“Ugliest city in the world” found
A city in Belgium full of abandoned factories and industrial plants has been labelled the “ugliest city in the world”.
At one point in the 1800s, Charleroi in south Belgium was known as the “Black Country”, thanks to the booming coal industry.
Then in 1950, oil was used more than coal and the industries slowly moved to the country’s north before Charleroi became abandoned.
The abandoned city soon became notorious for its crime, deprivation and general decline to the point that it was voted as the ugliest city in the world by citizens in 2009.
However, artist Nicolas Buissart has slowly changed that, with tours of his hometown claiming that the label of being the ugliest city in the world was the “perfect marketing opportunity”.
Along with his friend, the pair created a website “Charleroi Adventure” and had people sign up to be given a tour.
“At first, the authorities blamed me for spreading the image of Charleroi as a depressing place,” Buissart told The Sun.
“I explain the history of Charleroi, and then we move to the factories. I have keys to some of the abandoned buildings, so I show people around.
“If the weather is good, we can climb a slag heap – which is the waste material produced from mining. Then there are bars that we can visit.
“For bigger groups, we can have a barbecue by the riverside.”
Buissart also regularly shares photos of the ugly city from his tours, which have since gained traction from locals.
Check out some of his snaps below.
Images: Instagram