Windmills in Zaansee Schans, Netherlands

Today Dave and Emily went to Zansee Chans which has a handful of traditional windmills north of the Netherlands.

First up, the windmills were quite interesting. The windmills were used by the Dutch for many things. First and probably most important, a lot of the northern Netherlands is swampland. See the picture of Holland. Anything in dark and light blue is below sea level. The windmills were used to pump water out of some land to make it workable. The Dutch would build a "polder" around an area of land (basically a dike), then put canals through that area of land. The windmills would control the flow of water inside the dam. In fact you can see the River in one picture is higher than the artificial canals. The canals concentrate the remaining water and draw it away from the land inside the polders. These canals run all over the Wetlands of the Netherlands.

The mills were also used mill grain or make wooden boards. In fact, the Dutch East India Company was able to rise to its economic power in the 17th and 18th century due to the Dutch ability to mass produce boats faster than all competitors. They were producing 800 boats a year.

Last fun fact, the top of the windmills can actually pivot to face the wind. One picture of the back of the windmill, should show how the head is on a cog attached to the wide base.Read more