History Information (Source: Wikipedia)

The King Albert monument was constructed on initiative and with the support of the war veterans of the First World War. The banks of the IJzer were chosen for it, because of the important role this river played during the war. The memorial dates from 1938 and was designed by Julien de Ridder. Karel Aubroeck is the sculptor. The monument is circular and has a diameter of 30m. Twenty columns made of brick from the IJzer valley carry a ring girder with a periphery of 100m, above a cross-shaped terrace. On this ring girder there is a corridor with informative plates offering a wonderful view on the IJzer plain.

On the inside of the upper ring are two poems in gilt letters, one in French and one in Dutch. The first verses of each are :

 Van de eerste zon begroet, en laatst van zon omblonken

Op ‘t helste en hoogste duin,

Tot één gestalte in brons, én beeld, én ros geklonken,

Op grond van grauw arduin.

August Van Cauwelaert

Naguère, ici, le roi retint ses régiments

et dès qu’il eut parlé, terrés dans cette plaine,

les pieds dans l’eau, vêtus de boue et hors d’haleine,

ils ont changé l’Yser en rempart d’occident.

Maurice Gauchez