Windmills
A visit to the Zaanse Schans would not be complete without the opportunity to explore a genuine working windmill!
Revolutionary invention
The cunning application of the crankshaft revolutionised the development of industrial windmills in the Netherlands. Cornelis Corneliszoon of Uitgeest, an inventor at the beginning of the Golden Age applied the principle for the first time with a floating sawmill in 1592. This process was so successful that timber production in the area rose by 3000 percent. With an abundance of wind and water and the close proximity of Amsterdam’s important, global, commercial centre the stage was set for the Zaanstreek to become the first industrial area in the world.
Of the thousand industrial windmills ever built along the banks of the river Zaan thirteen remain. Six can be found at the Zaanse Schans.
Mustard Mill De Huisman >
Sawmill De Gekroonde Poelenburg >
Paint Mill De Kat >
Oil Mill De Zoeker >
Oil Mill De Bonte Hen >
Sawmill Het Jonge Schaap >
As well as these six industrial windmills there are two smaller mills at the Zaanse Schans
Sandstone pounding and Whetstone mill De Windhond >
Pasture or Meadow mill De Hadel >
Please note that during the winter month November and February, unless by prior arrangements, most of the windmills are open at weekends only, with the exception of the Jonge Schaap, open daily.
Opening times >
The outstanding maintenance of the windmills in the Zaanstreek is due largely to the diligence of the Windmill Society, the Vereniging de Zaansche Molen.
Windmill Society the Vereniging de Zaansche Molen
The preservation and conservation of the remaining windmills in the Zaanstreek is unquestionably the success of the Zaansche Windmill Society founded in 1925 by teacher and artist Frans Mars. He understood that windmills having lost their economic importance would disappear from the area and an important element of Zaanse culture would be lost forever. The society’s first objective was to establish the Windmill Museum in 1928. The rebuilding sawmill Het Jonge Schaap, opened in 2007, is the sixth functional windmill at the Zaanse Schans.
Contact
Windmill Society Vereniging de Zaansche Molen
Museumlaan 181541 LP Koog aan de Zaan
P.O. Box 31540 AA Koog aan de Zaan
Tel +31 (0)75 6215148
Fax +31 (0)75 6570308
dezaanschemolen@euronet.nl
www.zaansemolen.nl
A visit to the Zaanse Schans would not be complete without the opportunity to explore a genuine working windmill!
Revolutionary invention
The cunning application of the crankshaft revolutionised the development of industrial windmills in the Netherlands. Cornelis Corneliszoon of Uitgeest, an inventor at the beginning of the Golden Age applied the principle for the first time with a floating sawmill in 1592. This process was so successful that timber production in the area rose by 3000 percent. With an abundance of wind and water and the close proximity of Amsterdam’s important, global, commercial centre the stage was set for the Zaanstreek to become the first industrial area in the world.
Of the thousand industrial windmills ever built along the banks of the river Zaan thirteen remain. Six can be found at the Zaanse Schans.
Mustard Mill De Huisman >
Sawmill De Gekroonde Poelenburg >
Paint Mill De Kat >
Oil Mill De Zoeker >
Oil Mill De Bonte Hen >
Sawmill Het Jonge Schaap >
As well as these six industrial windmills there are two smaller mills at the Zaanse Schans
Sandstone pounding and Whetstone mill De Windhond >
Pasture or Meadow mill De Hadel >
Please note that during the winter month November and February, unless by prior arrangements, most of the windmills are open at weekends only, with the exception of the Jonge Schaap, open daily.
Opening times >
The outstanding maintenance of the windmills in the Zaanstreek is due largely to the diligence of the Windmill Society, the Vereniging de Zaansche Molen.
Windmill Society the Vereniging de Zaansche Molen
The preservation and conservation of the remaining windmills in the Zaanstreek is unquestionably the success of the Zaansche Windmill Society founded in 1925 by teacher and artist Frans Mars. He understood that windmills having lost their economic importance would disappear from the area and an important element of Zaanse culture would be lost forever. The society’s first objective was to establish the Windmill Museum in 1928. The rebuilding sawmill Het Jonge Schaap, opened in 2007, is the sixth functional windmill at the Zaanse Schans.
Contact
Windmill Society Vereniging de Zaansche Molen
Museumlaan 181541 LP Koog aan de Zaan
P.O. Box 31540 AA Koog aan de Zaan
Tel +31 (0)75 6215148
Fax +31 (0)75 6570308
dezaanschemolen@euronet.nl
www.zaansemolen.nl
