Four windmills in Aarlanderveen - Aarlanderveen

They are a unique example of Dutch water management and cultural heritage in one. The four windmills in Aarlanderveen are the only windmills in the world that still operate entirely on wind power! Together, the four windmills pump the excess water from the polder up to the Oude Rijn in stages.

Originally, three windmills were built for this windmill complex in 1785: the Ondermolen, Middenmolen and Bovenmolen. The mills were intended to keep the polders west of Aarlanderveen dry. However, the deepest part of the polder, known as ‘de Put’ (the Pit), was even lower and could not be effectively drained. Therefore, a fourth mill, the Putmolen, was added in 1801.

Each mill lifts the water about 1 to 1.5 metres. The Putmolen uses a screw pump to remove the water from the deepest part of the polder, while the other three use scoop wheels. Although the mills are mainly powered by wind, electric auxiliary pumps have been available since 1994, which are used when there is no wind or when a mill is out of service.

Over time, the three original mills have been destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times. As a result, the Putmolen, despite being the last to be built, is now the oldest of the four.

You can admire all four mills via various walking routes. The Putmolen can be visited by appointment.