Though you can’t really tell when you first arrive, there was nothing left of Ieper after WWI. It’s said that a rider sitting on his horse could see right through to the other end of the city.

To really grasp what happened at Ieper, first go to the museum in the main square. It has a really good, if somewhat frightening collection of information, artifacts, bits of films etc… Once you understand what happened, visit some of the countless graveyards and memorials. It’s shocking really how many there are littered around the pretty countryside.

Definitely worth a visit.