Menin Gate — Attraction in Ypres

I cried here and be prepared to also be emotional. I visited here for two main reasons - first of all my Great Uncle Charles has his name inscribed on this memorial as he was killed in action locally in 1915 and has no known grave. Having heard the family stories of how the impact his death, and that of a brother who was also killed in action a few weeks later, had on his parents and immediate family, I wanted to pay my respects on behalf of the family that has not forgot him. Also my Great Grandfather fought in the 3rd Battle of Ypres and kept a diary of his experiences with the Royal Garrison Artillery. He survived and by a miracle so did the diary, so I have been retracing his steps and I wanted to pay my respects to his comrades who were killed, as he does mention this within the diary. Each name is someone without a known grave and all deserve to be remembered. Each night at 8pm, the Last Post Association conduct a short memory of respect and remembrance - to attend, get there in plenty of time because it does get better. If you are trying to find the name of a relative, the Commonwealth War Graves Website has a search function which will give you the number of the panel that the name is on. Free to...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Powerful, Emotional, and Absolutely Worth Visiting

The Menin Gate is one of the most moving memorials I’ve ever seen. Located at the eastern entrance of Ypres, it honors over 54,000 soldiers of the British and Commonwealth forces who were never found after the battles of WWI. The structure itself is grand and beautifully maintained, with names covering every wall—a stark reminder of the scale of sacrifice.

One of the most powerful experiences is the Last Post ceremony, held every evening at 8 PM, no matter the weather. The crowd falls silent as buglers play beneath the arch. It only takes about 15 minutes, but it leaves a deep emotional impact. Arrive early to get a good viewing spot, especially in the summer when it gets crowded.

There are no entrance fees, and it’s just a short walk from the city center. Combine it with a walk along the old ramparts or a visit to the nearby In Flanders Fields Museum for a deeper understanding of Ypres’ wartime history.

Highly recommend stopping here if you’re visiting Belgium—it’s free, meaningful, and unforgettable.

✅ Tip: Arrive by 7:30 PM for the best viewing spot ✅ Great for families, solo travelers, and history lovers ✅ Wheelchair accessible ✅ Free...

This is a beautiful memorial wall to those missing in action in WW1 around the areas battles. On the walls are about 60,000 names of missing persons from all the commonwealth countries from New Zeland and Australia to the Sikhs and Canadians every commonwealth country is represented. The walls have panels which are numbered in the bottom corner. If you are looking for a specific person as I was, you can go to the Commonwealth Graves website and look up the name of the person, the more info you have the easier it will be to find out if they are on this memorial or buried in a local cemetery, which there are lots that dot the land around Belgium. Some are in farm fields, some or down old side roads but no matter where they are they are immaculate. Back to Menin Gate. Everyday they have someone play The Last Post Ceremony. There are stairwells in the middle on both sides that have names up the walls and going all the way up to a 2nd level where you will find the walls adorned with thousands more names. You must look at this memorial from both entrances too, as they are different, one side has 2 lions guarding the entrance, at night it is lit up and...