The neat town of Halle (Fr. Hal) is 15km/9miles from Brussels, not far from the linguistic border, on the Senne and on the canal which links Brussels with Charleroi. Blast furnaces, textile, leather and food processing plants make up the industrial base.
Halle is an important place of pilgrimage on
account of its wonder-working black Madonna statue, donated by Aleydis of Avesnes, wife of the Duke of Hennegau in 1267.
Each year during the middle of Lent, the town of Halle is the site of Carnival. There are floats, costumes and dancers with celebrations that last for three days. This Carnival is considered to be one of the biggest carnivals in Belgium.