Battle of Passchendaele

Passchendaele became a symbol of the senselessness and cruelty of World War I. On November 6, 1917, Passchendaele was captured by the Canadians. Moving the front line by just eight kilometers cost the lives and health of approximately 600,000 soldiers. Their sacrifice proved pointless, as already in 1918 the Allies withdrew from the conquered territories in the face of the approaching German counter-offensive. Three months of fighting in terrible conditions, millions of artillery shells fired, the suffering of soldiers – all this is told at the Passchendaele Museum. 

Museum Passchendaele 1917

The basis of the museum's collection is primarily militaria. In addition, there is also a large number of soldiers' personal belongings and military documents. The main task of the museum is to promote knowledge about World War I. The main theme of the exhibition is the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. Visitors can wear a helmet and steel bulletproof vest from World War I. The underground shelter was also reconstructed. However, the most impressive are the reconstructed English and German trenches. The museum has prepared many multimedia materials for visitors. This will be especially interesting for children who can use the map and audiobook to explore the museum in an engaging way, completing interesting tasks along the way. 

Adres: 
Berten Pilstraat 5A
B-8980 Zonnebeke

Opening hours: 
Monday-Sunday:
10.00-17.30

Fare:
11.50 Euro 

Tyne Cot Cemetery

The area around the museum can be explored on foot or by bicycle. There are many bunkers and memorial sites related to the Battle of Passchendaele. Polygon Wood is a forest located between Ieper and Zonnebeke. Several battles were fought here during World War I. In the immediate vicinity of the forest there are two cemeteries where Commonwealth soldiers are buried.
The most important, however, is Tyne Cot, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world. There are graves of 11,968 Allied soldiers here.