Send Gift Baskets to Châtelet, Belgium

In paleolithic times, settlers were attracted to the Châtelet site by the river ford, nearby wooded areas, and flint-rich highlands. Until the Germanic invasions of the 4th and 5th centuries, this region was continuously inhabited by Celtic, then by Gallo-Roman populations. The land was likely part of the estate of Louis the Pious in the 9th century. In a text from the 12th century, the name Châtelet appears for the first time when its territory was given to the cathedral chapter of Liège. A perron symbolizes the charter of rights obtained by Châteaulet in 1220. Liège became an important administrative, cultural, and economic center under the protection of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, which hosted four annual trade fairs and a weekly cattle market. In 1655, it was named one of the prince-bishopric’s 23 bonne villes (chief cities). In contrast, the economies of Châtelet and its neighbors, including Châtelineau and Bouffioulx, were dominated by agriculture.  

It was in the 18th century that the regional economic power shifted from Châtelet to the newly founded neighboring city of Charleroi. The various strengths of the day (Spain, France, Austria) also fought for supremacy in this region at this time. In the late nineteenth century, coal and heavy industry drove the entire Sambre valley economy. As a result of the industrial revolution, Châtelet’s population grew by a factor of 5 in less than a century; Châtelineau’s population grew by a factor of 20 between 1811 and 1950 to more than 18,000 people. There are many streets in the city that date back to that time. As well as cultural activities, artistic talent flourished.