Hasard Cheratte is a former coal mine located in Cheratte, a small town near Liège, Belgium.
History
A mine has existed on the site of Hasard Cheratte since the the 1860's, it was one of many that existed to exploit the abundant coal fields of the Liège basin. The main building, build over shaft 1 consists of a gothic castle-esque winding tower with additional washrooms and similiar facilities. A more modern, concrete tower was constructed over shaft 3, the deepest shaft (480 metres). The mine was abandoned in 1977 and is now a designated Belgian protected landmark.
The Explore
After waiting for an age for the bus from Liège to Cheratte, we finally arrived in the late afternoon. Cheratte seems like a town which has a lot to offer urban explorers, not only does it have the mine in question but we also saw numerous abandoned buildings on the way into the small town. Access to the mine was interesting but relatively easy. A bold frontal assault from the main road is certainly possible but the more patient and investigative explorer can gain easy access from a different direction.
From the outside its not immediately clear whether you're exploring an industrial complex or an old chateau, however once inside, the building begins to reveal rusted mining machinery, catwalks and staircases. Climbing to the top of the winding tower provides both panoramic views of Cheratte and the rest of the complex as well as heavy mining machinery.
Many of the various outbuildings are unfortunately quite empty, with a few exceptions, however despite this the rest of the site still provides interesting architecture and photo opportunities.
Would certainly recommend it if you're in that neck of the woods. The whole site can be thoroughly explored in a few hours, although the rest of Cheratte may provide more exploration if your planning a whole day in the area.
The Photos
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
History
A mine has existed on the site of Hasard Cheratte since the the 1860's, it was one of many that existed to exploit the abundant coal fields of the Liège basin. The main building, build over shaft 1 consists of a gothic castle-esque winding tower with additional washrooms and similiar facilities. A more modern, concrete tower was constructed over shaft 3, the deepest shaft (480 metres). The mine was abandoned in 1977 and is now a designated Belgian protected landmark.
The Explore
After waiting for an age for the bus from Liège to Cheratte, we finally arrived in the late afternoon. Cheratte seems like a town which has a lot to offer urban explorers, not only does it have the mine in question but we also saw numerous abandoned buildings on the way into the small town. Access to the mine was interesting but relatively easy. A bold frontal assault from the main road is certainly possible but the more patient and investigative explorer can gain easy access from a different direction.
From the outside its not immediately clear whether you're exploring an industrial complex or an old chateau, however once inside, the building begins to reveal rusted mining machinery, catwalks and staircases. Climbing to the top of the winding tower provides both panoramic views of Cheratte and the rest of the complex as well as heavy mining machinery.
Many of the various outbuildings are unfortunately quite empty, with a few exceptions, however despite this the rest of the site still provides interesting architecture and photo opportunities.
Would certainly recommend it if you're in that neck of the woods. The whole site can be thoroughly explored in a few hours, although the rest of Cheratte may provide more exploration if your planning a whole day in the area.
The Photos
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
