current dissolved in 1990, in was died of its artistic dirctor Jorge Lefebre to make place with a smaller entity, completely contemporary: Charleroi/Dances under the direction of Flemish Frederic.

    Theater

    • Theater of the Anchor
    • Theater of the Light comedy
    • Theater Pocket
    • the Eden
    • Theater workshop of the Stock Exchange
    • Small Theater of the Lane

    Theaters

    • the Palate of Beautiful arts, lays out of the largest scene of Wallonia
    • the Eden
    • Coliseum
    • the Spiroudôme of time with others.
    • the Center Time Chosen in Gilly
    • Several arts centres: Mount on Marchienne, Couillet, Gosselies

    Teaching

    • High School Charleroi Europe

    • High Provincial School of Charleroi - University of Work
    • University center of Charleroi
    • Conservatory Arthur Grumiaux
    • Academy of the Art schools Alphonse Darville

    Media

    • Télésambre

    • the New Gazette
    • Belgium n° 1
    • Publisher Dupuis

    Different bonds

    • ASBL Charleroi Center Town

    • Chamber of commerce and of Industry of Charleroi

    Photographs

    August 1st

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