Memorial 1815

Top choice in Wallonia


Inaugurated for the 2015 bicentenary, this showpiece underground museum and visitor centre at the battlefield gives some detail on the background to Napoleon's rise, fills in information on key incidents, then describes the make-up of each side's forces. There's a detailed audioguide and some enjoyable technological effects. The climax is an impressive 3D film that sticks you right into the middle of the cavalry charges. Includes admission to Panorama de la Bataille, Butte du Lion and Hougoumont.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Wallonia attractions

1. Panorama de la Bataille

0.03 MILES

Included in admission to the Memorial 1815 visitor centre is the charmingly old-fashioned 1912 Panorama de la Bataille, a circular action-packed painting…

2. Butte du Lion

0.08 MILES

Waterloo’s most arresting sight is a steep, grassy cone topped by a massive bronze lion. It commemorates, incredibly, not victory nor the glorious dead…

3. Ferme Brasserie Mont-Saint-Jean

0.51 MILES

This fortified farmhouse was transformed into Wellington's field hospital during the 1815 battle, and was used to treat some 7000 men. A thought-provoking…

4. Hougoumont

0.76 MILES

This classic fortified farm is around 20 minutes’ walk southwest of the Butte du Lion. Had Napoleon broken through here early in the battle, everything…

5. Dernier Quartier Général de Napoléon

2.42 MILES

The farmhouse complex where Napoleon breakfasted the morning of the battle now forms a small museum, accessible on the combined Memorial 1815 ticket. It’s…

6. Musée Wellington

2.64 MILES

Opposite the church and tourist office on the main road in Waterloo itself, this former inn is where Wellington stayed before the battle. The museum,…

7. De Lambiek

5.27 MILES

This sparkling showpiece attraction is for fans of the Brussels area's trademark gueuze and lambic beers. The De Lambiek visitors centre explains the…

8. Collégiale Ste-Gertrude

6.7 MILES

This 11th-century church was part of one of Europe’s foremost abbeys, founded in 648. It's 102m long with a soaring multilevel western facade topped with…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "belgium/waterloo-battlefield/attractions/memorial-1815/a/poi-sig/1515261/1325175",
      "destination": "Wallonia",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Belgium",
      "region": "Wallonia",
      "position": "superzone"
    }