Tuesday 17th September - Ypres

We planned to visit the "Flanders Field Museum" this morning and drive to some of the battle sites this afternoon.  We got to the museum just after 10 am and left just before 5 pm.  We didn't even have lunch. This museum is absolutely amazing.  It totally enthralled us for the entire time we were there.

Prior to the War, the skyline of Ypres was dominated by the medieval Cloth Hall, which the Belgians refer to as Lakenhalle, and the cathedral. Today, the Tourist Information Centre and the "Flanders Field Museum" are located within Cloth Hall. 

All of Ypres was totally destroyed to such an extent that by the end of 1917, not a single house or a single tree was still standing.  At the end of the war, Churchill felt that Ypres should remain in ruins as a memorial to those who fought and died here.  Others felt that the town should be rebuilt and be a modern example of the future.  The survivors of Ypres felt otherwise ... that the town should be rebuilt as it was prior to the war.  Fortunately, the town has been rebuilt as the inhabitants of Ypres wished.

The bell tower is offered as an extra with the purchase of a ticket to the Flanders Field Museum. We obligingly paid to be able to climb the bell tower: 243 steps to the top via a very, very tight spiral staircase.  Part of the staircase is concrete and part is steel, with "see through" holes punched through the steel so it gave a very clear view of the ground beneath.

Part of the 243 steps to the top of the bell tower

The bell tower was used as a watch tower in centuries past.  We stopped to listen to the chimes of the bells at 2 pm.  (Thankfully it gave a tinkle before starting to toll so my fingers blocked the din.)

 

The tower/belfry is 70 metres high and is capped with four turrets and a spire and houses a carillon of 49 bells. 

The bells of Cloth Hall



We were greeted at the top by spectacular views of Ypres.

View from top of Cloth Hall

Tyne Cot



The journey back down the Cloth Hall staircase.

The climb up the tower gave us some well needed respite from the horrors depicted in the various displays in the museum.

(Here's a strange note about Ypres. Ypres is a cat city.  Every three years on the second Sunday of May the "world famous" cat parade goes through the streets.  In the past (until 1817!) the "city fool threw living cats from the hall tower to chase away evil spirits.  Based on this historical fact, an annual parade was created in 1955.  Since 1991 the parade is held every three years. These days, a velvet cat is thrown by a jester from the tower and if you catch it, you can make a wish.)

We left Flanders Field Museum me with soggy tissue laden pockets and red eyes.  The displays are informative and moving; they are a real demonstration, explanation, and statement that war is hell and totally futile.  And unfortunately the lessons of war seem to be forgotten and they are repeated time and time again. 

We walked down to the Menin Gate after dinner and were amazed at the number of people paying respects just like us. A group of school kids from Mt Clear, Ballarat seemed very excited to be there and they had just arrived from France.  The Belgians perform this ceremony every evening at 8 pm and I thought they'd possibly just be going through the motions ... but nothing could be further from the truth.  It was so moving.  I spoke with a couple from the UK who were there last night too, and they said tonight's service was more impressive.  Some folk from Scotland were there, all kilted up, and a bagpipe player played for quite some time while people laid wreaths.

 

 

"To the Armies of the British Empire who stood here from 1914-1918 and to those of their dead who have no known grave."

 

Lest We Forget