Nowhere in the Netherlands as many windmills will be found together as in Kinderdijk
The outstanding contribution made by the people of the Netherlands to the technology of handling water is admirably demonstrated here on sight. The nineteen mills have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. The 19 windmills are divided into three categories: 8 round brick ground-sailers on the Nederwaard and 10 thatched octagonal smock mills on the Overwaard, and one hollow post mill. Construction of hydraulic works for the drainage of land for agriculture and settlement began in the Middle Ages and have continued uninterruptedly to the present day. Kinderdijk illustrates all the typical features associated with this water technology - dykes, reservoirs, pumping stations, administrative buildings and of course a series of beautifully preserved windmills.
