Busy streets and the cheerful demeanour of its inhabitants distinguish the interesting city of Charleroi, capital of Belgium’s Black Country and a powerhouse of the nation’s economy. There are two main districts: the Upper Town (around the town hall ... Read more. Busy streets and the cheerful demeanour of its inhabitants distinguish the interesting city of Charleroi, capital of Belgium’s Black Country and a powerhouse of the nation’s economy. There are two main districts: the Upper Town (around the town hall with its distinctive belfry) and, to the south, the more commercial Lower Town, on a former islet in the River Sambre. Charleroi is the birthplace of the comic magazine Spirou. << Minimise description