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Coming from the four corners of Belgium and of Europe, the people of Charleroi are the result of successive interbreeding (Walloon , Flemish, French, German, Polish, Italian). The number of Italians grew significantly following the "fight for coal " and the agreement on immigration signed between Belgium and Italy in 1946.
Some people of Charleroi also brought their know-how to Russia and the United States, more precisely to Pennsylvania where they founded a city called (Charleroi).

The two centres of the city are situated around two squares. The oldest one is the Place Charles II . It lies in the upper town. The town hall built in 1936 by Joseph Andre in neo-classicist style has Art Dιco decorations on the inside. The town hall harbours two museums : the Musιe des Beaux Arts (with 19th and 20th century paintings) and the Jules Destrιe museum (a famous Walloon politician who lived from 1863 to 1936). The main church around the square is the Saint-Christopher Basilica, built in Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. The dome of the Basilica and the mosaics in the choir date from 1956. The 'Place du Manθge' is dominated by the 'Palais des Beaux Arts' (palace of fine arts), a concert and theatre hall. Close to the Palace of Justice is another museum worthy of a visit. In the 'Musee du Verre' (Glass museum) the visitor can learn all about the glass industry which was once the pride of Charleroi. Most of the seats of the commercial and financial companies are concentrated in this part. It is also here that the important annual Mardi Gras of the city takes place. The boulevard Joseph Triou is situated on the old bedding of the Sambre river which flows through Charleroi.

The region of Charleroi, economic leader in Wallonia, is ideally located at the heart of Europe. Although small by size, Belgium can be characterized by its pronounced orientation to international trade. Charleroi played a predominant role in the industrialization of Continental Europe. This industrial tradition still constitutes the force of Charleroi. A strength which your business should take opportunity of Major multinational companies such as Caterpillar Inc., Smithkline Beecham, Asea Brown Boveri and Gec Alsthom have taken advantage of Charleroi's unique location for their manufacturing and logistics operations.

Charleroi exhibition centre - has the biggest exhibition centre in Wallonia playing host to trade fairs which attract more than one million visitors every year. Charleroi is a particularly attractive region to invest in, whether you set up new business or expand existing facilities. Incentives packages are among the highest in the European Union, and take the form of cash grants, soft loans, industrial research grants, training grants and tailor made training programmes. Regional investment companies can also provide venture capital to small and medium sized enterprises. Depending upon company turnover, nature of activity, investment capital and number of jobs created, aid may go up to 40% gross of your investment.

The Brussels-Charleroi canal passes through a good part of the province of Brabant and can be navigated by bicycle along its entire length from the centre of Brussels to the city of Charleroi.
On this trip, you would see boats loaded with coal, sand, oil and other commodities, you would pass by three types of canal locks - regular locks, vertical lifts and the inclined railway lift at Ronquieres. You would also pass by some of the basic industries that still exist in Wallonia such as the Forge de Clabecq and the paper mill at Virginale.

Castles - The Tower of Gosselies (15th century), Gosselies The Cartier Castle (17th-19th centuries), Marchienne-au-Pont The Tower of Serna Castle, Jumet Avenue des Fusillιs, 2 - industrial zone The Castle of Monceau (17th-18th centuries), Monceau-sur-Sambre The Mondron Castle(19th century), Jumet The Tower of Mont-sur-Marchienne (16th century), rue Cardinal Mercier, Mont-sur-Marchienne.

The Museum of Photography - The museum houses over 60,000 images and 2,500 cameras, and has a regular program of impressive exhibitions. There is over 2,000 square meters devoted to the history of photography, from the pioneers to contemporary artists, by way of pictorials, modernists, surrealists and committed photo journalists. The space also boasts a discovery area, a library, documentation centre and bookshop. The Museum of Photography at Charleroi is recommended for lovers of the photographic image.

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