Two-year restoration of Menin Gate war memorial is complete
The restoration of the Menin Gate in Ypres is complete after two years of work. The stones of the war memorial have been cleaned and repaired where necessary. Decorative elements, such as the lion and the sarcophagus, have been restored. The structure has been given a green roof, the vault has been repainted and the lighting replaced.
The 6 million euro restoration was financed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, with contributions from its six member countries: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. The Flemish government provided a subsidy of 1.6 million euros and the city of Ypres supported the project with a grant of 300,000 euros.
The works were officially delivered on Friday evening at a ceremony next to the gate.
"The Menin Gate is not only an impressive monument commemorating the horror of World War I, but it is also an inseparable part of the identity of our city of Ypres," said Katrien Desomer, the mayor of Ypres.
"The successful restoration ensures that this silent witness to history, together with the daily Last Post that resounds there, will remain a place of respect, remembrance and international connection for future generations too."
Built in 1927, the Menin Gate is a symbol of remembrance for the more than 54,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in World War I and are still missing or unidentified. Every day at 20.00, buglers play the Last Post at the monument in tribute. The restoration of the memorial started in 2023, 100 years after its construction first began.
Earlier in the day, representatives of the Australian and New Zealand community in Belgium held ceremonies in Ypres and elsewhere in West Flanders to mark ANZAC Day, a national day of remembrance for those killed in World War I and subsequent conflicts.
#FlandersNewsService | The restored Menin Gate in Ypres, 25 April 2025 © BELGA PHOTO / VIDEO KURT DESPLENTER
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