leadership of the Norbertine monk Jacob Clou. The hooded "Sodales" took a cross for penitence. This procession was expanded at the end of the 17th century with scenes from the Bible, and is the only one of his kind, remaining up to now in Flanders.
The second half of the 17th century was marked by the miseries brought to the region by Louis XIV�s wars. Vauban built heavy fortifications around the city, the outlines of which are still noticeable from the air today. Joseph II of Austria put them down and closed some of the religious institutions, putting a temporary end to the penitents� procession, until Leopold II allowed it again in 1790. Those few cloisters that were still operating were closed at the French Revolution.
19th and 20th century
From the Battle of Waterloo until World War I, Veurne could enjoy a century of quiet and prosperity. In 1830, Veurne was the first city to welcome Belgium�s new king, Leopold I, in his new country. The railway was made on demand of Robert Stephenson as a passway to Dunkerque and so to England.
During World War I, Veurne was located within the Yser pocket of Belgian resistance against the German troops. During the Battle of the Yser, the Veurne city hall became the headquarters for the Belgian troops under King Albert I and a military hospital was set up in the city. In 1920, French President Raymond Poincar� came to Veurne to award the city the Croix de guerre with palm.
Veurne suffered some damage during World War II, mainly from allied bombing but also from the strategic flooding that engulfed the whole area. Today, the city is a regional centre, which gives commercial, medical, and educational services to the surrounding communities while enjoying increasing tourist attention
