# Les Charbonnages du Hasard Cheratte, Cheratte, Belgium - February 2011



## RedDave (Mar 7, 2011)

This is my second visit. Here are [ame="http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=419537"]the photographs taken during my first visit in 2008[/ame]. There has been some deterioration during the past three years.

The mine is situated in the small town of Cheratte just outside of Liege, and was constructed during the 1860s. The mine had 1500 miners at its production peak and 600 at closure in 1977. The deepest shaft (over which there sits a concrete tower) is 480m deep. The mine is a protected monument.

Inside the rightmost of a pair of adits:






Off the right hand side, facing into the mine.





Looking further into the mine beyond a brick wall which blocks off the adit. I decided not to proceed because of the risk of bad air.





Looking back towards the entrance.





Looking into the adit. The brick wall, with a hole, can be seen at the end.





A tower near the adits.

A gothic style structure resembling a castle has been built over the first shaft, and contains two wings containing mostly facilities where the miners could have their showers.





Winding gear at the top of the tower over the first shaft. It has suffered some vandalism. Also, the chair from which it was controlled (visible in my earlier report) has gone missing.





Lockers in the one of the wings.





Showers, obviously.





Inside an office.





A third adit, locked.





Some sinks in shower rooms.















A lift shaft.





Winding gear at the top of shaft 2 (the 480m one).





The 'castle' containing the tower over shaft 1, viewed from the tower over shaft 2.





A view of Cheratte, with the Meuse beyond, viewed from the tower over shaft 2.





The lift shaft for shaft 2.





Shaft 3, across the road.





View from shaft 3 towards shaft 2 (left) and 1 (right).


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## King Al (Mar 7, 2011)

Another of my favourite Belgium sites!! Good to see more of the mine its self and well done for climbing that tower


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## Foxylady (Mar 10, 2011)

King Al said:


> Good to see more of the mine its self and well done for climbing that tower


Totally agree...on both points!  Love seeing the lift shafts and winding gears and a lot more exterior shots of the buildings. Nice one, Dave.


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