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The village of Kinderdijk is more or less surrounded by water: located at the tip of a peninsula between the rivers Noord and Lek, it was a necessity to not only prevent water from destroying the village by building dikes, but also to drain the polders and make them usable for agriculture by building windmills. The windmills were built in the 1730s and 40s, and there are 19 altogether, which makes Kinderdijk the area with the highest density of mills in the Netherlands. And as tourists flock to places where they hope to find a stereotypical image of the country (in the case of the Netherlands, cheese, windmills, bicycles, wooden shoes...), Kinderdijk is more than popular with visitors. I doubt that you will have a peaceful minute there if you go in summertime, but as we were around on an ice-cold March day, we could enjoy the place without tourists. It is well worth not only to go to the first windmill, which is open to visitors for a fee of 6 euros and hosts a small exhibition about the windmills, but also to stroll a bit further along the dike, particularly when you come early in the morning or shortly before sunset and the light is fantastic for photographs. The windmills will look different from every new angle, and with the surrounding reeds shining in a bright yellowish glow, the odd cyclist riding down the dike and the dark blue water of the canal, they are just magical.
Written Mar 28, 2013
Address: Kinderdijk village
Website: http://www.kinderdijk.com/
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This was the first windmill we found that was open to the public on a regular basis. We paid our entrance price and spent an hour exploring the inside...I have added several links here where you can learn both about the Kinderdijk park itself and also the history of the windmills themselves, their design and use.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
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A network of 19 windmills was built around 1740 to drain the polder of Kinderdijk and surrounding polders. (Polders are areas of land below sea level that are protected by dikes.)
The windmilles stand in neat rows along an L-shaped drainage canal, where they pumped water from the surrounding polders, until steam and electric pumps offered more reliable protection against flooding.
This group of mills is the largest concentration of windmills in the Netherlands. And nowhere in the world you will find as many windmills as near the village of Kinderdijk.
The foundation "Wereld Erfgoed Kinderdijk" maintains and preserves the windmills in Kinderdijk. The preservation is not limited to the windmills themselves, but also covers the area in which the windmills are situated.
The windmilles were placed on the list of UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997.
The Kinderdijk windmill area is situated in the Alblasserwaard between the rivers Lek and Merwede, about 25 kilometres from Rotterdam.
The 19 windmills at Kinderdijk symbolise the way in which the Dutch have managed the water. For centuries, they have kept the land dry, which had been ravaged by subsidence and floods.
VIDEO of my visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zDauA9QEkQ
Updated Dec 17, 2010
Website: http://www.kinderdijk.com
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You almost feel like you are intruding on their privacy. Almost like the paparazzi taking photo's of celebs. Fortunately there are a few months when this place is visitor free and the windmills can take the smiles of their faces.
Written Jul 10, 2009
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A boat trip here is the perfect way to see the windmills in their full glory and to experience the landscape. The boat departs every half hour from in front of the cafeteria, provided he has a minimum of 4 people. The cost is 3.00 euro
Written Jul 10, 2009
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Amazing that the kitchen and main bedroom was same room. We are so used to luxury today, that we cannot imagine something like this. I am not sure if I would be very happy in the beds, as they seem to be very small to me.
Written Jul 10, 2009
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Windmill no 2 is open to the public from March untill end of October and the opening hours are 9h30 to 5h30. The mill, is more that 265 years old, and operates daily provided their is enough wind to fuel it. The interior is still in its original state and everywhere is video's running to tell us about how the people lived in years gone by.
Admission is 3.50 Euro and if you want to buy a map of the area it is another 1 euro.
Written Jul 10, 2009
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Kinderdijk is a town in southern Holland, and is famous for its windmills. The mills are located on both sides of the river, there are 19 in total. In 1997 they were added to Unesco's World Heritage List.
One of the mills, pretty close to the town, can also be visited in the summer. The best way to view the mills is by walking or bike riding along the river.
Written May 20, 2009
Website: http://www.werelderfgoed.nl/pages/en.php
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A boat trip MOLENTOCHT or MOLEN TOUR, is the perfect way to see the Windmills in their full glory and also to experience the surrounding landscape. Trips depart from "De Molenhoek" Cafeteria. The tour takes you to the last Windmill on the Overwaard and back and it's a half-hour trip. It was a lovely tour and you get to see most of the 19 Windmills. We were fortunate that it was a clear, sunny day and the river was calm enough to capture the windmills reflections.
Ticket price 3,00 Euros - pay as you board the boat.
Parking is available - 5,00 Euros - and you get a nice colourful brochure
Updated Dec 22, 2008
Address: Kinderdijk
Website: www.kinderdijk.nl
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Every day from March until the end of October, the VISITORS WINDMILL opens from 9:30 to 5:30 p.m. This 265 years old Windmill operates every day, provided there is enough wind. The interior of the Windmill remains in its original state. Information is provided about how people used to live and work in Windmills.
Admission 3,50 Euros.
Written Jun 27, 2008
Website: www.kinderdijk.nl
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