The Battle of Passchendaele was a true bloodshed with more than 450.000 casualties for a movement of the frontline of only 8 kilometres. Passchendaele is known as ‘Passion-dale’ and remains an international symbol of war.

Every year, the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 organises a museum weekend with WWI Living History. Due to the British ceremony on 31 July, the weekend takes exceptionally place in July. The focus lies on Living History, what makes the story of the troops during the Battle of Passchendaele accessible for young and old.

About 300 historical figurants from both home and abroad (12 nationalities) spend the weekend at the Zonnebeke chateau grounds. Next to encampments, weapons and historic objects, you will also see demonstrations. Amongst other things the War Heritage (previously the Royal War Museum) will exhibit a lot of tanks, canons and collection pieces.

Eye-catcher of the weekend is the ‘Passchendaele Battlefield Experience’, a reconstruction of the Battlefield of 100 years ago. Therefore, the MMP1917 cultivated a piece of ground with a surface of 500m2 to a terrain full of craters, bunkers, mud, gangway and tree stumps. The framework with a historical landscape photo and the presence of reenactors will give the visitor the feeling that they have returned 100 years back in time.
The chateau grounds are accessible between 10.00 and 18.00 and the entrance is free.

For more information: www.passchendaele2017.org