Ypres is a small town in West Flanders in Belgium that was founded in the 10th century and was one of Belgium's most important and prosperous towns during the Middle Ages. Ypres is best known today for some of the bloodiest battles of the First World War. The town was almost completely destroyed in the bombardment but has since been rebuilt according to the original plans, including many important buildings such as the Gothic St. Martin's Cathedral and its tall spire. Start your exploration at the central Grote Markt square with its huge Lakenhalle (cloth hall), which was originally built in the 13th century, destroyed in the First World War, and completely reconstructed. Pay your respects at the many cemeteries and battlefield sites, which are today pilgrimage sites. Pass through the beautiful Menin Gate, a memorial to the First World War. The names of the 54,896 dead British soldiers are inscribed under its arches. Visit the Merghelynck Museum housed in a 1774 private residence, with a beautiful Louis XV and Louis XVI interior, which surprisingly survived the First World War. Across the street is the 13th-century Steenhuis, the only old stone building still standing in Ypres.