Waterloo Battlefield, Heritage battlefield site in Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
Waterloo Battlefield is a large heritage site spanning multiple municipalities where agricultural fields alternate with monuments and commemorative structures. The Lion's Mound rises approximately 40 meters (131 feet) above the flat landscape, while over 130 monuments and preserved farmhouses form the core of what visitors encounter here.
In June 1815, soldiers from seven nations clashed here in a decisive battle that ended Napoleon's military career and cost approximately 44,000 lives. This event reshaped the political map of Europe and made the location a symbol of an era's end.
The site features a circular panorama building from 1912 containing a 360-degree painting that captures pivotal moments and has become central to how people understand this event. Visitors can enter original farmhouses like Hougoumont and Haie Sainte, which remain at the heart of how the area is remembered and visited today.
The site is accessible year-round through a visitor center where guided tours depart and cover the main locations of the conflict. Trails cross open farmland leading to preserved buildings, so visitors should wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for changing weather conditions.
The preserved farmhouses from 1815 like Hougoumont, Haie Sainte, and Belle-Alliance remain inhabitable today and offer a rare glimpse into how the terrain looked during the fighting. Visitors can walk through the same doorways used during the battle, creating a direct physical connection to the event.
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