Friday 9 March 2012

The “Ijzer” river and World War I memorial for King Albert I, Nieuwpoort

The IJzer is the only river in Belgium that flows into the Nord Sea. It is via this river that allied troops during World War I entered Flanders and stopped the German raid on Belgium and France. The locks of the IJzer were closed and the whole area was flooded, everywhere you had trenches, also called trenches of death, and the troops could no longer progress. King Albert I, stood side by side with the allied troops and remained in this area with the Belgium soldiers. He was know as the King-knight and is remembered by the war veterans by building this Albert I memorial on the banks of the IJzer river in Nieuwpoort.

De IJzer is de enige rivier in België die in de Noordzee uitmond. Het is via deze rivier dat de geallieerde troepen in Wereldoorlog I, Vlaanderen binnenkwamen en de Duitse opmars in België en Frankrijk stopten. De sluizen van de IJzer werden gesloten en het hele gebied stond onder water, de troepen konden niet meer vooruit of achteruit. Overal verschansten ze zich in loopgraven, ook wel de dodengangen genoemd. Koning der Belgen, Albert I, stond zij aan zij met de troepen en bleef samen met de Belgische soldaten in dit gebied. Hij werd de Koning Ridder of Koning Soldaat genoemd. Dit monument werd geschonken ter ere aan Koning Albert I door de Wereldoorlog I veteranen en staat in Nieuwpoort op de oever van de IJzer rivier..

King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
King Albert I memorial
Previous WWI Flanders article: Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendale (Flanders)

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9 comments:

  1. I wish more people felt that photography was an adventure the same as life itself and felt that their individual feelings were worth expressing. To me, that makes photography more exciting. Flights to Dubai

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  2. Precioso reportaje fotográfico. Me gustan todas las tomas. Enhorabuena.

    Saludos desde Salamanca.

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  3. That lion is absolutely perfect!Wonderful pictures dear Filip, I'm always delighted by your wonderful posts!I'm taking my notes here, I want to visit there!
    Hugs and a nice weekend,
    Léia

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  4. Everything is o.k.
    Thank you for your kind demand. I'm back again in the blogger world....
    Love greetings, Karin

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  5. Très beau ton reportage photographique J'aime et c'est très beau!! bisous

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  6. Great photos of Belgium. I spent a summer there once long ago, near Brussels and in the south. A beautiful country.

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  7. Wat een prachtige hommage aan koning Albert 1

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  8. I just learn something new, interesting....thanks!

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  9. King Albert I was an inspiration to his troops!

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