This is a second part of my photo journey to Belgian region of Pays Noir, Black country. In the first part I explored the city sights of Charleroi, the region's capital, and the overall feeling of this very particular region. You can find the first part here.
A friend born and raised in Charleroi told me Charleroi was always doing great when the world was miserable. And so when the world recovered from the misery of the last world war Charleroi's wealth and progress vanished, the stagnation slowly turning the city into the wasteland it is now.
In 1977 the neighbouring towns were merged together with the core of Charleroi, forming the biggest city in this region. As the last act in their publice service mayors of these towns decided to spend the remaining budget on new sport and cultural centres.
They would all have a swimming pool, a gym and a theatre hall, all in one building.
The faux art nouveau architectural style was used to invoke a feeling of luxury in factory workers, miners and their families. It was an overly ambitious populist move the future of which did not seem bright from the very beginning.
The decline in local economy meant a lack of funding and the inevitable end has come. The buildings now lie abandoned, crumbling down together with the rest of the city.
In 1986 a project for additional metro line connecting northeast suburbs to the city center was finished. The stations on this line never had a train pass through and they are being slowly consumed by surrounding nature.
After protests from environmentalist one of the biggest power plants in Belgium, responsible for as much as 10% of Belgian CO2 emissions was closed down.
There is some symbolism in this act - the monster from Charleroi's past dies but with it dies the biggest source of power for the city, leaving it to its cleaner yet not so bright future.
This power plant is not the only abandoned industrial complex in the city. Huge areas are covered with dark decaying steel jungle. Some of them are used for occasional movie shoots, the others lie empty like shed skins of transformed insects reminding you of city's glory days.
These immense complexes of concrete and metal look like postmodern fortresses, rising high up supported by thick pillars of steel and concrete they feel almost indestructible.
If you are interested in seeing the city for yourself I can give you a hand with finding people who can tell you more or even show you around.
