Ypres

Ypres, known in Dutch as Ieper, is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. It lies on the river Yser and is part of the historic region of Flanders. Historically a market town, Ypres grew into a major center of cloth production and trade, exemplified by the Great Cloth Hall, a landmark in the city’s central market square.

The city is best known for its role in World War I. From 1914 to 1918, Ypres and the surrounding Ypres Salient became a frontline area disputed by Allied and German forces. The Second Battle of Ypres in 1915 saw the first large-scale use of chlorine gas on the Western Front. The fighting caused widespread destruction and left much of the historic town in ruins. After the war, Ypres was rebuilt to a design that preserved and revived its medieval street pattern and landmarks.

Today, the town center features the rebuilt Cloth Hall and the nearby Saint Martin’s Cathedral. The In Flanders Fields Museum, housed in the Cloth Hall, presents the war’s history with a focus on the experiences of soldiers and civilians. At the eastern side of the city stands the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, where the Last Post ceremony is conducted each evening to honour Commonwealth soldiers who died in the Ypres Salient.

Ypres remains a focus of World War I memory and remembrance, attracting visitors from around the world. It hosts memorials, museums, and commemorations, and serves as a regional hub for the Westhoek part of West Flanders.