📷 Photo by Joao Barroso on UnsplashIJzertoren
Diksmuide, Belgium
A tall peace tower on the Yser front line, with a museum of war and peace inside and a view from the top across the flat polders where the front stood still for four years.
The IJzertoren (Yser Tower) is a peace tower and museum at Kaaskerke near Diksmuide in West Flanders, on the River Yser, where the front line ran in the First World War. The present tower is about 84 metres tall and is described as Europe's highest peace memorial. At its base is the inscription "Never again war", in Belgium's three national languages and in English.
The first tower, about 50 metres high, was built between 1928 and 1930 to honour fallen Flemish soldiers and became a symbol of the Flemish movement. On the night of 15 to 16 March 1946 two former resistance members blew it up. The ruins were turned into the Peace Gate (Paxpoort) in 1950; the new tower was built from July 1952 and inaugurated on 22 August 1965.
Inside, the museum covers 22 floors with a permanent exhibition on war, peace and the Flemish movement; it has belonged to the UN network of peace museums since 1998. A travel site mentions a panoramic floor and a viewpoint on the roof. The preserved trench line Dodengang ("Trench of Death") is nearby. Please check opening hours in advance.
- Nearest town
- Diksmuide, Belgium
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 51.0337, 2.8577
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and October. Cold, short days in January. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Getting there
- Belgium: No motorway tolls for cars. Low-emission zones in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent; register foreign vehicles. Motorway limit for cars: 120 km/h.
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- De ZwerverMotorhome stopover13 km from IJzertoren · 28 pitchesMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsDogs allowed
- camperpark VeurneMotorhome stopover15 km from IJzertoren · 38 pitchesMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Camperpark ZeesterMotorhome stopover18 km from IJzertorenMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
- GreenparkCampsite19 km from IJzertorenTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Camping Urban GardensCampsite21 km from IJzertorenTentsCaravansElectricityShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Ter HoeveCampsite24 km from IJzertorenTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposal
All campsites in Belgium · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is IJzertoren?
IJzertoren is in Diksmuide, Belgium, at GPS 51.0337, 2.8577. It is about 13 km from Nieuwpoort.
Can you camp near IJzertoren?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is De IJzerhoeve, about 1 km away; within 25 km there are 74 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass IJzertoren?
IJzertoren is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: In Flanders Fields: the Yser and Ypres.
What is there to see near IJzertoren?
Places worth a stop nearby: King Albert I Memorial (13 km), Langemark German Cemetery (13 km), Atlantikwall Raversyde (19 km) and Tyne Cot Cemetery (19 km).
When is the best time to visit IJzertoren?
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)