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The importance of Charleroi as an industrial center became obvious when in the beginning of the 19th century a canal was built between Brussels and Charleroi. Via this canal the industrial production of the black country could be transported via the capital to the harbor of Antwerp and other parts of the country. The industrial produce was based on three pillars: iron, glass and coal. Already in the late Middle-Ages this production existed, albeit on a pre-industrial scale. Both the iron industry and, later (as from 1669), also the glass factories profited from the presence of coal-mines in the Charleroi area.

IRON

Until the 19th century metallurgic ovens were fueled with charcoal. However, in the England of the late 18th century new production methods were invented, such as ovens and steam-machines fueled by pit coal. Therefore, areas where coal-mines could be found started to introduce these new production methods. The iron industry in the Charleroi area started to boom at the beginning of the industrial era in 1827 when the first coke-fueled oven was opened there. One of the most important iron factories became the 'Forges de la Providence' in the suburb of Marchienne-au-Pont. (1832). At the end of the 19th century new ovens were built for the new production of steel. Because of the continuous pressure for modernization in a competitive international environment a lot of iron and steel factories were continuously created, abolished, regrouped and fusioned. Since 1981 most of the remaining factories belong to the Cockerill Sambre group.

GLASS

Glass production is very coal-consuming. Charleroi was, therefore, an almost natural area for the development of the glass industry. Around the middle of the 18th century the existing glass factories attracted German glass blowers who introduced new techniques. The original production of vases and bottles gradually changed in a plated glass production, most of which was exported. The same evolution takes place in this industrial sector as in the iron industry: in the 20th century the different glass factories are grouped into cartels (Glaverbel, Verlipack, etc.) that still own production plants in the Charleroi area.

COAL

Most Belgians consider this the typical industry of Charleroi. The area is part of the European coal layer that stretches from Wales to the German Ruhrgebiet. The first traces of coal extraction can be found in the 13th century; The people of the area exploited the coal-layers which lay on the surface and which could be worked in the open air. Going deeper was problematic because of the infiltrating ground water. Because of the growing demand for coal  to fuel the glass and iron factories new techniques are introduced such as the Newcomen steam pump which was used for the extraction of the ground water. At the beginning small coal-mining companies are founded which as from 1830 (boom of the metallurgic industry) are more and more controlled by powerful financial groups. 

These financiers provided the necessary funds for the technological development of the industry. Coal mining in Charleroi reaches its height of production between 1901-1910. After the Second World War numerous Italian immigrant workers move to Charleroi in the hope of finding a better life, which they initially do. However, the international competition is such that the Belgian state has to subsidize the exploitation of the coal-mines to such a degree that the survival of this industry becomes impossible. In 1984 the last coal-mine in the area was closed. One of the coal-mines is forever engraved in the Belgian national memory : in 1956 a fire killed 262 workers (mostly of Italian origin) in the mine of Bois du Cazier. After the closing of the coal-mines and the crisis in the iron and glass industry, new industrial development zones were created on the abandoned factory and coal-pit grounds.

Museum of Industry : 
rue de la Providence, 134 - 6030 Marchienne-au-Pont. (open from 1March to 30 Nov)
Glass Museum : 
Boulevard Defontaine, 10 - 6000 Charleroi (from 1 January to 31 December, except Mondays)

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