The relief map of Ypres (1702) from the Lille Museum of Fine Art.

The city of Ypres was almost entirely destriyed during the First World War (1914 - 1918). Chemical weapons were used in the early stages of the war. Mustard gas, so named because of its smell, is also called Yperite, after the city of Ypres where it was used for the first time in combat in 1915. At the end of the conflict, the town officials in Ypres carefully studied the relief map made in 1702 before starting the reconstruction of its historic centre.The relief map is a silent witness of a past once destroyed and has served different purposes throughout its existence.

Map dimensions: 6.51 x 5.47 M = 36 m2 (12 tables !).
Scale : 1/600