Windmills in Zaanse Schans Netherlands Postcard

Windmills are among the most iconic symbols of the Netherlands, deeply woven into the country’s cultural heritage and landscape. Originally built as early as the 13th century, Dutch windmills served practical purposes—draining water from low-lying land, grinding grain, sawing timber, and even producing oil and paint. Because much of the Netherlands is below sea level, windmills played a crucial role in land reclamation, helping transform marshy terrain into fertile farmland. The classic image of a windmill standing tall beside a canal or nestled among tulip fields captures the harmony between Dutch engineering and nature. One of the best places to experience this legacy is Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring 19 preserved windmills built in the 1700s. Located near Rotterdam, these mills are part of a historic water management system still admired for its ingenuity. Another popular site is Zaanse Schans, just outside Amsterdam, where a cluster of historic windmills and traditional workshops has been turned into a living museum. Here, visitors can see windmills in action—grinding spices, pressing oil, or sawing wood—and learn about the lives of millers in centuries past. Though modern pumps and technology have replaced much of their original function, windmills in the Netherlands remain enduring symbols of Dutch resilience, innovation, and charm.