The Atlantic Wall Open Air Museum ( nl, Openluchtmuseum Atlantikwall) is a military museum near

Ostend Ostend ( nl, Oostende, ; french: link=no, Ostende ; german: link=no, Ostende ; vls, Ostende) is a coastal city and municipality, located in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerk ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

which preserves fortifications of the Atlantic Wall dating to the

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

and

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

s. The section of fortifications owned by the museum - over 60 bunkers and two miles of trenches - is among the best preserved sections of the defensive line in Europe. The fortifications survive because they were built on land belonging to

Prince Charles, Count of Flanders nl, Karel Theodoor Hendrik Anton Meinrad , image = Karel van België Charles de Belgique Karl von Belgien.jpg , image_size = 230px , spouse = Jacqueline Peyrebrune , issue = Isabelle , birth_date = , birth_place = Bruss ...

who decided that they should not be destroyed after the war, but be kept as a national monument.

The Museum

During the German occupation of Belgium in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the Aachen Battery was built to defend nearby

on the land which forms part of the museum. Though it is not as well preserved as the later fortifications, it is one of the rare coastal defence fortifications that survive from this period. The majority of the preserved bunkers and trenches at the site date to the construction of the Atlantic Wall during the second German occupation during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Numerous bunkers, gun emplacements and trenches were built on the site, including the well preserved ''Saltzwedel neu'' Battery. Several of the fortifications have been renovated to their wartime condition and the museums also displays uniforms and equipment used by the garrison.

Gallery

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-295-1596-12, Raversijde, Rommel bei Besichtigung.jpg, Rommel and his staff inspecting the Raversijde section of the Wall. Openluchtmuseum Atlantikwall - bomvrije schuilplaats batterij Aachen 23-07-2010 14-53-57.jpg, Display of First World War German equipment and uniforms in one of the shelters in the ''Aachen Battery'' Openluchtmuseum Atlantikwall kanon 12 cm K 370 23-07-2010 16-04-07.jpg, A replica captured Belgian Army 120 mm gun used as a battery gun in a dedicated circular parapet. File:Openluchtmuseum Atlantikwall PAK 40 23-07-2010 15-42-56.jpg,

PAK 40 The 7.5 cm Pak 40 (''7,5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40 -'' "7.5cm armour defence cannon 90") was a German 75 millimetre anti-tank gun of the Second World War. The gun was developed in 1939–1941 and entered service in 1942. With 23,303 e ...

anti-tank gun inside a restored bunker File:Afstandsmeter_Openluchtmuseum_Atlantikwall.jpg, Mounted

rangefinder A rangefinder (also rangefinding telemeter, depending on the context) is a device used to measure distances to remote objects. Originally optical devices used in surveying, they soon found applications in other fields, such as photography an ...

External links

* {{Authority control Museums in West Flanders World War II museums in Belgium Military and war museums in Belgium Open-air museums in Belgium