IEPER  (YPRES)  WEST FLANDERS.

The town of Ieper (Flemish) Ypres (French) or as it was known by the British Soldiers of World War One (W.W.1) "Wipers", is best known for the worst reasons. Totally destroyed during W.W.1, the town has been carefully rebuilt. Walking around the town today the casual visitor would have no idea of the devastation that took place. The history of the town (as in other towns in the area) was founded on cloth, reaching its peak around the 13th century, with a population of around 40,000. The 14th century saw an economic decline due to many factors including an epidemic in 1316 and as we say today the collapse of the consumer market.

The town was heavily fortified, the first fortifications having been started in 1100 and developed into what we see today, namely the ramparts, they were about the only part of the town not destroyed in W.W.1. Today the town is a major tourist attraction with people visiting the many memorials and cemeteries of W.W.1. 

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND

The town of Ieper is quite simple to find your way around. If you arrive by train it is about half a mile to the grote markt. Proceed along Stationstraat (directly opposite the station) , left along Templestraat, then right along Boterstraat and into the Grote Markt. The Grote Markt is the best place to start your explorations. Most directions will start from the Grote Markt unless stated. The tourist information Office can be found in the Cloth Hall on the Grote Markt .

THE CLOTH HALL (LAKENHALLE)

The original hall was completed in about 1304 and was reputed to be one of the finest Gothic buildings in Europe. It stood until W.W.1, during which it was completely destroyed. The building we see today is a complete rebuild to the original plans. On the first floor is the Flanders Fields Museum, dedicated to the events between 1914 and 1918, it tells the story of the soldiers and civilians of the area and describes the battles and destruction of the town, in fact everything about W.W.1 in the area. Open daily except Mon. Apr-Sept 10.00 to 18.00. Oct-Mar 10.00 to 17.00. Fee payable. Entry ticket can also be used  in other museums including The Bell Almshouse museum, Municipal museum and Municipal Education museum.

The famous archway over the road is a British memorial to the missing. Designed by Sir Reginald Bloomfield and erected on the site of the former Antwerp gate. It bears the names of 54,896 soldiers who died between 1914 and 1917 who have no known grave. Every night at 20.00hrs (8.00pm) members of the local fire brigade sound the last post. 

THE MENIN GATE

The famous archway over the road is a British memorial to the missing. Designed by Sir Reginald Bloomfield and erected on the site of the former Antwerp gate. It bears the names of 54,896 soldiers who died between 1914 and 1917 who have no known grave. Very impressive. Every night at 8.00pm (20.00hrs) members of the local fire brigade sound the last post.

THE BELFRY (BELFORT)

In the middle of the front of the Cloth Hall is the Belfry standing 70 metres high, the spire crowned with a dragon. It is from this tower that the cats are thrown (not live ones these days but stuffed ones) during the festival of cats held every three years on the second Sunday in May. The tower contains a carillon of 49 bells the heaviest weighing 2,494kg all cast by Petit and Fritsen of Aarle-Rixtel in the Netherlands. Concerts are usually given on Saturdays between 11.00 and 12.00 and on Sundays between 16.00 and 17.00.