Tyne Cot Cemetery
Tyne Cot Cemetery has been on my bucket list for more than a decade—a low-key objective, patiently waiting for the opportune moment. Although I live less than two hours away, I never made the visit. I was nearby, however, this week, and I finally stepped through the famous stone arch into one of the most sobering locations in all of Belgium.
Standing among rows and rows of the identical, snowy headstones, I felt an intense
combination of sadness and thankfulness. Sadness at the sheer amount of young lives lost. Thankfulness at the sacrifices they made, allowing others—me—to live in freedom. These men contributed greatly to the world we live in today, and their sacrifice is carved into the ground, into history, and now into my photographs.As an architectural and travel photographer, my intention was not just to record, but to evoke. I emphasized symmetry, light, and substance—utilizing the stone, the sky, and the composition in order to convey the mood for those that haven’t been, or perhaps never will be, there. The architecture of remembrance, from the Cross of Sacrifice through the colonnades that stretch, and the inscribed walls, all speak about loss and togetherness in silence.
A Brief History
Tyne Cot Cemetery is the world’s largest Commonwealth war cemetery. It lies near Passchendaele, the resting place for almost 12,000 First World War soldiers, the greater part being victims of the notorious Battle of Passchendaele (1917). “Tyne Cot” presumably is named after the similarity between the neighboring pillboxes and the Tyneside cottages. Such a blockhouse was overrun by the 3rd Australian Division on 4 October 1917 and now stands as the foundation for the central Cross of Sacrifice.
The curve in the cemetery wall is also in remembrance of almost 35,000 soldiers whose corpses could not be identified. Tyne Cot is hence not just a cemetery, but a large canvas for memory.
Concrete Pavilion
A concrete pavilion designed to welcome visitors and provide information, was designed by Govaert & Vanhoutte Architects and a recent addition to the grounds. This pavilion is located at the entrance to Tyne Cot Cemetery. The design is a response to the increasing number of visitors and serves as a welcome facility and information point.
Closing Remarks
A visit to Tyne Cot is never forgotten. It is a location where silence is the loudest sound, where shadow and light dance on stone, and where each step is made in remembrance for the sacrifices made for the gift that we now enjoy.
All photos © Nick De Clercq
