The Cloth Hall in Ypres – one of Belgium’s small cities – is one of the most impressive commercial buildings of medieval Europe. Erected between 1200 and 1304, it is a fine example of Gothic architecture. The imposing edifice, 125 metres wide and 70 metres high, was not only a commercial centre for the cloth industry, but also a symbol of the wealth and importance of medieval Ypres. The building was one of the largest Gothic structures north of the Alps and one of the best preserved until the First World War.
Construction of the Cloth Hall began in 1200 with the bell tower and the market hall was completed in 1230. The complex is characterised by a unified architectural style, typical of the pure Gothic tradition. It was the fruit of a single, coherent design.
The building in 1720. Author: J. Harrewijn, Praetorium Iprense (from Les Délices des Pays-Bas, 1720)
The decline of the town in later centuries and the subsequent lack of modernisation allowed most of the buildings to be preserved almost unchanged. As a result, prior to the First World War, the draperies in Ypres still represented the original Gothic shape, without major modifications or extensions in other styles.

During the First World War the Cloth Hall was almost completely destroyed by artillery fire. Most of the town of Ypres also lay in ruins at the time, including the valuable St Martin’s Cathedral. After the war, it was decided to rebuild the town. The decision to reconstruct the medieval draperies was taken after lengthy debates. The architects Jules Coomans and P.A. Pauwels carried out a meticulous reconstruction, based on detailed pre-war research.

The Cloth Hall in 1860 and 1914, during the shelling. Source: Cleveland Museum of Art and J’aimelart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Substantial reconstruction work took place from 1921 to 1933, and the result is a faithful replica of the original building. The reconstruction made use of many original elements found in the rubble and salvaged during the demolition of the ruins, which were reintegrated into the building. Most of the surviving fragments can be found in the western part of the Cloth Hall and at the base of the bell tower.
The front of the building with the tower, 1916 and 2016. Source: media.iwm.org.uk and Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The building presents a very rich and interesting Gothic architecture. The façade of the Cloth Hall is decorated with a row of sharp arches that alternate windows and blind niches. Before the First World War, these niches contained statues of historical figures such as the Counts of Flanders. Today, the central niches contain statues of the building’s founders, Count Baldwin IX and Mary of Champagne, as well as King Albert I and Queen Elizabeth, associated with the rebuilding of the Cloth Hall after the war. Above the central entrance is a statue of Our Lady of Thuyne, patron saint of Ypres.

The Cloth Hall at Ypres in James Kerr-Lawson’s 1917 painting and the building today. Photo by Canadian War Museum, Senate of Canada and GFreihalter, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The mighty belfry of the Cloth Hall, topped by four turrets and a spire, houses a carillon with 49 bells. At its top is a gilded dragon, the city’s symbol. The tower served as a watchtower and housed the city archive, treasury and armoury. Today, the bell tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding area and is a tourist attraction.

After a faithful and years-long restoration, the Cloth Hall is one of Belgium’s most important monuments and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The building now houses two museums: the In Flanders Fields Museum, which documents the First World War and its impact on the region, and the Ypres Museum, which showcases the city’s rich history and cultural heritage. The halls located on the ground floor, formerly used for the wool and textile trade, are now used for exhibitions and as a tourist information point.

Opposite the eastern wall of the Cloth Hall is the Nieuwerck, a Renaissance annex built between 1619 and 1622. This elegant building, also rebuilt after the war, now serves as the town hall. Its Renaissance style contrasts sharply with the Gothic architecture of the Cloth Hall, creating a unique architectural complex in the heart of Ypres.
Source: toerismeieper.be, richbanksart.co.uk
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