The Zaanse Mills

Mills, The Zaan-area became world-famous because of them. Because over centuries wind-mills supplied the (clean) energy for one of the first real industrial areas of the world. With that they formed the foundation of the prosperity of this area. With the constantly advancing technology they stepped over to other power source and the mills disappeared more and more from the Zaanse landscape. Momentary there are only 13 left from the original 1000 and over and above this one of the most famous primeval-Zaanse mill-types: De bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) wood-saw-mill. Several enthusiastic Zaankanters (people who are originally frm the Zaan-area), foundation “Het jonge Schaap”, the association “De Zaansche Molen” and the municipality Zaanstad want to change this together: by the rebuild of the glorious sawing bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) “Het jonge Schaap” (The young Sheep). You too can make an important contribution to this mill-campaign. Read on

Here below you find a resume of the mills in the Zaan-area. Click on the link of the mill you want more information about.


Mill “De Huisman” (The Houseman) is probably built in 1786 as snuff-mill. Later on “De Huisman” was more-over fit up for the manufacturing of mustard. Click here for more info

	The mill “De Gekroonde Poelenburg” (The Crowned Poelenburg) is a paltrok-mill (wood-saw-mill which can be turned to the wind on rollers over a brick-wall in one piece) build in 1869. It was located at “het Oostzijderveld” in Zaandam till 1963. Click here for more info

The mill “de Kat” (The Cat) is an, originally in 1781 build, octagonal scaffolding-mill, since the partial rebuilding on the Zaanse Schans in 1960 fit up as paint-mill. Click here for more info

	The mill “De Zoeker” (The Searcher) is an octagonal bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) with scaffolding as well, which is being propped up by several stamps according to Zaanse-style. Click here for more info


“De Bonte Hen” (The many-coloured Hen) is the most northerly one of the row of mills of the Zaanse Schans. It is probably build in, or shortly after, 1693. Click here for more info

	“De Hadel”, situated at het Zeilmakerspad of the Zaanse Schans, is a North-Dutch meadow-mill, coming from Midwoud. In 1968 it came to the Zaanse Schans, where it is being used to rinse through the ditches. Click here for more info

Mill “De bleeke Dood” (The Death) is a, in 1655-1656 build, corn-mill. An octagonal bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) with scaffolding. Click here for more info

	Mill “De Ooievaar” (The Stork) is an, originally in or shortly before 1622 as oil-mill build, octagonal bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) with scaffolding. Click here for more info

The mill “De Koker” was built in 1806 in Wormer and fit up as corn-mill. Click here for more info

	“De Twiskemolen” (Twiske-mill) is an octagonal binnenkruier (windmill of which the inside works is movable), build around 1578. Click here for more info

“Het Prinsenhof” (The Prince-garden) is fit up again in the seventies to hull barley. Click here for more info

	“De jonge Dirk” (The young Dirk) is an, in 1959 rebuild, octagonal bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) with scaffolding. Originally this was a little mill; build in 1908 in Zaandam as spice-mill. Click here for more info

The mill “De Schoolmeester” (The School-teacher), in former times also nicknamed as “De Gauwdief”, is dated from 1692. It is a hexagonal bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) with scaffolding. Click here for more info

	The mill “Het Pink” (The Yearling) was built in 1751, probably on an older foundation. It is an octagonal bovenkruier (windmill of which only the cap is movable) with scaffolding, with a wingspread of 23 meters! Click here for more info

“The Hercules” is an unmanned steal pumping engine, which is also called the rose mill because of the shape of the wind wheel. Click here for more info

The Zaanse Mill-Association. In 1925 the association “De Zaansche Molen” was grounded. The first success was the restoration of oil-mill “De Zoeker”. Three years later the mill-museum was opened. Click here for the Mill-site