[fr] 
[es]Hasard collieries, Cheratte
| Type | Aerial view | Country | Date | Status | Rating | |
 Factory | Here ! |  Belgium | 2005-02-02 | Abandoned | **** |
|
Photo of the mine shaft number 1,
depth 170m, dating from 1907.
The Neo-Gothic Coal Mine...
The building of these collieries began in 1860. Closed in 1977, the coal mine in Cheratte belonging to 'Les Charbonnages du Hasard' still retained 600 miners, but during the production peaks this number was over 1500. It was the first coal exploitation electrically powered in Belgium.
Thirty years later, the site is still here, right in the middle of the small town of Cheratte. Everything has been left there, and the cultural heritage of this site is incredible. These abandoned places have been sold to a private owner that let sadly everything rust, although the site was listed as an historical monument in 1982.
Remains go from the miner safety helmet and gas mask to the workforce archives. Local associations fight for the rehabilitation of the site but unfortunately nothing happens.
The site itself is composed of nice medieval-like buildings. We visited it luckily on a sunny morning and enjoyed it. To explore it all, you would need a couple of days...
I was there just a month ago. Saw it from the expressway and it was quite difficult to find the building. After i was there, i asked a neighbour how its possible to come in and he showed me the normal entrance and told me that i just jump/climb over it.
This was very easy. Inside the location, it was just fantastic. Unfortunately i had no time, cause i was on my way back to germany. I was there for about 40 Minutes.
There is a way in, not an easy way though! You have to get up on the small mountain behind the building and then take a small path leading down to the place. It's very steep, so make sure you have good shoes with you!
I was there last week, and the place is still fantastic! There seem to live some people there now and then though. A friend of mine went in to a room that was cleaned and it was obvious that someone lived there. We also heard a few times that we weren't alone in the building.
Thanks for Forbidden Places, it's always wonderous to pop in now and then and catch up with your new explorations and adventures (those feisty Catalonias are fun!) or just to look back on the archives. Great stuff, keep diggin'!
Amazing pictures - I guess places like that are hard to find outside of Europe...
gorgeous... I recently photographed some abandoned buildings as well. but none of them compare to THIS ONE
you were sooooooooo lucky to have entered the place
@ Matthias ..... Cheratte betritt man nicht durch die Türe... ;-))
Been there on September 13, 2009 and haven't found a way in.
Every gate, door or window is locked with brand new locks and/or chains
would like to see more of this one if you get a chance---- I didnt feel like I saw enough of it somehow---but as always the pics you got were great
No way inside? 
come on 
Sometimes the doors are even open
You can find adress of lots of locations with the google map tool on the website. Just drive to a street close to the arena and open your eyes !
Also where checking out lots of locations this week , so if any one wants to join , just let me know
Went to the mine , but there was no way inside , 2 all the people that are planning to head over there in the future .
There were papers on the gate , that they have got plans to demolish ( But i were pappers of jan 2008)
I would really love to go to several places mentioned at this website, but unfortunally the most of them are without any adres. Sometimes (but really rarely) at least with a map.
It would be great to have city, street / houseno. and roughly area discription.
My last trip to Liége cost too much time regarding to the fact that we had to asked at least 8-10 people to find the old barracks.
Thanks in advance.
What a nice walk down memory lane for my landlady to see her dad's workplace.