to Namur. CHARLEROI. 18. Route. 219

Beyond a deep cutting a beautiful undulating and wooded district
is entered. 641/ M. Courcelles - Motte is the junction of the line to
Piéton (p. 216) via Trazegnies, the church of which contains the
*Tomb of Gillon de Trazegnies and Jacqueline de Lalaing, by Du-
quesnoy (branch-line to Jumet-Brilotte, p. 158). Steam-tramway
from Courcelles to Tilly (p. 244). — 621/2 M. Roux. — 64M. Mar-
chienne-au-Pont (360 ft.), near which, to the W., lies the chateau
of Monceau, the property of Baron Houtart, with rich collections of
pictures and other works of art. To Mons via Piéton, see p. 216.
65 M. Marchienne-Est. To Luttre via Jumet-Brilotte, see p. 458.

The lofty chimneys of coal-mines, furnaces, iron-foundries, and
elass-works are seen in every direction. There are no fewer than 7)
different seams of coal in the vicinity of Charleroi, some of which
extend to a depth of 3000 to 4000 ft. — The Charleroi Canal is
crowded with shipping. We now reach the Sambre, which we cross
repeatedly before arriving at Namur.

67 M. Charleroi. — Hotels. Héren Srepertz, Quai de Brabant 18,
near the station, with café-restaurant, 20 R. at 3-4, B. 4 fr.; Horen
BEUKELEERS, Rue du College 22, with café-taverne; Granp-HdTeL, Quai de
Brabant 19; these three all good; Héret pz L’Evrore, Rue du College 27,
at the cor of the Rue du merce; HOTEL-RESTAURANT DE L’ ESPERANCE,
Rue de la Station, 32 R. at 1!/2-21/2, B.%/s, D. 2-3 fr. — Railway Restaurant. —
Grand-Café du Thédtre, Place du Sud. — Post & Telegraph Office, near the
station. — Electric Tramways.

Charleroi (840 ft.), a town with 27,600 inhab., the centre of the
S. Belgian iron industry, was founded by Charles I. of Spain in
1666, in honour of whom the name (Charnoy) of the village which

then occupied the site was changed to Charleroi. Under Louis XIV.

 
 

 

   
    

 
 

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it was fortified by Vauban. In 1794 it was besieged four times by
the French, to whom it was ultimately surrendered on the eve of the
Battle of Fleurus (p. 245). The fortifications were converted into
promenades in 1868. — The principal railway - station (Charleroi-
Sud)

 

situated in the lower part of the town. On quitting it we
sed straight on, then cross the canal and follow the Rue de la
Station and the Rue du Collége. Beyond the church of St. Antoine,
which contains good examples of the native painter F. J. Navez
(p.lxxii), we cross the Place du Sud diagonally and then the Sambre.
Beyond the river we ascend to the left, via the Rue de la Montagne
and the Rue Charles-Deux to the (4/4 hr. from the station) Place
du Centre, in which is the Hétel de Ville. — In the Boulevard
Audent, which is intersected by the Rue de la Montagne, is the
Palais de Justice; and at No. 12 in the Boul. Jacques-Bertrand
is the Musée Archéologique, containing prehistoric, Roman, and
Frankish antiquities found in this district, and also a mineralogical
cabinet (adm. Sun. 10-5, Tues. & Thurs. 1-5; to strangers at other
times also for a fee).

Steam-tramways ply from Charleroi via (5 M.) Montigny-le-Tilleul to
(U/2 M.) Thuillies (see pp. 213, 220); to (2'/2 M.) Mont-sur-Marchienne; via
Marcinelle to Nalinnes; vid (2 M.) Lodetinsart (p. 244) and Chdtelineau to