Ypres city center : main street with traffic coming to the Grote Markt

Urban landscape  viewed from main street of Ypres :  shops, cafes, terraces and Menin Gate arch in the evening light

Browse the collection : Ypres cityscape

Visiting Ypres is like taking a step back in time. The charm of romanticism, the glory of days gone by and a subtle air of mystery all add to its special atmosphere. The old streets surrounding the town centre bear the imprint of ages past.

(Ariane)

Yet just ten years after the Armistice, Ypres looked like the town had never experienced a war. Almost all the destroyed buildings had been rebuilt. Today, Ypres is generally considered one of the best examples of post-conflict reconstruction.
(Discovering Belgium)

If you look beyond the lively contemporary city, with its coffee shops, cafes and restaurants, Ypres presents a paradox – a living place of the dead.

(Traveller)