Charleroi, Industrial metropolis in Wallonia, Belgium
Charleroi is a metropolis in the Arrondissement of Charleroi, Wallonia, Belgium. Buildings spread along the Sambre river, where 19th-century brick structures stand beside newer apartment blocks and commercial buildings.
The Spanish crown founded a fortress here in 1666, naming it after Charles II. The fortification was dismantled in 1871 after shaping the landscape for two centuries.
The name comes from Spanish King Carlos II, who was honored here in the 17th century. The glass museum of photography inside the old Carmelite convent shows chambers filled with cameras and prints that trace how image-making changed through the ages.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport serves destinations across Europe through several low-cost carriers. Many visitors use it as a starting point for trips to Brussels or other Walloon towns.
The BPS22 art museum stands in a glass and iron industrial building from 1911. It once served as the Walloon Art Palace during a regional exhibition before becoming a space for contemporary works.
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