Dutch windmills

Do you think you can get to know Holland without visiting at least one windmill? No way!

Ever since the 16th century, hundreds of thousands of Dutch people have been living on the bottom of former lakes. In order to make this possible, many windmills were used to drain the land and keep it dry. Windmills still form an important element of water management in these low lands.

In the 17th century, the invention of the camshaft and the crankshaft made it possible to use wind energy for a wide range of industrial purposes. Hundreds of windmills were used in the timber, paper and coloring industry and created the world’s first industrial zones.

From the original number of windmills Holland boasted just over 150 years ago (well over 10,000), only 1,000 remain today. Fortunately, these living monuments are now protected and many of them are open to the public, at set times.