Ypres, memory of the First World War

Around Ypres you cycle through the Heuvelland, which extends along the French border. You cannot ignore the First World War in this region. During that terrible time, Ypres was besieged on three sides, a front that became infamous as the Ypres Salient, the Ypres Salient. Domain De Palingbeek and its surroundings turned into a large battlefield, where thousands of soldiers lost their lives. The landscape still preserves deep scars in the form of bunkers and cemeteries. Everywhere you come across cemeteries of the Allies, the rows of white tombstones still make a crushing impression. Further along the route, in Zonnebeke, the dark history of WWI resurfaces in Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917.'Passchendaele\\\' is not only an episode from the history of the First World War, it has also become a household name , an international symbol for war violence in its most gruesome form. In 1917, more than 400,000 soldiers were put out of action here in a hundred days for a territorial gain of only a few kilometers. Ninety years after the start of the Great War, the municipality of Zonnebeke opened a brand new museum in the castle grounds on Anzac Day 2004. In the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, the successor to the Streekmuseum Zonnebeke, you can walk through the five battles of Ypres using impressive photographic material, a carefully selected collection of historical objects and various lifelike dioramas. Walking in a German trench or descending into a unique 6 m deep British dugout with communications and dressing station, headquarters and sleeping accommodations, this is only possible in the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917. A must if you are in the area. When you return to Ypres, visit the In Flanders Fields Museum, a modern and interactive war museum. Do you need a counterpart for all the gruesome memories of WWI? Then take a look at the Belle Almshouse museum, with the most beautiful pieces from the rich collection of the Ypres OCMW. Not to be missed is the painting depicting the Blessed Virgin. She is surrounded by the donors Yolente Belle, Joos Bryde and their children. It was painted in 1420, making it one of the oldest paintings in Belgium. In addition to other paintings by old masters, the museum houses some remarkable furniture such as a unique linen press from the 17th century and the only'tapestry\\\' in Ypres public property: an altar veil from the 17th century.