Rising some 75m above the city centre, the aptly named 'Blue Tower' is Charleroi's most eye-catching new building. Designed by celebrated French architect Jean Nouvel, the tapering blue-brick landmark houses the city's police headquarters. The adjoining buildings – redesigned by the same firm – house dance studios and artist residences for Charleroi/Danses, a rather surprising pas de deux between law enforcement and the performing arts.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.84 MILES
The typically austere exterior doesn’t give much away, but Victor Horta’s former home (designed and built 1898–1901) is an art nouveau jewel. The…
28.92 MILES
One of Brussels’ overlooked architectural wonders, this splendid Napoleon III–style palace
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27.8 MILES
Set on the grounds of a former Cistercian Abbey, this 65-hectare park is home to more than 5000 animals (including pandas, koalas, gorillas and lemurs)…
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18.3 MILES
Dominating the town, Namur's mighty fortress covers a whole hilltop with ramparts, tunnels and grey walls. What you see now is more 19th and 20th century…
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19.26 MILES
The inventive and touchingly nostalgic Hergé Museum celebrates the multitalented creator of comic-strip hero Tintin with an engaging, inventive and…
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18.64 MILES
Inaugurated for the 2015 bicentenary, this showpiece underground museum and visitor centre at the battlefield gives some detail on the background to…
29.72 MILES
Parc du Cinquantenaire was built during Léopold II's reign. It's best known for its cluster of museums – art, history, military and motor vehicles – which…
Institut des Sciences Naturelles
29.56 MILES
Thought-provoking and highly interactive, this museum has far more than the usual selection of stuffed animals. But the undoubted highlight is a unique …
Nearby Wallonia attractions
2.14 MILES
This sizeable complex occupies a mine site where a horrific accident killed 262 miners in 1956. A gripping multilingual video commemorates that; admission…
2.68 MILES
One of Europe’s biggest and most impressive photography museums, it has an engrossing collection of historic, contemporary and artistic prints. Don’t miss…
6.21 MILES
With origins in the 7th century, but destroyed post–French Revolution in 1794, this atmospheric monastery is a mixture of picturesque ruins, surviving…
8.91 MILES
Looming high above the village is Thuin's 1639 stone bell tower topped with five slate spires and numerous gilded baubles. Apart from the (loud!) bells…
5. Musée de la Bataille de Ligny
8.99 MILES
At Ligny, against Blücher's Prussians, Napoleon won his last victory. Battle fans can visit the memorabilia-filled Musée de la Bataille, with two floors…
10.28 MILES
Around 6km south of Thuin, the Distillerie de Biercée is a great opportunity to see inside one of Wallonia's classic fortified-farm complexes. This one is…
10.37 MILES
The village of Sombreffe's castle has a particularly fine quiver of variously shaped towers. If the gate's open, you can wander in to have a peek at the…
8. Château de Corroy-le-Château
12.26 MILES
Built by the Count of Vianden, this impressive 13th-century castle is a photographer's wonderland, with impressive stone towers, a majestic chapel and an…