Explo re W W I o utside the c lassro o m

Transcription

Explore with your class WWI -
in FLANDERS FIELDS
Explore WWI outside the classroom
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in FLANDERS FIELDS
Explore WWI outside the classroom
This booklet brings together inspiring initiatives in various
counties and cities around the First World War. Use this guide to
create your own WWI trip and wander off the beaten track.
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PREFACE
This guide, produced by Visit Flanders in partnership with the Province of
West Flanders, aims to help tour operators and teachers organise field trips
to WWI sites for English-language primary and secondary school pupils.
The guide provides dozens of ideas for enriching the experience for the
children. You will find the most famous WWI memorials on the Western Front
in Flanders listed in these pages but also many other locations in Flanders
Fields and the wider area that tell the story of occupied Belgium. In other
words, besides the ones we have all heard of, there are many smaller sites
worthy of a visit.
Moreover, this guide covers tips for visiting a memorial, teaching resources
for preparing a trip, interesting websites, accommodation, alternative
transport, how to organise a multi-day trip, and information on the
cultural programme GoneWest, including the unique sculpture project
‘ComingWorldRememberMe’.
We profoundly hope this information will inspire and help you to schedule
trips to Flanders Fields with your school groups. They are most welcome
– we consider it our duty to pass on the legacy of WWI by offering them a
quality educational and visitor experience.
Geert Bourgeois
Minister-President of Flanders
Flemish Minister for Foreign Policy and Immovable Heritage
Myriam Vanlerberghe
Commissioner for Culture, Province of West Flanders
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This guide provides you with an overview of the educational facilities for each
9 Introduction
site. We also list the ticket prices, the category (museum, visitor centre,
military cemetery, monument, etc.), provide brief descriptions, addresses
10 Tips for a visit to a memorial
and contact information.
12 Inspiration and teaching resources about WWI
There is also a map with symbols that inform you of what exactly you will find
at a location. Two symbols, ‘guide’
and ‘educational package’
, show you
15 Gonewest / CWRM
when you can make use of either the guide or an educational package.
18 Youth accommodation centres
Are you travelling to Flanders Fields with a pupil/group of pupils with
a disability? The wheelchair symbol
is used in this guide to indicate
19 Restaurants
accessibility. Some sites are independently accessible, but there are others
that do require additional assistance or planning. You will find detailed
21 Sites
accessibility information about the sites indicated with the wheelchair
symbol in the following brochures: Great War Centenary – Accessible for all
73 Transportation
and Great War Centenary – Tips for visually impaired visitors. Further info:
www.visitflanders.com
80 Suggestions for tours
84 Fascinating WWI – websites and applications
SITES
Most visited sites
85 Cross-border projects
Other interesting sites
21 Diksmuide
44 De Panne
24 Nieuwpoort
46 Heuvelland
26 Poperinge
51 Houthulst
31 Ypres
53 Koekelare
38 Zonnebeke
54 Komen - Ploegsteert
56 Langemark-Poelkapelle
59 Messines
67 Ostend
68 Roeselare
70 Veurne
87 Other visitor attractions in Flanders
89 Contact Information
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INTRODUCTION
In 2002, the Province of West Flanders decided to combine all initiatives on
the theme of the Great War into one network: War and Peace in Flanders
Fields.
The initiative is supported by Flanders Fields itself (museums, associations,
local authorities, etc.), but the run-up to the centenary also saw the
emergence of numerous quality educational initiatives from outside of the
Flanders Fields region.
All of these initiatives contribute to the ‘learning from war’ aspect of
education about WWI. It is crucial for the story of the Great War to be
directed towards the responsibility of memory and a clear message of peace.
The range of educational facilities is so extensive that the Province of West
Flanders in partnership with Visit Flanders has assembled them all into
a guide full of inspirational programmes and activities organised by the
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various towns to assist you in planning your field trip to Flanders Fields.
TIPS FOR A VISIT TO A MEMORIAL
¬ Consider well in advance what you want to achieve by visiting a particular
site with your pupils.
¬ Remember that a memorial site never tells just one story. The way that a
place is commemorated can be an interesting subject in itself.
¬ Give your pupils the opportunity to explore a place at their own pace and
make time later to talk about it with them.
¬ Look for objects, images, stories, poetry or music that you can link to the
site.
¬ Visit memorial sites in your area. This makes pupils aware of local history.
¬ Wherever possible, allow your pupils some say in the planning of the trip
and let them be the guide now and then.
¬ Remember that the sites you visit are no playground. It is proper to visit
these World War 1 sites with great respect for those who have fought and
died here.
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Source: Province of West Flanders in partnership with the Special Committee for
Remembrance Education
INSPIRATION AND TEACHING
RESOURCES ABOUT WWI - WAR
AND PEACE NETWORK
WEGWIJZERWOI.BE (WWI MANUAL)
TOUCHSTONE 14-18
The 2014-2018 commemoration seeks to provide support for individuals who
are involved in or who wish to undertake a project on WWI. For this purpose,
Touchstone ’14-’18 was developed, a tool and/or guide to bringing a project to
fruition.
The website www.wegwijzerWOI.be is a collabo-
‘Learning from the War’ is an aspect of war studies that the Province of West
ration between the Province of West Flanders
Flanders has been keen to promote for a very long time. The story of the war
and the Province of Antwerp for the European
should be one with a clear message of peace. Remembrance education is
project Great War. Visitors can search in depth
based on three very important
by topic, timeline, target group or location from
factors: (1) knowledge and insight;
a wealth of material about WWI (projects, sites
(2) empathy and solidarity and (3)
and monuments, books, websites, songs, edu-
reflection and action. We elaborate
cational material, etc.). It is available in English,
on these three factors using
French and German from January 2016.
challenges, ideas, opportunities
and concrete educational projects.
Further info? www.wegwijzerWOI.be
We also link this programme with
educational attainment targets.
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Lastly, there is an appendix:
background information on WWI. This touchstone wants to help as many
This application gives an overview of what there is to see and do in
people as possible to develop interesting and worthwhile projects on the Great
Flanders fields and aims to provide teachers and students with inspiration
War.
for their field trip. As part of the commemoration of World War I in Belgium,
young people have the opportunity to create their own film projects using
digital storytelling, which stimulates critical and creative thinking. They learn
www.west-vlaanderen.be/genieten/cultuur/advies/oorlog_vrede/Documents/
Touchstone.pdf
how to analyse historical photographs, write a script and score a film. The
emphasis is placed on how and from what perspective they tell their story. The
exercise sharpens their sense of history and the cross-curricular approach
can function as a stimulus for a school
project focused on WWI. This application
RESPECT! – COMMONWEALTH
WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
is designed for students in the second
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission ensures that commonwealth
and third year of secondary education.
people who died in the first world war will never be forgotten. They care for
hundreds of cemeteries and memorials in Flanders Fields. They are also
Further info? Type 14-herd18 and
download the free application. The
application is available from Appstore and
Google Play Store.
dedicated to providing high quality learning resources that are fit for all ages.
Have a look at http://www.cwgc.org/respect/default.htm
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14-18 ON FILM FOR TABLET
GONEWEST: CULTURAL COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT WAR
CENTENARY
‘To go west’, an expression attributed to a Native American belief, means ‘to
die’ but it acquired a more literal meaning during the First World War. For
the men at the Allied Front, this journey of the dead west to meet the setting
sun became more than just a metaphor. The British, French and Belgians
occupied the western part of the Western Front, which dissected West
Flanders and northern France from the north to the south. They were forced
to bring their dead and wounded to the west.
This saying had the dual function of disguising the slaughter and destruction
of the war and making it very present. Furthermore, with the German
invasion, the war in Belgium moved from east to west through the country
until both sides dug in for four years on the Western Front. GoneWest,
which was launched in 2014, is, therefore, an apt name for an artistic
commemoration of the war years in the Province of West Flanders. This
cultural act of remembrance brings together numerous life stories in a
historic context. GoneWest unlocks these stories, large and small, through
music, dance, theatre, literature and visual arts. If you would like your class
to participate in any of the many activities, please click the link to check the
programme: www.gonewest.be
This event is ‘Intro ok’, which means that it provides facilities for people with
a disability. Further info: www.intro-events.be
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COMINGWORLDREMEMBERME
From 2014 to 2018 thousands of people spread over Flanders and the rest
of the world can participate in workshops to make 600,000 sculptures
out of clay: one for every victim of the First World War in Belgium. All the
sculptures will together form the land art installation CWRM that will be
implemented on the no man’s land of the frontline around Ypers.
Becoming a godfather or godmother of a sculpture costs €5. Half of this
goes to charity organisations that help children who nowadays suffer due to
current war situations.
Every godfather and godmother receives a certificate of participation with in
it a dog tag and a CWRM-stamp. Each sculpture will be identified by a dog
tag. On this dog tag we will put the name of a godfather/godmother and the
name of one of the victims mentioned on the ‘The Name List’ composed by
the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres.
In the spring of 2018, the installation will be mounted in one of World War
One’s most contested spots: the no man’s land of the frontline around Ypres.
The clay sculptures will be placed between two large works by the artist
Koen Vanmechelen.
The impressive land art installation ComingWorldRememberMe will
remind us of the uselessness of war: in the past, present and future.
generational symbol of peace.
Visit one of the sculpture workshops in Newport or Ypres and play a part in
this project.
www.cwrm.be
This event is ‘Intro ok’, which means that it provides facilities for people with
a disability. Further info: www.intro-events.be
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ComingWorldRememberMe is intended as a cross-border and cross-
OR visit In Flanders Fields Museum + guided tour along North Ieperboog
Evening: Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate
Day 3 Boat ride on the Yser, unaccompanied visit to the Trench of Death
(Dodengang) and guided visit to the Yser Tower.
For more information please contact:
Flemish Youth Hostel Association / Vlaamse Jeugdherbergen vzw
Beatrijslaan 72, 2050 Antwerpen
T +32 (0)3 232 72 18, F +32 (0)3 231 81 26, E schoolklassen@vjh.be
www.youthhostels.be
Are you looking for a wheelchair accessible youth hostel? The booklet ‘Allin – Accessible holiday accommodation in Flanders and Brussels’ (hostels,
youth and group accommodation centres) provides an overview of accessible
hostels in the area. A label system shows whether a hostel is independently
‘Europa’ Hostel in Bruges
accessible
or with assistance
.
Further info: www.visitflanders.com
ACCOMMODATION
The Outsider coast has three places of accomodation for groups in Newport.
Further info: www.theoutsidercoast.be/en/locations
Flanders Fields offers a wealth of accommodation options, from hostels
to hotels, making it easy to plan a trip to this historic area. Hostels are the
perfect starting point for group and school trips. They offer a range of quality
facilities that ensure your group has an enjoyable and rewarding stay.
RESTAURANTS
Visit the website www.flandersfields.be/en/accommodation. Hotel rooms
The Flanders Fields region offers a large choice of restaurants in every price
can be booked online using the booking tool. Hostel rooms must be booked
range. Websites for each town/city provide information about local restaurants.
directly. All contact details can be found on the website.
www.toerisme-ieper.be
www.toerismepoperinge.be
You may wish to combine a battlefields visit with a city visit and stay in one
www.toerisme.diksmuide.be
of the other cities in Flanders, such as Bruges or Ghent. The Flemish Youth
www.nieuwpoort.be
Hostel Association (VJH) has extensive experience hosting groups and schools.
www.zonnebeke.be
For example, the hostels in Bruges, Kortrijk (new hostel), Oostduinkerke and
Ostend (new hostel) offer World War I themed programmes.
Information about restaurants elsewhere in Flanders is available from
Example of a 3-day programme:
www.visitflanders.com.
Day 1 Free time, or an activity to be chosen together
Day 2 Visit Talbot House in Poperinge and Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
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MOST VISITED SITES
DIKSMUIDE
MUSEUM ON THE YSER
€ 2.5 • Museum
The first Yser Tower was inaugurated in 1930 as a memorial to the Flemish
soldiers who died on the front. During the Second World War, the site was the
setting for collaborators. The Yser Tower was destroyed during an attack in
1946, but a new tower was erected in 1965. The remodelled Museum on the Yser
tells the history of the Belgian-German front during the First World War. There
is a clear mandate for the museum: ‘No more war’. The Flemish struggle for
independence is also explained. Schools can have guided tours in English by
prior arrangement. An educational package is available for secondary schools.
Address - Contact:
Museum on the Yser
IJzerdijk 49, 8600 Diksmuide
T +32 (0)51 50 02 86, E info@aandeIJzer.be
www.aandeijzer.be (only in Dutch)
THE TRENCH OF DEATH
The Trench of Death in Diksmuide is the only remaining Belgian trench
from the First World War. In 2014, the interpretation centre was totally
refurbished. Visitors learn the story of the infamous Trench of Death with the
aid of fifteen interactive applications, life-size pictures, film footage and over
one hundred original artefacts. Life and death in the trenches is portrayed
and personal stories of the soldiers who lost their lives here provide a
moving experience of the history of war. You walk across a gigantic aerial
picture from 1916 that allows you to compare the landscape as it was with
how it looks today. A nearby German bunker was incorporated into the tour
last year. This enables us to tell both sides of the war story.
There is an educational booklet available at the reception counter for €1
which is aimed at primary school pupils and families with small children. For
school groups, we recommend a guide.
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Individual visitors 4 € - Groups 2 € • Interpretation centre and historic site
BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERY
Free • Military Cemetery
This is the resting place of 628 fallen Belgian soldiers. During the Battle
of the Yser (October 1914), the recapture of the hamlet of Keiem failed. The
soldiers died in the confusion of the retreat to the hamlet of Tervaete across
the Yser.
Address:
Keiemdorpstraat 143A, 8600 Keiem
Contact:
Tourist Office
Grote Markt 28, 8600 Diksmuide
T +32 (0)51 79 30 50
E toerisme@stad.diksmuide.be
GERMAN MILITARY CEMETERY VLADSLO
You can download the preparatory educational tool on the website
www.klm-mra.be.
The young volunteer soldier Peter Kollwitz is buried in this German military
cemetery. He was not yet 18 when he was killed in October 1914. Deeply
“The teachers were also very satisfied with the dedication and enthusiasm of the
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guides.”
“I heard everyone say... we have to come back!”
Primary School De Klimming Primary School, Sint-Jan Primary School, SintVincentius Primary School and GO Affligem
The visitor centre is wheelchair accessible, but not the trenches.
Address:
Trench of Death (Dodengang) interpretation centre and historic site
IJzerdijk 65, 8600 Diksmuide
T +32 (0)51 50 53 44
www.klm-mra.be
Reservations via “Toerisme Diksmuide”
toerisme@stad.diksmuide.be
T +32 (0)51 79 30 50
affected by the death of her son, Käthe Kollwitz created the famous sculpture
‘The Grieving Parents’. The cemetery contains the graves of 25,645 soldiers.
Address:
Houtlandstraat 3, 8600 Vladslo
Contact:
Tourist Office Diksmuide
Grote Markt 28, 8600 Diksmuide
T +32 (0)51 79 30 50
E toerisme@stad.diksmuide.be
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“They were moved at times and the visit to the Trench of Death… left an impression.”
NIEUWPOORT
WESTFRONT NIEUWPOORT
€ 3,50 groups 7-25 years, children up to 6 years: free • Visitor Centre
Address - Contact:
Kustweg 2, 8620 Nieuwpoort
T +32 (0)58 23 07 33, E westfront@nieuwpoort.be
www.westfrontnieuwpoort.be
Westfront Nieuwpoort tells the full story of the flooding of the plains, which
€ 5 • workshop
The perfect place to tell the story of this inundation is the King Albert I
From 2014 to 2018 thousands of people spread over Flanders and the rest of
monument on the edge of the lock complex The Ganzepoot. A modern,
the world can participate in workshops to make 600,000 sculptures out of clay:
interactive visitor centre is located underneath the monument. The
one for every victim of the First World War in Belgium. All the sculptures will
projection of the 377 foot long and 49 foot high animated Yser Panorama
together form the land art installation CWRM that will be implemented on the
painting forms a highlight of the visit. Last but not least, do not forget to visit
no man’s land of the frontline around Ypres.
the top of the monument itself and enjoy the panoramic view over the coast
Get involved in this unique project and come and make your own sculpture in
and the hinterland.
our workshop in Newport. This is open for individual participants from Tuesday
To assist with the preparation of your educational field trip, a brochure is
This event is ‘Intro ok’, which means that it provides facilities for people with a
available from Westfront Nieuwpoort.
disability. Further info: www.intro-events.be
to Saturday between 1:30pm and 6pm. Group workshops on demand.
The educational package covers a trip to the visitor centre as well as a boat
trip in the harbour entrance and the Yser estuary, in which comparisons
are made between the current situation and that which people would have
encountered in 1914.
Address - Contact:
Bommenvrij
Schoolstraat 48, 8620 Newport
E cwrm@vzwkunst.be, www.cwrm.be
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brought the German invasion to a halt at the outskirts of the city. It is the story
of the power of the sea and of a daring strategic decision to open the locks.
Contact:
Tourist Office Poperinge:
T +32 (0)57 34 66 76, E toerisme@poperinge.be
WWI Department:
E lijssenthoek@poperinge.be
TALBOT HOUSE & CONCERT HALL
€ 5 euro per pupil • Museum
In late 1915, the army chaplains Philip ‘Tubby’ Clayton and Neville Talbot
opened a soldiers’ club in Poperinge, the British ‘town behind the front’. This
alternative venue for soldiers to meet and relax was to become the most
famous of all the British army clubs. Soldiers discovered a home from home
here, a place to forget about the war. In this ‘Every Man’s club’, all ranks
were welcome, from ordinary soldier to senior officer.
The museum offers a virtual tour during which visitors follow ‘Tubby’s Story
Tablets’. These guides lead you through the house and tell the fascinating
story of this place using photographs, videos and audio clips.
The tablet tours are available in several languages and for different age
groups. A group tour is offered for schools in which pupils are divided into
small groups that can then explore the house together.
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Generally a group visit starts in the old Concert Hall, where a video
DEATH CELLS AND PLACE OF EXECUTION
introduction about the past of Poperinge and Talbot House is shown. For
Free access – monument
an overview of the options please consult the website of the museum. On
The courtyard of Poperinge Town Hall was used as a place of execution
request, a British cup of tea can be served after the introduction.
during the war. Here, British soldiers found guilty of desertion, treason or
murder would face the firing squad. Today it is an emblematic site that is
The permanent exposition gives you an idea of what daily life behind the front
dedicated to reflection and remembrance. In the death cells, visitors are
was like by looking at themes like medical care, life in the soldiers’ camps
confronted with a cinematic impression of a soldier waiting to be shot at
and holding morality high. To encourage students to discover each theme for
dawn. There is also graffiti on the walls left by the condemned prisoners.
themselves, a range of supportive materials was developed. These can be
Book a guide: for details and prices, please contact the Tourist Office (max.
found on the website of the museum or you can ask for them at the museum
30 people per guide)
reception.
Address:
Guido Gezellestraat 1
8970 Poperinge
Open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Throughout the year several temporary exhibitions and events are also being
organized at Talbot House. For the current programme please have a look at
the calendar on the museum website.
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POPERINGE
The museum is wheelchair-friendly, but Talbot House and the garden are not
accessible by wheelchair.
Address - Contact:
Talbot House Gasthuisstraat 43, 8970 Poperinge
T +32 (0)57 33 32 28, E info@talbothouse.be
www.talbothouse.be
LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY VISITOR CENTRE
Free entry • Book a guide (max. 30 people per guide).
For details and prices, please contact the Tourist Office
Visitor centre and cemetery
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery is a prime witness to the effects of over four
years of violent warfare. From 1915 until 1920 the hamlet of Lijssenthoek
was the venue for the largest evacuation hospital in the Ypres Salient. Today,
the cemetery provokes reflection on the meaning of the Great War. The visitor
centre offers interesting information on this unique site. Discover the story
of Remy Siding, a group of Casualty Clearing Stations and of the cemetery,
the largest hospital cemetery in the Ypres Salient and the last resting place
of almost 11,000 victims representing 30 different nations. Nellie Spindler is
the only woman who is buried in a CWGC cemetery in Belgium.
Information includes a timeline, a map of the cemetery, the history of the Great
War and the events and non-events relating to the Ypres Salient, Poperinge
and Lijssenthoek. Explore the touch table using search tools that cover names,
dates, regiments, battalions, etc. Find the exact location of a grave on the
cemetery map. Browse hospital diaries or ask a question. View slideshows,
displays showing donations and archaeological objects, a 3D film and more.
Listen to thirty audio clips of readings from letters, war diaries, registers,
etc. by witnesses from the past and present - whispering to you from behind
the walls. Read the story on the calendar of one of the victims who died
on the same day of your visit so long ago. Print the page and let the story
guide you to that one specific grave. View the photo wall of 1,400 portraits:
the faces behind the headstones. Walk to the cemetery along a footpath
lined with 1,392 poles and let the cemetery map guide you to a place of
remembrance.
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YPRES
Address:
Boescheepseweg 35A
8970 Poperinge
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
€ 5 • workshop
Contact:
Tourist Office Poperinge
T +32 (0)57 34 66 76, E toerisme@poperinge.be
WWI Department
E lijssenthoek@poperinge.be
www.lijssenthoek.be
From 2014 to 2018 thousands of people spread over Flanders and the rest of
the world can participate in workshops to make 600,000 sculptures out of clay:
one for every victim of the First World War in Belgium. All the sculptures will
together form the land art installation CWRM that will be implemented on the
no man’s land of the frontline around Ypers.
Get involved in this unique project and come and make your own sculpture in
our workshop in Ypers. This is open for individual participants from Tuesday to
Saturday between 1:30pm and 6pm. Group workshops on demand.
This event is ‘Intro ok’, which means that it provides facilities for people with a
disability. Further info: www.intro-events.be
Address - Contact:
Kazemat, Bollingstraat 5, 8900 Ypres
E cwrm@vzwkunst.be, www.cwrm.be
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Car park – Toilet facilities
FROM THE BLUFF TO DIE GROSSE BASTION
Booklet € 4 • Walk
The provincial estate De Palingbeek during the Great War. A
themed walk (not signposted) in the series ‘Stories for the
road’. Walks of 10 km, 7.5 km and 4.3 km in the West Flemish
Hills region.
Address - Contact:
De Palingbeek Visitor centre
Vaartstraat 7, 8902 Ypres-Zillebeke
T +32 (0)57 23 08 40, E bc.palingbeek@west-vlaanderen.be
IN FLANDERS FIELDS MUSEUM
€ 4 • Museum
The museum focuses on the events of the First World War in Flanders
Fields from the human perspective of people from all over the world who
shared the same story. Now that the witnesses are no longer with us, the
museum presents the war landscape as the last remaining tangible witness.
Information pillars form the basis for an educational tour. Schools that book
a trip to the Ypres Salient through an educational service automatically
receive poppy bracelets containing 4 real-life personal stories that are
linked to the tour. Pupils are confronted with places where important events
took place and find themselves standing on the exact spots where the
central figures of the stories were given medical care or, in the worst cases,
were buried. This brings long-ago stories back to life. Besides the themed
walks, cycle rides and bus tours we also offer workshops for both primary
(from the 4th year) and secondary school pupils.
Further information on educational packages: http://www.inflandersfields.
be/en/educational-activities
There are some special facilities for people with a visual impairment.
Address - Contact:
In Flanders Fields Museum
Grote Markt 34, 8900 Ypres
T +32 (0)57 23 92 20, www.inflandersfields.be
Reservations - Petra Delvaux / reservaties.iffm@ieper.be
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MENIN GATE
Free • Monument
The Menin Gate is the most famous Commonwealth War Memorial in
Flanders and perhaps the world. Tens of thousands of soldiers passed
through here on the way to the front, many of them never to return. Opened
in 1927, the memorial bears the names of 54,896 soldiers who were
reported missing in the Ypres Salient between the outbreak of war and 15
August 1917. After this date, names were engraved on a memorial at Tyne
Cot due to a lack of space.
The Menin Gate was designed in the classical style by Sir Reginald
Blomfield. Every night at eight o’clock sharp the resounding bugle call of
the volunteers from the Ypres Last Post Association, who are members of
the Ypres Voluntary Fire Brigade, pay their respects to the fallen under the
Menin Gate.
The central hall is wheelchair accessible, but not the ramparts.
Address – Contact:
T +32 (0)477 27 00 61, E info@lastpost.be
www.lastpost.be
HOOGE CRATER MUSEUM - ZILLEBEKE
€ 2 • Museum
In the place where one of the fiercest battles of Ypres was fought and
directly opposite the Hooge Crater Cemetery, you will find a unique WWI
Free • Monument - Military Cemetery
museum located in a restored church. The museum houses an extensive
This Canadian monument is situated at Hill 62 in Zillebeke. In 1916, Maple
collection of weapons, equipment and original photographs and presents
Avenue formed the Canadian frontline and was later planted with maple
reconstructions of war scenes.
trees in memory of the many Canadian soldiers who died here. There
A new section of the museum, opened in 2012, functions as a space for
were fierce battles fought for this hill in June 1916. Today, you can enjoy a
temporary exhibitions and a screening room where you can discover the
wonderful panorama of Ypres from here.
battlefields around the Hooge Crater from a new perspective.
There are various educational activities for primary and secondary school
Address:
Canadalaan, 8902 Zillebeke
pupils. Details are sent to you online upon reservation.
Address- Contact:
Hooge Crater Museum
Meenseweg 46, 8902 Zillebeke
T +32 (0)57 46 84 46, E info@hoogecrater.com
www.hoogecrater.com
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HILL 62 - SANCTUARY WOOD
SAINT-CHARLES DE POTYZE
The Saint Charles de Potyze cemetery in Ypres contains the bodies of over
4,000 French soldiers, including 600 unidentified men who found their last
resting place in a mass grave. A Breton pieta watches over the dead.
Address:
Zonnebeekseweg, 8900 Ypres
Contact:
Tourist Office Ypres,
T +32 (0)57 23 92 20, E toerisme@ieper.be
ESSEX FARM - SITE JOHN MC CRAE
A total of 1,185 soldiers are buried at Essex Farm, including one of the
youngest casualties of the war: Valentine Joe Strudwick, who was just 15
took over the sector and the underground battle began. It was probably here
that on 17 February the first British mines were detonated. Many soldiers
dressing station was housed. It was in one of these primitive ‘dug-outs’ that
and tunnellers died in the dark tunnels and still lie buried there. Hill 60 is a
the Canadian military doctor John McCrae wrote his world-famous poem ‘In
cemetery without headstones.
Flanders Fields’ in early May 1915.
Address:
Diksmuidseweg naast nr 148, 8900 Ypres
Contact:
Address:
Zwarteleenstraat, 8902 Zillebeke
Contact:
YORKSHIRE TRENCH & DUG-OUT
HILL 60
Free • Monument
Free • Monument
When a new industrial area was developed along the Ypres-Yser canal in
This hill was formed by earth excavated for the construction of a railway
1992, evidence of the war was discovered at a 60-70 cm depth. Unexploded
bed. In 1914, German troops captured the hill from the French. The British
ammunition, structures and human remains were found. In close
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years old when he was killed.
Beside the cemetery, you can still see the concrete bunkers in which a
consultation with specialists, the trench was restored along its original
route, which included the entrance and exit to a deep dug-out from 1917.
Information panels provide a clear explanation of the site for visitors.
Address:
Industrial zone along the Ypres-IJzer canal
Bargiestraat, 8904 Boezinge
Contact:
In Flanders Fields Museum
ZONNEBEKE
MEMORIAL MUSEUM PASSCHENDAELE 1917
€ 4 • Museum
In Passchendaele, over half a million soldiers were wounded or went missing
over the course of 100 days in 1917, while the frontline was only pushed
back a few kilometres. Over one hundred thousand soldiers died on the
battlefields around Passchendaele. The museum wishes to keep the memory
five sections: a historical military overview of the First World War, the Dugout
Experience (with a reconstruction of a dressing station, workshops, kitchen,
toilet facilities and sleeping quarters), a section about the international
dimension of the war, the Trench Experience (reconstruction of a network
of British and German trenches) and a remembrance gallery. The museum
is housed in the historic chateau grounds of Zonnebeke, which includes the
brand new Passchendaele Memorial Park with its Poppy Garden for each
nation that fought.
The educational package comprises two parts:
1) Educational manual for a hands-on museum experience. The museum
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of this tragedy alive. The Passchendaele 1917 Memorial Museum consists of
mascot, Olly, makes the First World War easier to understand and more
approachable by guiding children through the museum. He tells exciting
stories and brings the past to life by setting interesting interactive
assignments (max 50 people, primary schools).
Passchendaele Memorial Park
2) ‘Platoon Experience’, an educational package for secondary schools
soldiers. The graveyard can be reached from the Memorial Museum
(from 14 years). This ‘Platoon Experience’ offers pupils the chance
Passchendaele 1917 along a 3 km (2 mile) walking and cycling path. The
to play a soldier from 1917 and experience one day of the Battle of
modern visitor centre provides a view of the battlefield and further insight
Passchendaele: 4 October 1917.
into and information about the battle.
Address - Contact:
Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917
Berten Pilstraat 5/A B- 8980 Zonnebeke
T +32 (0)51 77 04 41, E info@passchendaele.be
www.passchendaele.be
TYNE COT CEMETERY
Free • Military Cemetery and visitor centre
This is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission military
cemetery in continental Europe, with almost 12,000 tombstones. The
Both the visitor centre and the cemetery are wheelchair accessible.
Address:
Tynecotstraat, 8980 Passchendaele (parking Vijfwegestraat)
Contact:
Tourist Office Zonnebeke
Berten Pilstraat 5/A, 8980 Zonnebeke
T +32 (0)51 77 04 41, E toerisme @zonnebeke.be
www.zonnebeke.be
www.passchendaele.be
back wall of the graveyard is inscribed with the names of 34,957 missing
BUTTES NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
This British cemetery is located in Polygon Wood. The name ‘Buttes’ refers
to the shooting mound of a pre-war Belgian military training ground. At the
top of the hill stands a memorial to the 5th Australian division, and the New
Zealand Memorial to 383 missing New Zealand soldiers can be found at the
back of the cemetery.
Address:
Lange Dreve, 8980 Zonnebeke
Contact:
SCOTTISH MEMORIAL FREZENBERG
This memorial is the only one on the former Western Front dedicated to all Scots
and all those of Scottish descent who fought in France and Flanders during WWI.
This memorial also remembers those men of the South African Brigade who,
throughout the war, fought with the Scots as part of the 9th (Scottish) Division.
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Address:
Ieperstraat, Zonnebeke
Contact:
85TH CANADIAN MEMORIAL
This monument was the first one to be erected in the region. It honours
the memory of the 85th Canadian infantry (Nova Scotia) Battalion, which
suffered heavy losses during the Third Battle of Ypres in late October 1917.
Address:
Passendalestraat, Zonnebeke (at the height of number 84) – Reachable by grassy path
Contact:
Kasteelpark, 8980 Zonnebeke
NEW ZEALAND MEMORIAL AT ’S GRAVENTAFEL
Free • Monument
the Battle of Broodseinde on 4 October 1917. This attack by ANZAC forces
successfully pushed forward the allied trench line in the early part of the
Passchendaele offensive but was followed by the inadequately prepared
attack of 12 October 1917. The memorial was unveiled on 2 August 1924 by
the New Zealand High Commissioner in London, Sir James Allen, who had
been Minister of Defence in New Zealand during the war.
Address:
‘s Graventafelstraat, 8980 Zonnebeke
Contact:
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This memorial commemorates the New Zealand Division’s participation in
OTHER INTERESTING SITES
DE PANNE
De Panne played an important role during World War I due to its prominent,
strategic position in the unoccupied territory behind the Yser river. The town
Address:
Kerkstraat 67, 8660 De Panne
Contact:
Culture Department
Zeelaan 21, 8660 De Panne
T +32 (0)58 42 97 53, E cultuur@depanne.be
was also home to the royal family during the German invasion.
WALKING/CYCLING ROUTE
Free • Walking/Cycling Route
This last resting-place of the dead is the biggest military cemetery in
On the occasion of the centenary commemorations of the Great War, De
Belgium.
Panne developed a free walking and cycling map that links major events,
It was only in January 1918 that the current cemetery was established,
war relics and commemorative monuments. This guide to enriching and
including both military and civilian areas. Today there are 3739 tombstones
moving walking and cycling tours has one message: ‘Never again war’!
located in the De Panne military cemetery.
Here 3,366 Belgian casualties of WWI (of which 811 couldn’t be identified),
36 French casualties from WWI (of which three couldn’t be identified) and
finally also 342 Belgian casualties from WWII (of which 42 couldn’t be
identified) are buried.
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‘DE PANNE AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR’
Address:
various locations in De Panne and Adinkerke
Contact:
Culture Department
PERMANENT EXHIBITION ‘RED CROSS HOSPITAL’
L’OCÉAN AND DE PANNE 1914-1918’ (12-2014 TO 12-2018)
Free • Exhibition
Early December 1914, the Red Cross received permission from the War
Department to convert the Grand Hotel de l’Océan (a seaside hotel built in
1904) into a frontline hospital. This requisition of the hotel was instigated
by Dr Antoine Depage and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium. The aim was to be
able to provide surgical treatment to the severely wounded as quickly as
possible. On 20 December 1914, the first casualties arrived. When it was
founded, the hospital had 200 beds: this figure increased systematically
until the final offensive in 1918, when there were 1,800 beds. During the
First World War, the hospital treated 24,000 casualties, making L’Océan
the largest Belgian frontline hospital. The hospital comprised a total of
46 buildings. After the war, L’Océan returned to being a hotel and holiday
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residence and during the Second World War once more served as a
hospital. The building was demolished in 1961.
Address:
Kerkstraat 67, 8660 De Panne
Contact:
Culture Department
HEUVELLAND
HEUVELLAND TOURISM
Groups 1,5€ • Tourist Office Documentary Zero Hour
The Kemmel tourist office is a good entry point for a journey of discovery into
the history of WWI. You can watch the documentary ‘Zero Hour’ here, which
tells the story of the Mine Battle of 1917. Combined with a visit to Bayernwald,
you can watch Zero hour for free, otherwise the charge is €1. Reservations
for groups are recommended. There is space for 20 persons in the screening
room.
Address - Contact:
Heuvelland Tourism
Polenlaan 1, 8956 Kemmel
T +32 (0)57 45 04 55, E toerisme@heuvelland.be
www.tourismheuvelland.be
THE POOL OF PEACE
Free • Monument
The Pool of Peace is also known as the ‘Spanbroekmolen Crater’ after
the mill that stood here before the war. Nowadays, it is a peaceful place
of reflection and a memorial to the Mine Battle. On the 17th of June 1917,
British troops detonated 19 underground mines, from Hill 60 to Ploegsteert
(the Wijtschate-Messines Ridge). The blast created huge craters in the
landscape. The Pool of Peace is the largest and most impressive of these
craters.
Address:
Kruisstraat, 8953 Wijtschate
Contact:
Heuvelland Tourism
Temporary relocation from 1 April 2015 to Polenlaan 1, 8956 Kemmel
www.heuvelland.be
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THE LETTENBERG
Free • Monument
The Lettenberg is a hill (97m) near the Kemmelberg. In late 1916, the British
Engineers and Tunnellers began an operation to excavate underground
headquarters. The concrete bunkers form four reinforced concrete shelters,
some of which can be visited.
Address:
Lokerstraat, 8956 Kemmel
Contact:
Heuvelland Tourism
www.heuvelland.be
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BAYERNWALD
€ 1,5 for young people up to 26 years old (tickets are only available from the
Heuvelland Tourist Office) – Free entrance for teachers upon showing their
teacher ID.
Bayernwald is a unique German site in Wijtschate and consists of two
listening shafts, a trench system and four bunkers. The site is accessed via a
footpath through the restored trenches, with information panels that explain
the events of the war and life at the front.
Address - Contact:
Tickets from Heuvelland Tourism
www.heuvelland.be
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FRENCH OSSUARY
Free • Monument
HOUTHULST
The mass French grave at the foot of the Kemmelberg contains the remains of
PEACE MILL
5,294 soldiers, of whom only 57 have been identified. Most of them were killed
Free • Monument
during the Battle of Kemmelberg in April 1918. At the top of the Kemmelberg,
The position of the Peace Mill on the ridge in Klerken soon led to it being
‘The Angel’ looks out over the mass grave and the battlefield. This memorial
used as a strategic observation post by German troops during WWI. On 28
column is 18 m high and represents Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory.
September 1918, the first day of the final offensive, the Germans still held the
The monument ‘The Angel’ is accessible to wheelchair users but the
position but one day later the mill was finally in the hands of the Allies. This
cemetery itself is difficult to access.
put an end to the German occupation of Klerken.
Address:
Kemmelbergweg, 8956 Kemmel
Contact:
Heuvelland Tourism
www.heuvelland.be
GRAVE OF WILLIAM REDMOND
Free • Monument
Today, the restoration of the mill ruins means that the building can once
again serve as a vantage point. A system of metal stairs allows far-reaching
views across the Western Front.
Address:
Molenweg, 8650 Klerken
Contact:
Dienst Vrije Tijd
Markt 17, 8650 Houthulst,
T +32 (0)51 46 08 94, E toerisme@houthulst.be
www.houthulst.be
Despite the fact that Major William Redmond MP was too old to have even
been deployed on a battlefield, he fought and was fatally shot during the
DRIE GRACHTEN (Three Canals)
Battle of Messines. He was carried off the battlefield by John Meeke, a
Free • Monument
Protestant soldier, and reached the Casualty Clearing Station at the Catholic
Drie Grachten is the ideal starting point for a walk through the lovely flat
Hospice at Locre, where he died of his wounds. The nuns buried him in the
countryside or a cycle ride along the water. This was the battleground of the
grounds of the hospice. Later, his body was moved to the Commonwealth
French Zouaves during WWI. The Driegrachten Bridge was an important
cemetery but at the request of his family his body was relocated once more,
outpost in 1914 and 1915 for the Belgian and later the French troops. A
this time to a grave outside the cemetery walls.
plaque on the cafe wall commemorates the Zouaves’ contribution to the
Address:
Godschalckstraat (adjacent to Hospice British Cemetery)
Loker, Heuvelland
Contact:
Heuvelland Tourism
www.heuvelland.be
fighting.
Address:
Driegrachtensteenweg, 8650 Merkem
Contact:
Dienst Vrije Tijd
Markt 17, 8650 Houthulst,
www.houthulst.be
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KOEKELARE
The most famous Belgian military cemetery but not the largest. The
KÄTHE KOLLWITZ MUSEUM
cemetery contains the remains of 1,723 soldiers, mainly Belgians but also 81
€ 1,5 • Museum
Italian prisoners of war. The cemetery is unique for its position on the edge
Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945) was a German expressionist artist. Her son
of the forest and for its unusual star shape. Most of the soldiers buried here
Peter was killed in 1914 immediately upon arrival at the Western Front. The
were killed during the final offensive in 1918. From the cemetery, there are
modernised Käthe Kollwitz Museum shows how the world famous artist
scenic walks through the Vrijbos (woods).
Address:
Poelkapellestraat, 8650 Houthulst
Contact:
Dienst Vrije Tijd
Markt 17, 8650 Houthulst
www.houthulst.be
protested against war and poverty. The museum also tells the story of Käthe
Kollwitz as the mother of a fallen soldier.
Address - Contact:
Tourist Office
Sint-Maartensplein 15B, 8680 Koekelare
T +32 (0)51 61 04 94, E info@koekelare.be
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LANGE MAX MUSEUM
€ 1,50 + € 40 for the guide • Museum
The Lange Max Museum focuses almost exclusively on the German side of
the First World War. Visitors learn about the huge cannon,‘Long Max’, that
was mainly used against Dunkirk, and about living and working behind the
front line. The impressive artillery platform for the gun is within walking
distance of the museum.
Address:
Clevenstraat 2, 8680 Koekelare
Contact:
Lange Max Museum (secretariat)
Oostmeetstraat 61, 8680 Koekelare
T +32 (0)476 21 68 59, E info@langemaxmuseum.be
www.langemaxmuseum.be
COMINES-WARNETON – PLOEGSTEERT
BERKS CEMETERY EXTENSION
PLUGSTREET 14-18 EXPERIENCE
The memorial in Ploegsteert is located in the middle of Berks Cemetery
From €6 per pupil (group of min. 20 pupils with guide) - Centre of
and commemorates 11,447 British and South-African soldiers who fought
interpretation with guided walk
and fell in the immediate area during the Great War and who have no
You will find the Plugstreet 14-18 Experience Interpretation Centre just
known graves. They lost their lives fighting in the smaller skirmishes that
a stone’s throw from the memorial. Here, various aspects of WW1 are
backed the larger offensives.
illuminated using attractive, modern technologies such as touchscreens,
The sounding of the Last Post takes place at the memorial on the first
videos and an interactive map (all available in English). A qualified guide
Friday of each month at 7.00 pm. The centre of interpretation is open until
will take you through the Centre and the surroundings and relate stories
7.00 pm on those evenings.
peppered with anecdotes.
For primary as well as secondary schools there are various educational
activities available with a qualified guide. The duration is from half a day to
We highly recommend combining a visit to Plugstreet 14-18 Experience
a full week.
with one of the outdoor activities (“A walk round Plugstreet”, remembrance
Address & Contact:
Tourist Information Centre of Comines-Warneton
Chemin du Moulin Soete 21, 7780 Comines
T +32 (0)56 55 56 00, www.plugstreet1418.com
office.tourisme.comines-warneton@belgacom.net
locations – Memorial, cemeteries, Christmas Truce – paper chase through
the woods, German Blockhaus) and, for the youngest pupils, the British
soldier’s light meal.
For primary as well as secondary schools there are various educational
activities available. The duration is from half a day to a full week.
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Free • Military cemetery
in warfare: Yemen, Ethiopia, Tokyo and in 2013, Syria. This signpost aims to
bring a strong message of peace.
Address:
Houtlandstraat 3, 8600 Vladslo
POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY
The cemetery where the youngest allied soldier of the war lies buried: John
Condon, aged 14.
Address:
Brugseweg, 8920 Langemark
GUYNEMER MONUMENT
Address & Contact :
Tourist Information Centre of Comines-Warneton
Chemin du Moulin Soete 21
7780 Comines
T +32 (0)56.55.56.00
www.plugstreet1418.com
office.tourisme.comines-warneton@belgacom.net
an elegant stork, which refers to his squadron Escadrille des Cigognes, a
combat unit of the French airforce. Guynemer was one of the great pioneers
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LANGEMARK-POELKAPELLE
GERMAN MILITARY CEMETERY LANGEMARK
The German Military Cemetery Soldatenfriedhof in Langemark-Poelkapelle,
also known as the Studentenfriedhof, is one of Belgium’s four remaining
German military cemeteries from the First World War. Over 3000 cadets
and students volunteers were killed in October 1914 during futile attempts
to break through in the direction of Ypres. For this reason the cemetery is
also known as the ‘Studentenfriedhof’. Its layout and atmosphere are in stark
contrast to what you find in the Commonwealth cemeteries, which makes
it well worth a visit. The ‘Peace signpost’ at the cemetery points to places
where, after its initial use in Langemark, gas has been used as a weapon
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Free • Monument
This monument to the French pilot Georges Guynemer is surmounted with
of aerial warfare with 53 victories, some of his most notable in the skies
above Poelkapelle. It was here that he disappeared on 11 September 1917
during a routine mission. His body was never recovered.
Address:
Guynemerplein, 8920 Langemark
THE BROODING SOLDIER
Free • Monument
This monument was erected in memory of the 2,000 casualties of the 1st
Canadian Division, who were killed during a counter-attack after the German
gas attacks of April and May 1915.
all the Welsh victims of the First World War. Adjacent to the park with the
memorial, there is a plaque commemorating the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn,
where a ceremony of remembrance is held every first Monday of the month
at 7 pm.
Address:
Boezingestraat, 8920 Langemark
Contact for all sites in Langemark :
Tourist Office Langemark-Poelkapelle
Kasteelstraat 1, 8920 Langemark
T +32 (0)57 49 09 41, E toerisme@langemark-poelkapelle.be
www.langemark-poelkapelle.be
Address:
Kruispunt Brugseweg-Zonnebekestraat, 8920 Sint-Juliaan
MESSINES
WELSH NATIONAL MEMORIAL PARK
TOURIST INFORMATION POINT
Free • Monument
Free • Visitor centre
A dolmen of Welsh pennant stone surmounted with a dragon commemorates
This information point is located in the former town hall. The visitor gains
an impression of Messines’ role in history and particularly during the WWI
period: the build-up and the first battles; the prominent role New Zealanders
played during the Battle of Messines, and so forth.
Address - Contact:
Tourist Office Messines
Markt 1, 8957 Messines
T +32 (0)57 22 17 14, E info@mesen.be
www.mesen.be
IRISH PEACE PARK AND PEACE TOWER
Free • Monument
The circular tower in the Irish Peace Park commemorates all the war
casualties of the entire island of Ireland and symbolises transcendence over
religious and political differences. During the Battle of Messines, which
began on 7 June 1917, the Catholic and Protestant divisions fought side by
side to conquer the hill of Messines.
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Address:
Armentierssteenweg, 8957 Messines
Contact:
T +32 (0)57 22 17 14, E info@mesen.be
www.mesen.be
THE NEW ZEALAND MONUMENT
Free • Monument
A New Zealand division was also deployed at the Battle of Messines. The
Australian and New Zealand casualties are commemorated every year on 25
April (ANZAC day).
Address:
Nieuw-Zeelanderstraat, 8957 Messines
Contact:
T +32 (0)57 22 17 14, E info@mesen.be
CHRISTMAS TRUCE MEMORIAL
Free • Monument
The pupils of the British Mildenhall College Academy and of the German
Gymnasium Theodorianum joined forces to create a memorial for the
Christmas Truce. The pupils were fully responsible for both the initiative and
the design itself. The monument is located at the Peace Village Hostel, which
hosts many international projects, and looks over Douve Valley. It was here
on Christmas Eve 1914, in no man’s land, that German and British soldiers
gathered to play football.
www.peacevillage.be
THE MESSINES RIDGE MONUMENT FOR THE MISSING
Free • Monument
This monument is located in the Messines Ridge British Cemetery. It stands
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at the entrance to the cemetery and commemorates the 839 New Zealand
soldiers declared missing in action.
Address:
Nieuwkerkestraat, 8957 Messines
Flanders Peace Field is the non-profit arm of the Peace Village Hostel.
Inspired by the Christmas Truces, the association organises educational
activities and international projects and events related to the centenary of
the Great War. It is also responsible for the Messines football pitch, now
known as the Peace Field, which it initiated.
Contact:
T +32 (0)57 22 17 14, E info@mesen.be
www.mesen.be
100€ per group (no limit) • Evening walk
FLANDERS PEACE FIELD
Today, we continue to be confronted with the consequences of this war. The
MARCH OF THE PHOENIX
This interactive evening walk of remembrance takes place in Messines. A
century after the battle, we set out in search of some of the silent witnesses
of the Great War. Reflection and remembrance are at the heart of this walk.
Educational programme at the Messines Peace Village Youth Hostel • Prices
tour includes a visit to recent additions to the local military cemetery, a talk
vary according to whether the group stays at the hostel. There is a 50%
on the Iron Harvest, a re-enactment of the Christmas Truce and a traditional
discount for residential groups.
Haka ceremony at the New Zealand Memorial. We conclude the walk
with a visit to the beautifully illuminated Island of Ireland Peace Park. By
emphasising ‘forgotten’ topics of the Great War and working both inductively
and interactively, we hope to give the pupils a unique experience. The aim
of this tour is to encourage pupils to decide for themselves how they wish to
remember the war.
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE KIWIS
100€ per group (no size limit) • History walk
On 7 June 1917, the Battle of Messines Ridge took off with the detonation of 19
massive underground mines. The New Zealand Division rushed the site where
the Peace Village stands today and won one of the first big allied victories
of the Great War. Today, the landscape still tells the tale of this impressive
battle with its mine craters, memorials and cemeteries. We take the group
off the beaten track to visit the New Zealand Memorial to the Missing and
some of the latest additions to the cemetery. At the New Zealand Memorial
park we explore the German frontline bunkers. We match aerial photographs
with trench maps and the bunkers on site. We advance in the footsteps of
L Cpl Samuel Frickleton and learn how he won his Victoria Cross. On the
Messines market square, we explore the new visitor centre and view original
equipment, film footage and impressive panoramic photographs. The group
can climb the Messines church tower (+ 30 minutes) to get a good overview of
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the whole salient. The Messines bell tower is home to an impressive carillon
and a medieval crypt, in which Adolf Hitler himself is said to have lived. We
also talk about the Christmas Truces at the Flanders Peace Field and the Irish
involvement in the war at the Island of Ireland Peace Park.
IN NO MAN’S LAND
100€ per group (no limit) • Geocoaching
The Christmas Truces form the central theme for this geocaching game.
In small groups, you visit five to seven locations, such as the Flanders
Peace Field, Messines Church with its medieval crypt and the Island of
Ireland Peace Park. At each site, the groups are set an assignment that
brings the topics to life. During a final period of reflection, we focus on the
Address - contact:
Nieuwkerkestraat 9a, 8957 Messines
T +32 (0)57 22 60 40, E info@peacevillage.be
http://peacevillage.be/en/evening-activities
Always open
“The evening walk was well planned and took account of the children’s
knowledge and interest. There were opportunities to reflect, interactive
elements and enough factual information to engage all the children and
develop their knowledge of the underlying history of Messines during the
First World War. The dramatic reading of the Christmas Truce was very
atmospheric. All was well and carefully supervised. An excellent evening
activity which set the tone for a memorable week. Thank you.”
contemporary link with today’s refugees.
St. Stephens Primary School
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OSTEND
RAVERSYDE ATLANTIC WALL - AACHEN BATTERY
€ 3 per pupil • Museum
Raversyde is home to the only preserved German coastal battery from the
First World War. The site was equipped with guns, observation bunkers and
quarters for troops. In order to protect the ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend
(from which German submarines were operating) from the feared Allied
landing on the beach, the Germans built batteries along the Belgian coast.
The remnants of Aachen Battery were the only ones preserved.
During the Second World War, new defences were constructed on the same
site, which formed part of the Atlantic Wall fortifications. The eponymous
museum introduces visitors to some of the most impressive defence systems
of both wars. That it still exists is thanks to the Belgian Prince Charles, who
lived here until his death and defended the site from demolition.
Audio guides are available in English. English-speaking guides can be
booked. The museum is open from 10:30 am to 5 pm (6 pm at weekends).
Last admission 1 hour before closing time / Aachen Battery 1h15 before
closing time. Groups, schools: by appointment.
Address - Contact:
Provinciedomein Raversyde
Nieuwpoortsesteenweg 636, 8400 Oostende
T +32 (0)59 70 22 85, E info@raversyde.be
www.raversyde.be
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ROESELARE / RUMBEKE
KING ALBERT I AND THE GREAT WAR
Free • Exhibition in chateau + guide (max 50 persons, 55 euros) and
educational package (primary school game)
For the WWI centenary commemorations, an interactive schools package
was developed at Kasteel van Rumbeke on the subject of Albert I and the
Great War. The 4-year project provides pupils with the opportunity to reflect
on this traumatic chapter of history. Powerful links are also made between
the past and the present.
The day is divided into two parts:
• Exhibition in the chateau + educational package with guide (2h)
This exhibition focuses on the underreported role of King Albert I and the
Belgian army during WWI.
With the famous king as the key figure, we guide your class through the
story of ‘Brave Little Belgium’.
Who was this remarkable man in reality, as son, brother, husband, father,
king and commander of the army? And what was the great achievement of
the Belgians?
Bring your class and find out all about it!
• King Game (2h, primary school)
We’re setting off into the great outdoors! The chateau and the Sterrebos
estate are the perfect setting for a historic game.
Primary school pupils gain cross-curricular skills and insights into the war.
Search-and-learn activities enforce learning about war and peace and the
links between the past and the present.
From 2016
In late February 2016, a new section of the exhibition will open that
investigates other aspects of war. For example, the battlefield is not the only
place where decisions are made and besides military considerations there
are also those of the economy and diplomacy. The educational package will
reflect these topics.
A project is already being devised for secondary schools.
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Packed lunches can be eaten in the chateau or as a picnic in the meadow.
Adres:
Kasteel van Rumbeke
Moorseelsesteenweg 2, 8800 Rumbeke
Contact:
T +32(0)51 26 97 18, E info@albert14-18.be
www.albert14-18.be
VEURNE
‘FREE FATHERLAND, LIFE BEHIND THE FRONT’
€2 per person, not inclusive of guide (60€ for a group)
• Experience Centre
Topics such as nursing (Queen Elisabeth, Marie Curie), education (Queen
Elisabeth, Miss Fyfe), entertainment, the foreign soldier, refugees, justice
(Rachel Ryckewaert) and King Albert’s headquarters are all addressed.
An English-speaking guide is available but have to be booked in advance
FRENCH OSSUARY
This military cemetery contains a mass grave where 78 French soldiers are
interred. Another 186 Frenchmen were buried here, including 8 Muslims.
Address:
Oude Vestingstraat, 8630 Veurne
Contact:
Tourist Office Veurne
Grote Markt 29, 8630 Veurne
T +32 (0)58 33 55 31
www.veurne.be
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Address - Contact:
T +32 (0)58 33 55 34, E info@vrijvaderland.be
voor reservatie: E groepen@veurne.be
www.vrijvaderland.be
STEENKERKE
TRANSPORTATION
515 Belgian soldiers are buried behind the church, including 55 unknown
soldiers. The artist Joe English who had an Irish father was originally buried
Several companies in West Flanders hire coaches and minibuses with driver.
here but was later interred in the Yser Tower crypt. He is mainly known for
The following companies are just a selection.
his design of the Heldenhuldezerk, the special gravestone used to mark out
the Flemish fallen hero.
Address:
Achter de Laurentiuskerk, 8630 Veurne
Contact:
T +32 (0)58 33 55 31 www.veurne.be
Albion
Hulkstraat 3, 8380 Zeebrugge
T + 32 (0)50 51 86 88
E info@albion.be
www.albion.be
Keolis
Vlamingveld 6, 8490 Jabbeke
T + 32 (0)50 32 01 11
E info-eltebe@keolis.be
www.keolis-travel.be
Mandel Car
Prins Albertlaan 78, 8870 Izegem
E info@mandelcar.be
www.mandelcar.be
Flamingo busvakanties
Gentsestraat 13, 8530 Harelbeke
T + 32 (0)56 70 24 44
E carine@flamingo-busvakanties.be
www.flamingo-busvakanties.be
Sima Tours
Stattiestraat 205, 8810 Lichtervelde
T + 32 (0)51 54 12 99
E info@simtours.be
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T + 32 (0)51 31 75 74
Suffis
in one direction with brown hexagonal metal plates that feature a poppy. The
Europalaan 6-8, 8970 Poperinge
route maps are available for € 2 per route from the tourist office and can be
T +32 (0) 57 33 34 80
ordered on shop.westtoer.be.
E info@suffis.be
COGGE_GEERAERT, NIEUWPOORT AND VEURNE (24 miles)
Lenoir
This cycling route illustrates the flooding of the Yser plain
Meenseweg 427, 8902 Zillebeke
during the First World War and the roles played by the historic
T 32 (0) 57 20 07 73
figures Karel Cogge and Hendrik Geeraert. It links places
E info@reizenlenoir.be
and monuments that bear witness to this remarkable event
and that recall the sufferings of war: the Albert I Monument
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in Nieuwpoort, the Stad- en Landshuis in Veurne, the Belgian
military cemeteries of Steenkerke and Ramskapelle, the bust
There is coach parking available at the following locations near important
of Karel Cogge, the Ganzenpoot and the Frontzate (former
landmarks:
railway bed).
Ypres: Train station. More info about parking in Ypres: http://www.
THE LEGACY, ZONNEBEKE (22,7 miles )
toerismeieper.be/images/ filelib/folderbusregeling2014low_1579.pdf
The Legacy cycling route starts at the tourist office of the
Poperinge: Peperstraat/Oudstrijdersplein, Sportzone Reningelstseweg -
Zonnebeke chateau park and sets out in the direction of
Ouderdomseweg, Zuidlaan (adjacent to the ring road), Westlaan (adjacent to
Polygon Wood. Adjacent to and in the wood are two British
the ring road), Lijssenthoek military cemetery
cemeteries - an idyllic setting. You will also find several
Zonnebeke: Museum Passchendaele, Tyne Cot Cemetery
German and New Zealand bunkers. The remainder of the
Diksmuide: Yser Tower, train station, 4AD music club
route crosses the villages of Zandvoorde, Geluveld and
Nieuwpoort: adjacent to the King Albert I monument
Beselare, each with numerous monuments. From Beselare
the route heads to Passchendaele, the Old Cheese Dairy and
BICYCLE HIRE
Tyne Cot Cemetery.
You can hire bicycles in the various municipalities:
POP ROUTE, POPERINGE (25,8 miles)
http://www.flandersfields.be/en/cycle-routes
This cycling route follows the traces of the First World War
behind the front, the first stop after the hell of the trenches.
CYCLING ROUTES
For the occasion of the centenary of the Great War, a dozen new recreational
Here, soldiers were stripped of their mud and blood drenched
uniforms and their wounds attended to or their bodies
taken away. Poperinge, or POP as the British called it, was
cycling routes were created with the theme of the First World War. The
inundated with foreign troops over a four-year period. In POP,
circular routes connect numerous monuments, cemeteries and museums
they rested among the locals or were court-martialled for
that commemorate the terrible war period. The paths are an excellent
desertion or for disobeying orders, which often meant death
means of traversing the former battlefields. The itineraries are signposted
by firing squad. Museums and visitor centres remind us all of
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COACH PARKING
the horrors of war. Military cemeteries and hop fields punctuate the tranquil
illustrate this multifaceted history.
countryside
NO MAN’S WATER, LO-RENINGE, VLETEREN, EN ALVERINGEM
YPRES SALIENT, YPRES (22,7 miles)
(27 miles)
The Ypres Salient was formed as an arc-shaped front around
The No man’s water cycle route discovers the area of land between Merkem
Ypres in October 1914. Both camps dug in and fought from
and Noordschote that was intentionally flooded, located between the IJzer
their own trench and tunnel systems. From late May 1915
Front and the Ypres Salient.
to early August 1917, the ‘Small Salient’ remained virtually
unchanged. Half a million soldiers of over 50 different
KÄTHE KOLLWITZ, KOEKELARE (26 miles)
nationalities died here.
This 1914-1918 cycling route is structured around the figure of the famous
The Salient was thus known as one of the most notorious
German expressionist artist Käthe Kollwitz, who created a masterpiece in
zones of the Western Front. This route takes you to the front
the form of the two statues ‘Grieving Parents’, which can be visited at the
lines and past the most important relics of the war.
German Military Cemetery in Vladslo. The new Long Max Museum is also on
this route, a site that sheds light on the German side of the war in this region.
POISON GAS, LANGEMARK-POELKAPELLE (25,8 miles)
YSER 14-18, DIKSMUIDE (25 miles)
gas cylinders filled with chlorine gas along a 6 km stretch
Opening 2 October 2015
of the frontline, between Stampkothoeve and ‘t Halfweghe
In late October 1914, the front came to a standstill at the Yser river. The
huys. That day and in the days to follow, 5,000 soldiers and
Belgian army had been forced to retreat to the Westhoek. The Yser was the
civilians lost their lives and thousands of others suffered the
last line of defence. As the Belgians struggled to repel the German advance,
lifelong consequences of the poison. The use of this weapon of
King Albert I decided to open the locks at Nieuwpoort. The Yser plain was
mass destruction is considered to mark the dawn of chemical
flooded and the Belgian soldiers thus held the last piece of their country. The
warfare. The 41 km route takes you past the most important
Yser 14-18 cycling route takes you along the most important sites of the First
sites relating to this event.
World War in and around Diksmuide. Yser 14-18 replaces the Never Again
War cycling route.
ALLER/RETOUR (THERE AND BACK), ALVERINGEM,
LO-RENINGE, DIKSMUIDE (22,2 miles)
The ‘Aller/Retour’, or ’There and Back’, cycling route follows
in the footsteps of the soldiers of the Alveringem army
CAR ROUTES
barracks as they made the arduous journey to the Trench of
It is also possible to discover the war past in Flanders Fields by car .
Death in the Diksmuide sector, and then back. Various aspects
Westtoer developed three new car routes on the theme of WWI as a result of
of the Great War are covered: life at and behind the front,
the Great War Centenary. These and several other car routes have also been
supply routes, medical evacuations and the military strategy
compiled into a general map: ‘14-18 Car route map’. The route maps are
to defend this very last piece of free Belgium. The ‘Flemish
available for € 6 per route and the general map is available for €5 from the
question’ gives the well-known French term ‘Aller-Retour’ an
tourist office and can be ordered on shop.westtoer.be.
additional significance. A variety of interesting war relics and monuments
These routes can also be used by buses with a few adaptations. Coaches can,
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On 22 April 1915, German troops opened approximately 6,000
however, reach most of the sites using main roads. If you are in doubt, it is
Pioneer car route, Zonnebeke (45 miles)
adviable to contact the tourist office in either Ieper or Zonnebeke.
The Pioneer Route explores the area behind the old
German front of 1914-1918. Today, this area straddles
Ypres Salient car route , Ypres (42 miles)
the borders of France, Flanders and Wallonia. But
The Ypres Salient (known as the Ieperboog in Flemish) was
during the war there were no such borders.
a bulge in the front line. The Germans occupied the ridges
which formed a semi-circle around the city of Ieper. This put
14-18 Car Route Map
the British at a disadvantage, since they were overlooked
Following the commemoration of 100 years of the
on three sides from this high ground. This was an area
‘Great War’, Westtoer developed six First World War-themed tourist routes
of repeated savage fighting, since it was one of the most
throughout Flanders Fields in cooperation with participating
vulnerable sectors of the front: a breakthrough here could
boroughs. The six routes have now been compiled into a
have had disastrous consequences for either side. The route
general map: ‘14-18 Car route map’.
takes you to all the most important sites and monuments on
One side of the brochure shows a map with the routes, and
the old battlefields, as well as telling the stories of John Mc Crae, George
the other side provides practical information relating to each
Guynemer, Passendale, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Hill 60…
route as well as an overview of the most important WW1
sights that can be found on each route. The map is available
Life at the Front car route, Poperinge (53 miles)
free of charge from local tourist offices or from Westtoer
‘Life at the Front’ explores the front area between
(T +32 (0)50 30 55 00 - shop.westtoer.be).
Poperinge, Heuvelland and surroundings. There was
App ‘Tourist Car Routes Flanders Fields’
the front. For four years, Poperinge was the centre
A very useful tool is the free app ‘Tourist Car Routes Flanders
of British military operations. For the hard-pressed
Fields’. The app takes you along the most important sites and
soldiers, ‘Pop’ was like a little Paris. And Talbot House
places of the Great War in Flanders Fields. It contains pre-
gave them the comforting feeling of home. From 1915
defined routes (Ypres Salient, Life at the Front and Pioneer),
onwards a large field hospital cared for more than
but it’s also possible to compose your own personal tour based on your own
360,000 sick and wounded. For almost 11,000 of these victims all help came
interests. The app contains more than 100 points of interest, out of which you
too late. They now lie buried in Lijssenthoek, the largest hospital cemetery
can make a choice, based on a list, a map or a theme. The app is illustrated
in Belgium. Heuvelland was a scene of constant fighting, a veritable gateway
with archive material such as photos, texts and audio fragments. On some
to the hell of Dante’s Inferno. ‘Bayernwald’ remained an unconquerable
points of interest, there is the possibility to use augmented reality to make
Teutonic fortress for three long years. But in June 1917 the hill country shook
the link between today and the situation during the Great War. During your
to the explosion of a series of great underground mines. Protestant and
quest, you will meet the persons who will tell you their own Great War story.
Catholic Irishmen fought side by side. Thousands of soldiers died during the
The app has an offline navigation tool to guide from one point to another
storming of Kemmel Hill by the Germans. A few kilometres away lies the
in your tour through Flanders Fields. The app is free and available in the
border between life or death. Heuvelland was a scene of constant fighting, a
Appstore and on Google Play.
veritable gateway to the hell of Dante’s Inferno.
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the bitter life at the front and the better life behind
CRUISING ROUTES
- ComingWorldRememberMe workshop in Ieper: 17pm
- Menin Gate and Last Post: 20pm
Let the waterways be your guide for an exploration of this
surprising corner of Flanders, sandwiched between France
and the North Sea! This tourist map offers a varied boating
Off the beaten track school tour: the story of the inundation
route through Flanders Fields, but one that you can easily
De Panne – Nieuwpoort – Diksmuide – Koekelare
adapt to suit your own needs and interests.
The map is available free of charge from local tourist offices
If you are arriving from the direction of Calais, this is the perfect itinerary
or from Westtoer (T +32 (0)50 30 55 00 - shop.westtoer.be).
for discovering the north of Flanders Fields. Many traces of the spectacular
Further information: http://www.flandersfields.be/en/
story of the inundation remain in the area to this day.
water-recreation
- exhibition ‘The L’Océan Red Cross Hospital in De Panne 1914-1918’,
including British nurses working behind the front or Free Fatherland in
TOUR SUGGESTIONS
Below are a few itinerary proposals. These are intended as both inspiration
and helpful guide so that you can plan your own school tour.
Veurne: 10am
- Westfront Visitor Centre in Nieuwpoort, with the story of the strategic
flooding: 11am
- ComingWorldRememberMe workshop in Nieuwpoort Bomenvrij: making
figurines in memory of the victims: 12pm
Classic school tour 48 hours
- lunch in Nieuwpoort / lunch in Diksmuide: 12:30pm / 1pm
Zonnebeke – Poperinge – Ypres
- boat trip on the Yser / no boat trip: 1:30pm/x
- Trench of Death: 2:30pm / 2pm
- Museum on the Yser, with a view over the front from the tower: 3:30pm/ 3pm
- Passchendaele museum Zonnebeke: 10am
- Long Max Museum in Koekelare, with military stories: 5pm / 4:30pm
- Trail to the British Military Cemetery Tyne cot Zonnebeke: 11am
- French Military Cemetery Saint-Charles de Potyze: 12pm
Tip: The Cogge-Geeraert cycling routes and Yser 14-18 offer an alternative
- Lunch in Poperinge: 13pm
way to explore the sights.
- Talbot House: 14pm
- Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Visitor Centre: 16pm
- Essex Farm- site John Mc Crae in Boezinge: 17pm
Off the beaten track school tour : Women during WWI tour
De Panne – Veurne – Diksmuide – Koekelare – Vladslo
Day 2:
- In Flanders Fields museum in Ieper: 10am
- exhibition ‘The L’Océan Red Cross Hospital in De Panne 1914-1918’: the
- Lunch Hooge Crater museum in Zillebeke / Ypres: 12pm
story of how Queen Elisabeth of Belgium helped organise medical care
- Hill 60 in Zillebeke / Ieper: 13pm
behind the front and the many nurses who worked there after receiving a
- Trail from The Bluff to die Grosse Bastion in Zillebeke / Ieper: 14pm
- Yorkshire Trench & dug-out in Ieper: 16pm
crash course in nursing at the King Albert’s Hospital in London: 10am
- Free Motherland in Veurne: the story of the radiologist Marie Curie: 11am
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Day 1:
- lunch in Veurne: 12pm
Accessible tour
- Museum on the Yser in Diksmuide: the story of two nurses at the front,
View Visit Flanders website for an accessible tour: http://www.visitflanders.
Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm: 2pm (opens in in 2016!)
- Käthe Kollwitz museum in Koekelare: 4pm
com/en/themes/flanders_fields/highlights-flanders-fields-in-48-hours/
accessible-tour/
- German military cemetery in Vladslo: sculpture ‘the grieving parents’ by the
German artist Käthe Kollwitz, whose son Peter is buried here. A German
nurse is also buried in Vladslo: Anne Scholne, who died in October 1918: 5pm
Tip: In 2016, several temporary exhibitions on remarkable women during WWI
are planned in Flanders Fields (including at the Museum on the Yser). Further
information will soon be available at www.flandersfields.be
The Käthe Kollwitz cycling route offers an alternative way to explore the sights.
Off the beaten track school tour: the story of the Mine Battle
Heuvelland – Komen – Wijtschate – Messines
On the way to Fromelles there are a number of very interesting places to visit
that tell the story of the 1917 Mine Battle.
- Bayernwald in Heuvelland: 10am
- Lunch in Heuvelland: 12pm
- Plugstreet Experience in Komen: 2pm
- Wijtschate – Messines crater trail, including the Pool of Peace, with an
expert guide: 3pm
- Tourist Information, Irish Peace Park and the Peace Tower in Messines: 5pm
Tip: In 2017, several temporary exhibitions on the Mine Battle and the third
battle of Ypres are planned in Flanders Fields (including in Heuvelland, Messines, Ypres, Zonnebeke and Poelkapelle). Further information will soon be
available at www.flandersfields.be
Tours by nationality
Please consult the Visit Flanders Website for a tailor made British, Irish,
Canadian and Australian/New Zealand tour.
http://www.visitflanders.com/en/themes/flanders_fields/highlights-flanders-fields-in-48-hours/
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FASCINATING WWI – WEBSITES,
INFORMATION AND APPLICATIONS
CROSS-BORDER PROJECTS FOR
ORGANISATIONS AND
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
WWWW.WEGWIJZERWOI.BE
WWW.FLANDERSFIELDS.BE
The EASIER project ‘Facing the Great War’ is a Comenius Regio project
WWW.WO1.BE
Programme. The Comenius Regio Partnerships encourage regional
WWW.2014-18.BE
authorities to reinforce the European dimension in education.
WWW.KLASCEMENT.BE/HERINNERINGSEDUCATIE
The EASIER partners have designed a high quality itinerary for schools
WWW.HERINNERINGSEDUCATIE.BE
planning a WWI-themed trip abroad. The end product is a handy guide to
WWW.FLANDERSFIELDS1418.COM: WEBSITE VISIT FLANDERS
within the framework of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning
preparing a school trip on this subject. You can find all sorts of information
on this exchange project on the website www.easier1418.eu
Pocket ‘The Flanders Fields Country & The Great War’
There is also a partner search tool linked to the website. You are free to
This brochure contains a brief historic summary of WWI as
register your school using the link www.schoolmatch.easier1418.eu in order
well as an overview of the most significant sites that you can
to find a perfect match with a school in another country.
visit on your trip. Besides all that, it also gives you a clear
view at the wide range of other topics the Flanders Fields
Country is famous for (e.g. beers and breweries). A perfect
introduction to the Flanders Fields Country.
This free and easy read pocket is available at the local tourist
offices in the Westhoek as well as via the Westtoer webshop.
The pocket is available free of charge from local tourist offices or from
Westtoer (T +32 (0)50 30 55 00 - shop.westtoer.be).
Tourist map ‘The Great War Centenary’
This map offers a wide range of places of interest, monuments, museums and cemeteries in the West of Flanders.
Besides, this map is a valuable device when planning a trip
along the Western Front. Every region highlights some of their
most interesting sites on the back on this map.
This tourist map is free of charge and is available at the local
tourist offices in the Westhoek and at the headquarters of
Westtoer in Bruges.
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OTHER VISITOR ATTRACTIONS
IN FLANDERS
A visit to Flanders Fields is easy to combine with a visit to one of the
historical cities of Flanders. Bruges and Ghent are the two closest cities to
Flanders Fields. A little further away, but certainly within reach, you find the
cities of Brussels, Antwerp, Mechelen and Leuven.
Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has the best-preserved example
of a medieval city centre in the country, with its bell tower soaring over the
impressive market square. The canals that earned the city the moniker ‘the
Venice of the North’ intersect the town, providing beautiful historic vistas.
The university city of Ghent has a laid-back atmosphere and some worthy
architectural highlights: a fortress, an opera house, a few museums, many
historic churches and countless bridges spanning the two rivers that wind
through the city.
As the headquarters of the European Union and NATO, Brussels is often
referred to as the Capital of Europe. But it has more to offer the visitor than
parks and a wealth of history and culture are all readily accessible. The
Grand Place, originally built as a merchants’ market in the 13th century, is
an unmissable sight.
In the 16th century, Antwerp was one of the greatest and richest cities in all
of Europe. Antwerp was home to the iconic Flemish Baroque painter Peter
Paul Rubens as well as Anthony Van Dyck. The modern city is an eclectic mix
of beautiful medieval buildings, such as the impressive town hall and market
square, and contemporary architecture, with numerous Art Nouveau gems
in between.
A lively student population and a rich history come together to make the
city of Leuven an attractive destination. It is home to one of Europe’s oldest
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European institutions and embassies: over 80 museums, the King’s Palace,
universities (KU Leuven), which was founded in 1425. The university’s college
buildings dominate many of the squares and streets.
Home to Inbev, the second largest brewery in the world and famous for its
Stella Artois beers, Leuven is Belgium’s reigning brewing capital. Centuries
of Flemish tradition and craftsmanship lie behind Leuven’s premium brews.
Mechelen is a small, picturesque city that is big on charm and history. It
is packed with quaint shops, cafes, pedestrianised streets and pleasant
squares.
Mechelen is a city for all ages. Children can enjoy themselves in the
interactive Toy Museum or the Tivoli Children’s Farm. Students from all over
the world come to learn to play church bells at Mechelen’s carillon school.
It is also home to one of the last remaining establishments in the world that
restores and repairs antique tapestries: Royal Manufacturers De Wit.
More information on www.visitflanders.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Province of West Flanders Educational Service
school education)
Heidi Timmerman –heidi.timmerman@west-vlaanderen.be – +32(0)51 51 94
33 (secondary school education)
Visit Flanders Trade Contacts
ASIA (Regional manager) – Nico Peeters • nico.peeters@visitflanders.com
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND - Sonia Holt • sonia.holt@walshegroup.com
BRASIL Katrien Dejonghe • katrien.dejonghe@toerismevlaanderen.be
CENTRAL EUROPE - Alexandra Raab-Frostl • a.raab-frostl@flandern.at
CHINA – LI Xin • li.xin@visitflanders.com.cn
FRANCE - Anthony Forest • aforest@visitflanders.fr
GERMANY - Britta Weidemann • trade@flandern.com
INDIA - Dheera Majumder • dheera@mileage.in
Oude Markt, Leuven ©Toerisme Leuven
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Sofie Viaene – sofie.viaene@west-vlaanderen.be - +32(0)51 51 93 65 (primary
ITALY - Silvia Clarin • s.clarin@turismofiandre.it
JAPAN - Junko Iida • tvltyo-iida@visitflanders.jp
NORTH AMERICA - Marco Frank • marco@visitflanders.us
RUSSIA • russia@visitflanders.com
SCANDINAVIA - Lynn Dauwe • lynn.dauwe@toerismevlaanderen.be
SPAIN - Judit Sala • trade@flandes.net
THE NETHERLANDS - Joke Nivelle & Ingrid Bokma • trade@toerismevlaanderen.nl
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND - Lisa Thomas • lisa@visitflanders.co.uk
90
COLOFON
Editor: Heidi Timmerman, Province of West Flanders
and Veerle Viaene, Visit Flanders
Translation: Heidi Steffes
Photography: Westtoer, tourist offices, VJH vzw, province of West Flanders,
Nancy Maertens, Piet De Kersgieter, Willy Verschaeve, Wim Debruyne,
Grafiekgroep.
Lay-out & print: graphics service Province of West Flanders
Legal deposit number: D/2015/0248/19
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Explo re W W I o utside the c lassro o m

Transcription

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