The coal mine of Hasard de Cheratte
An example of medieval and neo-gothic architecture, the coal mine of Hasard de Cheratte is situated in Cheratte, a section of the town of Visé in the province of Liège. Its construction started in 1850, and it was one of the first electric-powered mines in Belgium. Closed in 1877 after an accident and re-opened 30 years later, it mined coal until 1977. Composed of four mine shafts and various towers of different heights and designs, Hasard de Cheratte is symbolic of Belgium and the forgotten coal mine economy of the past. Today, almost 40 years after it closed its doors, its industrial relics provide valuable insight into the end of an era.