Things to do in  Ypres

One of Europe’s major World War I landmarks, the Menin Gate Memorial (sometimes known as the Ypres Memorial) commemorates more than 54,000 British and Commonwealth troops who perished in the Flanders region. Many of these soldiers were never formally buried, and their names are inscribed on the historic gate in a lasting tribute.

Covering a hillside near Ypres, Tyne Cot Cemetery is the world’s biggest Commonwealth military cemetery. Home to the graves of 11,954 British Commonwealth servicemen lost in World War I, the site—with its white gravestones and Memorial Wall— is a key fixture on WWI battlefields tours.

Hill 60 was a World War I battlefield in the Ypres Salient battlegrounds of Flanders, named for its height of 197 feet (60 meters) above sea level. It was the site of intense fighting between British and German troops in 1915. Several memorials and monuments are located at Hill 60 to honor the soldiers who fought here during the war.

Located in central Ypres, the In Flanders Field Museum chronicles the history and horrors of World War I as they were played out in the Flanders’ countryside surrounding the city. Named after the WWI “In Flanders Fields” poem; it tells the story of the key battles that occurred nearby through artifacts, testimonials, photographs, and audio-visuals.

A major World War I battle site, Sanctuary Wood stands in what was the Ypres Salient–a bulge of land taken by Allied forces that protruded into the German frontline. Visitors roam the Sanctuary Wood museum and its adjoining British-built trenches before visiting the nearby military cemetery and memorial to Canadian forces, all of them sad testament to the horrors of the war.

The Essex Farm Cemetery is a burial ground and memorial in the Ypres Salient commemorating approximately 1,200 service personnel from World War I. Buried in the cemetery are Commonwealth soldiers who died between April 1915 and August 1917 as casualties at a dressing station in the area, including 103 unidentified soldiers.

The Memorial Museum of Passchendaele 1917 is devoted to one of World War I’s bloodiest offensives—the Battle of Passchendaele. Housed in a Norman-style château in the Belgian village of Zonnebeke, it uses artifacts, memorabilia, and reconstructions to chronicle the battle, those who fought in it, and how the conflict came to epitomize WWI’s misery and senselessness.

The Hooge Crater Museum, outside of Ypres, is known for its life-sized representations of battle scenes that help visitors better understand the history of World War I, especially in Flanders. The scenes include German bunkers, British trenches, and full-scale horses with cavalry troops on their backs. Other displays include an extensive collection of weapons, uniforms, photographs, and other military artifacts.

Visit Beelwarde, on the outskirts of Ypres, to experience an amusement park with a twist. Along with rides for visitors of all ages, the park is home to all sorts of animals, and it doubles as a natural parkland for visitors who want to hike, picnic, or just stretch out and relax.

Situated near the Belgian village of Vladslo, the Vladslo German War Cemetery is the burial place of 35,644 German soldiers killed during World War One. Founded in 1918, this tree-framed and deeply atmospheric cemetery is a stop on many WWI battlefield tours; serving as a reminder of Germany’s losses during the conflict.