Ypres is a city located in the West Flanders of Belgium. Although the city is referred to as leper in Dutch, the city's French name is Ypres and this is also most commonly used in English. Ypres has ten villages. Although the local language in the city is Flemish, it is possible to see both French and Flemish phrases in all signs since it is close to the French border.
The city, which has a rich and deep-rooted history, is one of the developed cloth trade centers of the Middle Ages. After the medieval period, the city had difficult times. About three hundred thousand soldiers lost their lives in the city during the violent battles that took place in the First World War from 1914 to 1918. The city, which was severely damaged during the war and turned into a pile of rubble, displays a magnificent appearance with its medieval structures restored in accordance with their original architecture. The memories of the war are only observed in the museums or historical sites. Especially the city's marketplace is dazzling with many historical buildings laying together. Many structures such as Saint Martin Cathedral draw attention with their rising towers. While the war monuments, military museums and cemeteries keep the city's history alive, the life on the streets continues in a lively and colorful way.
The traditional Flemish cuisine and chocolate of the region where the city is located is very famous. The city, which is home to the oldest breweries in Belgium, has an important place in beer diversity. In the city, an interesting festival, which has been continuing since the Middle Ages and called Kattenstoet, is organized in May. The concept of the festival is based on cats...
There are two airports close to Ypres. One of these is Ostend-Bruges International Airport and the distance between Ypres and airport is 45 kilometers. The other airport is Lille Airport of France and it is located 47 kilometers of Ypres. From Ypres, which is a privileged city in terms of its location, you can travel to Paris and Amsterdam in 2,5 hours and Brussels in 1 hour.