Memorial Chapel on the American Cemetery - Waregem, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
N 50° 52.429 E 003° 27.225
31U E 531925 N 5635891
On the American War Cemetery is a memorial chapel in the center of the place.
Waymark Code: WM19X0F
Location: West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Date Posted: 04/29/2024
Views: 0
The American War Cemetery in Waregem is the only permanent American World War I cemetery in Belgium. It started as a temporary battlefield burial ground, but was donated after WW I by the Belgium Government. Four plots with 92 graves each are aligned to the outer walls of the small memorial chapel in the center. The cemetery was designed by Architect Paul P. Cret on behalf of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) in 1925, and built between 1928 and 1930.
The octagonal chapel is nearly 8m high and was built of white Pouillenay stone, the inner width is about 4m. Inside the chapel is a small altar made of black and white marble, on either side of it are bronze candelabras, flags of the United States, Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Italy are placed beside the candelabras. On the ceiling is a mosaic, which shows a golden lighted oil lamp on the stars of Heaven with eight doves of peace flying around.
References:
- Flanders Field American Cemetery, Library of Congress
- Flanders Field American Cemetery, ABMC
- Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial, Wikipedia