Ypres is best known for being the centre of intense fighting
between the Germans and the Allied forces in World War I, and the
city has a number of monuments that record the tragic events of the
Great War, including the Menin Gate and the poignant 'In Flanders
Fields' Museum.
Although Ypres feels like an ancient city, its buildings are not
original. Everything you can see in the city has been lovingly and
painstakingly restored after the complete destruction caused by
four years of warfare. During the First Battle of Ypres
(October-November 1914), the Kaiser ordered his troops that they
'Take Ypres or die', and die they did. All but for a short period
in October 1914, Ypres remained in allied hands, although at a
cost. The civilians did not leave Ypres until the intense
bombardments during the Second Battle of Ypres (April-May
1915).
Sanctuary Wood Museum, located two miles outside Ypres, houses a
unique collection of World War I artefacts and a preserved section
of the British trenches from almost a century ago.