The little town of Waterloo in Brabant, 18km/11miles south of Brussels, has become world famous through the historic battle of June 18, 1815. This decided not only the fate of France and its emperor Napoleon I but also the future of Europe, when the French army met the united armies of Britain, Hanover, the Netherlands and Prussia. While the British general Wellington spoke of the "Battle of Waterloo", to the Prussian field marshal it was the "Battle of Belle-Alliance" since both generals met after the successful victory at the farm of this name. Every year about June 15 the battles are re-enacted.
A number of minor encounters had preceded the decisive engagement of the two armies. In order to confront the allies, who were advancing towards France, the French army made a forced march to the north where on July 16, 1815 they defeated the Prussians at Ligny and Marshal Ney did battle with the British. On the evening of June 17 Napoleon set up his headquarters in the Ferme du Caillou, while Wellington established his headquarters in Waterloo and bivouacked his troops in the Ferme Mont-Saint-Jean. The battle began on Sunday June 11 at about 11:30am with drawn-out fighting around the Ferme de Hougoumont which lasted until evening. After each side had made infantry and cavalry attacks - in the notorious "Chemin Creux" (sunken road) to Ohain, near the Ferme de la Haie Sainte and the Ferme de la Papelotte, which had no decisive result but where the British got into some difficulty - the first Prussians appeared at 4:30 p.m. on the right wing of the French and provided some relief. About 6 p.m. the Prussians made a massive attack on Plancenoit so that Napoleon was compelled to send the Imperial guard into the battle, but they could not stave off defeat. About 9 o'clock the battle was over and 49,000 dead men remained on the battlefield.
Opposite the museum rises the domed building of the Chapelle royale, built in 1690 and originally dedicated to the Spanish king Charles II. In 1817 the chapel was declared a memorial for the battle and was provided with burial plaques of the Allied soldiers who had died. These can now be seen in the adjoining church of Saint-Joseph.
In Waterloo itself a visit should be paid to the former headquarters of the Duke of Wellington on the main road to Brussels. Here there is more documentation about the battle and personal possessions of the British commander.
Address: Wellington Museum, Chaussée de Bruxelles 147, B-1410 Waterloo, Belgium
Hours:
April 1 to September 30: 9:30am-6pm
October 1 to March 31: 10am-5pm
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
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Lion Hill
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Lion Hill, Waterloo
Lion Hill, Waterloo
Waterloo Battlefield, Waterloo
