Borinage

Borinage is a historic coal mining region in western Hainaut province, Belgium, centered on the city of Mons. During the 19th and early 20th centuries it was one of the principal coal-producing areas of the country, shaping the region’s urban development, demographics, and social history. The landscape features coal towns with industrial architecture, slag heaps, and mining infrastructure that remain as reminders of the era.

From the late 18th century, coal extraction expanded rapidly due to industrialization. The Borinage became a focal point of Belgian mining, drawing workers from rural areas and producing a strong labor movement and social strain that influenced Belgian politics.

The region has a cultural footprint; Vincent van Gogh lived in the Borinage in 1880-1881, producing drawings and influencing his early style. The Borinage is often cited in Belgian literature and art as a symbol of industrial life.

Today, the Borinage is part of Wallonia and the province of Hainaut, with ongoing efforts in urban renewal and cultural tourism that highlight its industrial past. Museums, heritage sites, and local initiatives seek to preserve mining history and revitalize towns that were shaped by the coal era.