Nederland - Schiedam, De Drie Koornbloemen

Schiedam is home to the seven largest windmills in the world. Once there were more than 30 mills in the city. The majority of the so called ‘brandersmolens’ (malt mills) ground grain for the distilleries. To catch enough wind within the built-up area, and for greater storage and production capacity, the mills grew to be the tallest in the world. They have been joined in this century by two new mills, bringing the total number of malt mills to seven. These remaining ‘Giants of Schiedam’ are still characteristic of the city.

De Drie Koornbloemen (The Three Corn Flowers) is a stone windmill, which was built in 1770. It is the eldest of the original malt mills in Schiedam and is the only one with a miller’s house, dating back to 1832.

In the early 19th century, the mill was used for sawing mahogany and a few years later for peeling rice. In 1857, the grinding tax was lifted. The owner then decides to start grinding for bakers again. Later millers started grinding peas, maize and beans for processing into cattle feed.

The municipality of Schiedam bought the mill in 1976. After a substantial clean-up, carried out by Schiedam mill volunteers, restoration could begin. In 1999, the miller house was completely restored.