Bois du Cazier

Charleroi, Belgium

The Bois du Cazier was coal mine in Marcinelle, Charleroi. It was the scene of a mining disaster on 8 August 1956, when 263 men including 136 migrant Italian labourers lost their lives. The site today hosts a woodland park, memorial to the miners, the pit head, an industry museum and a glass museum. The museum is an Anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

A concession to mine was given by royal decree on 30 September 1822. A transcription error caused the name of the site to be changed from Bois de Cazier. There were two shafts reaching 765 et 1035 mètres. A third shaft, 'Foraky', was being dug in 1956. At that time (1955), annual production was 170,557 tonnes for a total of 779 workers, many of whom were not Belgian but migrant workers principally from Italy. On the 8 August 1956, a fire destroyed the mine. Full production resumed the following year. The company was liquidated in January 1961, and the mine closed in December 1967.

There is a memorial wall to the disaster and a museum of mining and heavy industry. A workshop explains the art of metal forging. Around the two puits (shafts) the site has been landscaped- allowing views from the slag heaps over Charleroi.

Bois du Cazier is one of coal mines described as UNESCO World Heritage Site of Major Mining Sites of Wallonia.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1822
Category: Industrial sites in Belgium

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

victoria nyaga (5 months ago)
We spent most of the day here as there was so much to see. I loved the narrative guide; it was like a conversation between a lady and a gentleman personas who worked in the mine, so I found it alive and captivating.
3N0 (5 months ago)
We spent 5 hours (incl restaurant on the site). The place is very big and very interesting. It is very recommended, also with kids.
Vin Chenzo (7 months ago)
Excellent museum well worth visiting. It teaches you a lot about the industrial revolution and mining in this area and is very in depth with sub museums also inside such as a glass museum. The staff speak good English and the displays also are in perfect English. I spent 2 hours here so this is highly recommended. Free entry also.
Martin Maryas (8 months ago)
All of us should see such places to understand "how did we get to this point of civilization", blood and tears of miners
Marek Sopko (13 months ago)
Excellent! Excellent! the parking lot was full so we parked in a nearby street, the entrance fee is valuable, kind staff speaks English, toilets are for free, the area is quite large, we walked independently with an electronic guide, many exhibits are related to mines and coal, machines, industry, electricity, short the film shows the history of the mine and industry and the minning accident, everywhere was clean, the spaces for visitors are outside and inside, you can spend about 2-3 hours there, interesting even for children, there is a cafe and a restaurant, I highly recommend it!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.