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Ypres

Once a bustling centre of industry ranking alongside Bruges and Ghent, it's now impossible to reference Ypres (Ieper in Dutch) without acknowledging the huge role it played in WWI. After its almost total annihilation, the town was rebuilt to its former specifications – a monumental task – to serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives here in the Great War. Its restored Lakenhalle is one of Belgium's most spectacular buildings.

Ypres has become a place of pilgrimage for many. It's the gateway to the Salient (aka Flanders Fields), a bow-shaped bulge that formed the front line around town; some 300,000 Allied soldiers and up to 200,000 civilians and German troops lost their lives here.

In recent years visitor numbers from Commonwealth countries have soared; plan your visit well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Explore Ypres

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Ypres.

  • Museum

    In Flanders Fields Museum

    No museum gives a more balanced yet moving and user-friendly introduction to WWI history. It’s a multisensory experience combining soundscapes, videos,…

  • Memorial

    The Last Post

    Every night at 8pm, traffic through the Menin Gate is halted while buglers sound the Last Post in remembrance of the WWI dead, a moving tradition started…

  • Memorial

    Menin Gate

    A block east of Grote Markt, the famous Menin Gate is a huge stone gateway straddling the main road at the city moat. It's inscribed with the names of 54…

  • Cemetery

    Ramparts CWGC Cemetery

    One of Ypres' most attractive military graveyards, this Commonwealth War Graves Commission site is found 1km south of the Grote Markt.

  • Historic Building

    Lakenhalle

    Dominating the Grote Markt, the enormous reconstructed Lakenhalle is one of Belgium’s most impressive buildings. Its 70m-high belfry has the vague…

  • Historic Site

    Ramparts

    Ypres is unusual in that it has retained extensive sections of its city fortifications. Designed by French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de…

  • Museum

    Merghelynck Museum

    Unrelated to WWI, this museum faithfully reproduces a French manor house dating from 1774 and is filled with period antiques and artworks. The catch: it's…

  • Church

    St-Maarten en St-Niklasskerk

    Directly behind the Lakenhalle, this vast church was a cathedral until 1797 and was almost totally destroyed in WWI. Reconstruction has beautifully…

  • Visitor Centre

    Gateway to Ypres

    This excellent visitors centre should be your first port of call if you're a Commonwealth citizen looking for information about a family member who died…

  • Amusement Park

    Park Bellewaerde

    This grand-scale high-adrenaline amusement park is the perfect place to give the kids a break from the histories of war.

  • Gate

    Rijselpoort

    This medieval gate marks the entrance to the Ramparts Cemetery.

  • Museum

    Musée de la Rubanerie

    This unexpectedly fascinating museum celebrates the ribbon-making industry, Comines’ economic mainstay since 1719. On weekends, passionate, knowledgeable…

  • Gallery

    Stedelijk Museum

    This decent little gallery is set in a three-storey 1555 almshouse complex. Exhibitions change regularly but usually feature 19th-century paintings.

  • Chapel

    Museum Godshuis Belle

    A single small chapel room featuring some unexpectedly high-quality medieval art, mostly religious.

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Ypres.

  • Activities