Castle of Ypres is still buried, and on top of it a supermarket comes: "The dream is too expensive" (inland)

Flemish heritage minister Ben Weyts (N-VA) came along on March 22 after the discovery of remnants of a medieval domain: a moth with a wall and a canal, which was a residence for the counts of Flanders until the twelfth century. As the wall was further uncovered, various terms circulated for the site. Peter De Wilde, Administrator General of the Flemish Agency for Heritage, called the place after his visit the ‘Gravensteen’ of Ypres.

Read too. Archaeologists discover remnants of the residence of the graves of Flanders, Minister Weyts helps (for a moment) digging along

The minister helped with the excavations a few months ago. – © Thijs Pattyn

Owner and builder Jean-Marie Cardinael (72) from Bruges wanted to build a supermarket with apartments on the site, but the works came to a stop because of the find of the castle-of which the man suddenly owned. « The owner of a site is also the owner of the subsurface, that is federal regulations, » said Jan Decorte, heritage coordinator of CO7, about that.

Read too. And suddenly Jean-Marie (72) owns remnants of medieval castle: « Incredible »

A number of Ypres people then launched a call and gathered a few thousand signatures to permanently access the ‘castle of Ypres’ for the public instead of building a Carrefour – as before – with apartments above that would be looking out on the cloth halls, the Belfort and the Cathedral; The other medieval pearls of Ypres.

A sketch of what the castle could have looked like. – © Thijs Pattyn

Also view. Criticism of buried ‘Iepers Gravensteen’, but also support: ‘countess’ Rolande (92) likes to see the store return

Weyts came to Ypres again on Friday to give text and explanation with the decision taken about the future of the site. « I want to do that with less news, » said Weyts. « We also had the dream and ambition to be able to quote the remnants almost in the future, at any time of the day. We viewed, analyzed and calculated all the scenarios several times, but we had to determine that this is not feasible or affordable. »

« A purchase and protection against water and air would cost around 10 million euros, » says Weyts. « A separate access and visiting the remnants via a basement would also cost around 10 million euros and this castle wall had to be kept through and therefore partly destroyed. Besides, in both scenarios that 10 million euros is only one -off costs. On top of that, a recurring cost of millions for the coming years. I will not get that to the Flemish taxpayer.”

Read too. Petition for found ‘Iepers Gravensteen’: « This ultimate chance should not be lost »

« The construction project is being realized in a way where the foundations do not affect the castle wall »

Ben Weyts

Flemish Heritage Minister

« Now perhaps only a third is visible, but we want to protect the entire castle wall for the future, » Weyts continues. « The construction project is being realized in a way where the foundations do not affect the castle wall. That also entails a cost, but it is affordable. »

« From the start we worked constructively on the archaeological research, » says owner and client Jean-Marie Cardinael. « We are satisfied that a solution is found that protects both the heritage and makes the project possible. For example, we contribute to the future of Ypres, with respect for the past. »

In recent weeks, Cardinael regularly came to watch the excavations. – © Thijs Pattyn

“We have investigated all options very thoroughly and well, but in the end we clash with financial reality”

Katrien Desomer

Mayor Ypres

« We have investigated all options very thoroughly and well, » says Mayor Katrien Desomer (Team Ypres). « From a glass ceiling or floor to the complete acquisition of the site. At a certain moment we were almost with a Carrefour in the Stadsschouwburg across the street. But in the end we collide with the financial reality. We are talking about amounts of more than eight figures and that is only for the acquisition and design, not for the exploitation. »

« As Ypres, I find this regrettable, as mayor and from the public interest I can agree with the decision taken »

Katrien Desomer

Mayor Ypres

« The castle wall is guaranteed for the future and is buried in the Ypres clay so that it is preserved for the generations after us, » said Desomer. « I have lived with this for many weeks. As a Ypresling I think this is of course unfortunate and I am emotional. As a mayor and from the general interest I can agree with the decision taken. It makes no sense to postpone other projects to get this financed. The challenges are very large, even in the field of heritage and tourism. Just like the renewal of the Renewal in the Renewal in the Renewal in the Renewal of the Renewal in the Renewal of the Visibility in the Renewal.”

« At a certain moment we almost sat with a Carrefour in the Stadsschouwburg across the street. » – © Thijs Pattyn

“It was a fascinating period and felt when traveling, not to a distant country but to the past of our city. The wall remains visible virtually. All measurements have been made for this, both photo and footage has been taken so that after scanning a QR code you will see the Burcht wall. Meanwhile, we will have taken other measures, and as a city protection on the substrate of the subsurface on the subsurface on the subsurface of the Ondersteur Onderborne, and the Substrate on the Ondersteur Onder Survival, and the Substrate on the Onder Sometimes, and the Substrate on the Subardion of the Onder Sometimes, and Leavening. plots so that in the future we will keep the possibilities free to do further research into the castle of Ypres. ”