Explore Flanders Fields: Visit the CWGC in Ieper, Belgium

The town of Ieper, also known as Ypres, West Flanders, is an area that saw intense fighting throughout the First World War. Known to the British troops based there during the war as ‘Wipers’, the town is intrinsically linked with the war.

Now our home in Belgium, our Ieper Visitor Centre is a vital part of any trip to the Belgian battlefields.

Your journey to the Ypres Battlefields begins here

Our new visitor centre stands at the heart of commemoration in Belgium directly across from the Menin Gate. It forms the perfect starting point when visiting the WW1 battlefields and the cemeteries and memorials when those who fell are today commemorated. Our multi-language team are on hand. You can: 

• Discover more about our cemeteries and memorials in Ieper and the work of our teams in Belgium and around the world.
• Purchase souvenirs from our gift shop. All proceeds are directly invested in our educational and outreach projects worldwide.  
• Purchase your biodegradable wreath – we can even keep it safe for you until the Last Post. 
• Undertake research on the CWGC database – you can discover if we commemorate your relative or let us assist you with a research project and help find the graves you’re looking for. 
• Join a guided tour of the Menin Gate - learn more about the iconic memorial and discover some of the stories of the Commonwealth casualties commemorated there. 

The Visitor Information Centre in Ieper opens on 2 July 2024. 

Sunday: 1 pm - 9pm
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 1 pm - 9pm
Wednesday: 10am - 9pm
Thursday: 1 pm - 9pm
Friday: 1 pm - 9pm
Saturday: 10am - 9pm

The Centre closes to the public for a winter break (2 weeks TBC). 

On significant days when specific important historical events are commemorated, extended opening hours are possible. 

We are dedicated to offering an inclusive experience, ensuring that all visitors, including those with disabilities, can fully enjoy our centre. Wheelchair access is available to the left of the main entrance.  

If you have any questions, or to arrange any added support for your visit please email enquiries@cwgc.org or call us on +32 (0) 5722 4750.

Travelling to Ieper

Our address is:

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Visitor Information Centre 
Menenstraat 46, 8900 Ieper, Belgium

EXPLORE CWGC IEPER / YPRES WAR GRAVES AND SITES

The trench warfare around the Ypres Salient cost thousands of lives on both sides. Many of our largest cemeteries and memorials can be found in the Flanders region. Some of the closest sites to the town are:

Things to do in Ieper

As well as its ties to the world wars, Ieper has a rich cultural and historical character. There is a huge array of places to see and things to do in Ypres:

The history of Ieper

Ypres was a key strategic point in the front lines having been captured by the British army during the opening months of the war. This advance caused a bulge in the line, known as the Ypres Salient, which was the site of many of the fiercest battles of the war.

Today, the town has been rebuilt but still retains its ties to the war. Ieper is home to the iconic Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing and a number of other CWGC war cemeteries and memorials throughout the region. 

Where is Ypres?

Ypres, or Ieper, is a small city in the province of West Flanders, Belgium. 

The city is close to the France-Belgian border and was the last line of defence against the German push to the French ports of Calais and Dunkirk, which were a vital part of the supply lines between Britain and the Western Front. 

Why is Ypres called Ieper?

Simply put, Ypres is the French language name for the town, and Ieper is the Dutch language name for the town. 

Today, Ieper is the official name, but during World War One, British soldiers would use Ypres, although anglicised to “Wipers” - as notably demonstrated by the soldiers’ publication ‘The Wipers Times’. 

Ypres and WW1

The battles at Ypres and the surrounding areas have become synonymous with the trench warfare that typified the fighting on the Western Front. 

The First Battle of Ypres began in October 1914, as the opposing forces attempted to outflank one another, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. The German forces wanted to push through Belgium and into northern France, whilst the Allied troops' armies sought to hold the channel ports and preserve their important supply routes with the United Kingdom. The battle drew to a stalemate as the weather worsened, ending on 22 November 1914, although a few ineffective operations were launched throughout the winter months. 

The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 when German forces attacked Allied lines in the north of the Ypres Salient, an area where Allied lines were surrounded on three sides by German-held territory. The battle was notable for one of the earliest uses of poison gas by German forces. The Allied defenders were pushed 3 miles closer to Ypres, although they retreated a German breakthrough did not materialise. 

The Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, began in July 1917, lasting for more than three months before it ended in November 1917. In what was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, the Allies made an initially successful assault, before becoming bogged down by bad weather and strong German defences. In drier weather in September and October, British Empire forces achieved success with limited attacks intended to ‘bite and hold’ German lines. South African, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian forces would all play an important role.

German forces suffered heavy casualties during the battles of the Menin Road Ridge, Polygon Wood and Broodseinde. In October, heavy rain returned and turned the battlefields into a muddy morass during further fighting at Poelcappelle and Passchendaele. The offensive was finally halted after the capture of Passchendaele in November, and the village would lend its name to popular descriptions of the battle.

Throughout the long years of fighting, the city of Ypres - including its historic cathedral and Cloth Hall - was turned to rubble by German artillery. In 1920, King George V awarded the Military Cross to the city, which also received the French Croix de Guerre. While the city has since been rebuilt, the scars of the Great War are still evident, with many WW1 cemeteries, memorials and monuments to those that died. 

Ieper war memorials

Such was the ferocity of the fighting around the Ypres salient, that many of our largest and most well known cemeteries and memorials can be found in or nearby Ieper. 

One of the most famous war memorials in the world, the Ypres Menin Gate, is a key part of the city and home to the nightly Last Post service, where residents and visitors to the city pay tribute to all those who died during the war. 

The CWGC’s New Irish Farm cemetery, Hooge Crater Cemetery and Bedford House Cemetery are located on the outskirts of the city, all of which hold thousands of First World War casualties, and the Tyne Cot Cemetery and memorial can be found just a short drive from the city.

Ieper, seen through the Menin Gate at night, (photo: Dirk Debleu)