Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres

Menin Gate Memorial

Pay your respects to missing World War I heroes, the fallen soldiers whose bodies were never recovered from the battlefields of Ypres.

The Menin Gate Memorial is one of four shrines in Ypres to the missing dead in Belgian Flanders during World War I. The large brick structure bears the names of more than 54,000 servicemen and women who lost their lives fighting for the Commonwealth Forces.

The impressive gate was designed by architect Sir Reginald Blomfield and was unveiled in 1927. Its style is simple and elegant, a tribute to the fallen rather than a triumphant memorial of war.

Marvel at the beauty of the majestic redbrick monument, then wander through one of the arches and into the Hall of Memory. Many of the names of the fallen are inscribed in Portland Stone panels on the hall’s inside walls. Occasionally, a name will be removed from the list when remains are discovered in nearby fields, identified and given a proper burial.

At the western entrance to the memorial, see the sculpted sarcophagus with a flag and wreath. During the war, troops passed through this location on their way to the battlefields. At the eastern entrance is a sculpture of a lion looking out to where the battlefields were located. There are several inscriptions to read at the memorial, including some by writer and poet Rudyard Kipling.

Attend the Last Post ceremony, which is held every evening at the gate. The observance has taken place every day since 1928, except during the period of German occupation in World War II. The road through the gate is closed and a trumpet call is sounded. This is followed by a minute’s silence.

The Menin Gate Memorial is just next to the Kasteelgracht moat in the heart of Ypres. The gate marks the eastern point of the city center and can easily be reached on foot from other attractions, such as the Cloth Hall and St. Martin’s Cathedral. After your visit, go to the nearby monument to the fallen Gurkhas and Indian soldiers.

Guide to Exploring Menin Gate Memorial

Cloth Hall (Lakenhalle)

Step inside this majestic medieval trading center to tour a museum dedicated to the World War I history of Ypres.

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Ypres Market Square (Grote Markt)

Browse market stalls for fish, clothes and souvenirs, and visit medieval buildings that were rescued from the rubble of World War I.

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Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Fields £85

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Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Fields

Sint-Jacobsstraat 15, Ypres

3.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Located in the heart of Ypres, this hotel is steps away from Saint James' Church and Menin Gate Memorial. Ypres Market Square and Ypres Town Hall are also within 5 minutes. Ieper Station is 13 minutes by foot.

Best Western Flanders Lodge £89

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Best Western Flanders Lodge

A Dehemlaan 19, Ypres

3.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Located in the heart of Ypres, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Ypres Open Golf and Menin Gate Memorial. Ypres Market Square and Ypres Town Hall are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Hotel Ariane £105

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Hotel Ariane

SLACHTHUISSTRAAT 58, Ypres, West Vlaanderen

4.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Situated in Ypres, this golf hotel is within a 10-minute walk of St. George's Memorial Church and Menin Gate Memorial. St Martin's Cathedral and In Flanders Fields Museum are also within 10 minutes. Ieper Station is 13 minutes by foot.

Hotel O Ieper £106

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Hotel O Ieper

D'Hondtstraat 4, Ypres

3.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Located in the heart of Ypres, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of Ypres Market Square and Menin Gate Memorial. Ypres Town Hall and In Flanders Fields Museum are also within 5 minutes. Ieper Station is 10 minutes by foot.

Albion Hotel £90

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Albion Hotel

Sint-Jacobsstraat 28, Ypres

3.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Located in the heart of Ypres, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of Saint James' Church and Menin Gate Memorial. Belle Almshouse Museum and Ypres Market Square are also within 5 minutes. Ieper Station is 13 minutes by foot.

Gasthof 't Zweerd £70

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Gasthof 't Zweerd

Grote Markt 2, Ypres

2.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Situated in Ypres, this spa hotel is steps away from Ypres Market Square and Menin Gate Memorial. Ypres Town Hall and In Flanders Fields Museum are also within 5 minutes. Ieper Station is 12 minutes by foot.

Alliance Hotel Ieper Centrum £76

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Alliance Hotel Ieper Centrum

D'Hondtstraat 19, Ypres

3.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Located in the heart of Ypres, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of Ypres Market Square and Menin Gate Memorial. Ypres Town Hall and Belle Almshouse Museum are also within 5 minutes. Ieper Station is 11 minutes by foot.

Menin Gate House £229

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Menin Gate House

Hoornwerk 1/2, Ypres

5.0 out of 5.0 Stars

Situated in Ypres, this luxury apartment building is within 1 mile (2 km) of Saint James' Church and Menin Gate Memorial. Ypres Market Square and Ypres Town Hall are also within 10 minutes. Ieper Station is 15 minutes by foot.

Menin Gate Memorial