Kinderdijk is a UNESCO world heritage site, which tells you how unique it is. This is the largest concentration of 19 old windmills in the Netherlands, that date back to the 1700s. If you wanted to see and experience the operation of windmills this is the place.
Millers live in the windmills and keep them working all year round. If they go on vacation another skilled part-time miller will take his place. They aren’t supposed to have additional buildings but the older millers often do. The youngest miller is assigned to live in the windmill that is the museum.
The windmills in The Netherlands aren’t just for milling but act as pumps to drain water from the land and into the artificial canals. The top floor of the windmill moves completely around to catch the wind.
Every windmill has two doors on opposite sides of the windmill just in case the spinning blades are blocking one of them.
The interiors are small but quaint and use every nook to make it a functional home. It would be fun to see one of the windmills updated in a more contemporary style.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to have one done by one of those reality show makeovers?
Most visitors choose to walk around the site at their leisure but you can also bicycle, or take a boat tour. The windmills are very photogenic and you’ll come home with dozens of photos.
