Living in Belgium, I have been saying I need to visit this city for so long. The most I got of this city for all these years was flying from the Charleroi Airport.

I knew there was no beauty in this city as it was built in 16th century, as an industrial hub, exploiting people and metallurgy from nearby mines and collieries. I knew it had a big drogue rate, rising unemployment, increasing immigration and outbreak of micro-criminality, which is all a direct consequence of the collapse of industrial manufacturing. I mean, I have seen entire junkie family in the middle of the day at the city hall entrance performing their own meth injections. Plus at least 2 more scenes similar to this.

So the city was renamed in 1666 into Charle-roi, or King Charles, in honour of five-year-old Charles II of Spain (Habsburg). When you find out the way this guy looked, you kinda understand that this city can not go any better than it is.

Charles II was the last Habsburg ruler of the Spanish Empire. Best remembered for his physical disabilities and the War of the Spanish Succession. He had deformed face as more than 20% of his DNA was identical which was a direct result of his predecessors marrying among each other, keeping the crown in the family. In fact, Habsburgs were famous for their marriage ambitions and acquiring territory by marrying instead of making wars. Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube – ‘Let others wage war: thou, happy Austria, marry‘. This was the saying of the time.

So this is now c city in Belgium full of abandoned factories and industrial plants that has been labelled the “ugliest city in the world”. At one point in the 1800s, Charleroi in south Belgium was known as the “Black Country”, thanks to the booming coal industry. Then in 1950, oil was used more than coal and the industries slowly moved to the country’s north before Charleroi became abandoned. However today, it is having its tourism mini boom as people are curious about this infamous city and go for their adventure.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of this place is the Church of Saint-Christophe. It is situated in the heart of the town in front of the town hall on Charles II square. This is a Baroque church with a look of a Byzantine basilica.

Perhaps, the angle of looking into this city could change if you finish your stay by tasting the Blanche de Charleroi, a fruity and refreshing white beer that is the pride of the city and immortalise your visit by taking a selfie in one of the unique corners of the city. Otherwise, I am out. Salut!