Armistice Day

Armistice Day on 11 November commemorates the end of the First World War, which officially ceased at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. Belgium was one of the countries most severely affected by the Great War: a large part of its territory was occupied and the Yser region became the scene of years of trench warfare. Across Europe, the day is a moment of silence and remembrance.

In Belgium, solemn commemorative ceremonies are held on 11 November at the many military cemeteries and war memorials, particularly in the Westhoek region of West Flanders. The principal national ceremony takes place at the Congress Column in Brussels, beside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In Ypres, the Last Post sounds every evening at 8 p.m. beneath the Menin Gate, a tradition maintained for decades without interruption.