Châtelet

Geschiedenis

Châtelet is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, on the river Sambre. As of January 1, 2006, Châtelet had a total population of 35,621. The total area of the municipality is 27.03 km² which gives a population density of 1,318 inhabitants per km². It is composed of three separate entities: Châtelet, Bouffioulx and Châtelineau. Châtelet was a long established independent city prior to its fusion with the other entities.HistoryOrigins and Middle AgesThe first settlers of the site of Châtelet, dating from paleolithic times, were attracted by the ford on the river, the nearby wooded areas and flint-rich highlands. This region was continuously populated, first by Celtic, then Gallo-Roman peoples, until the Germanic invasions of the 4th and 5th century. In the 9th century, the land was likely part of emperor Louis the Pious’s estate. The first occurrence of the name Châtelet appears in a text dating from the time when its territory was given to the chapter of the Liège cathedral in the 12th century. Châtelet obtained its charter of rights in 1220, symbolized by the perron. The protection later afforded by the Prince-Bishopric of Liège made the city into an important administrative, cultural, and economic centre, which could boast four annual trade fairs and a weekly cattle market. It became one of the 23 bonne villes (main cities) of the prince-bishopric in 1655. While Châtelet’s economy was dominated by artisanal guilds and trade, that of its neighbours, including Châtelineau and Bouffioulx, remained mostly agricultural.