Zaanse Schans

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Windmills of Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈzaːnsə ˈsxɑns]) is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, near Zaandijk in the Netherlands. It has a collection of well-preserved historic windmills and houses; the ca. 35 houses from all over the Zaanstreek were moved to the area starting in 1961. The Zaans Museum, established in 1994, is located in the Zaanse Schans.

The Zaanse Schans is one of the popular tourist attractions of the Netherlands and an anchor point of ERIH, the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The neighbourhood attracted approximately 1,6 million visitors in 2014.

Etymology

The Zaanse Schans derived its name of the river Zaan and its original function as sconce (schans in Dutch) against the Spanish troops during the 80 years' war of Dutch independence.

List of windmills

The windmills were built after 1574.

• De Huisman (The Houseman), a mustardmill
• De Gekroonde Poelenburg (The Crowned Poelenburg), a sawmill
• De Kat (The Cat), a dyemill
• Het Jonge Schaap (The Young Sheep), a sawmill
• De Os (The Ox), an oilmill
• De Zoeker (The Seeker), an oilmill
• Het Klaverblad (The Cloverleaf), a sawmill
• De Bonte Hen (The Spotted Hen), an oilmill

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Names of the mills from left to right: Het Jonge Schaap ("the young sheep"), De Zoeker ("the seeker"), De Kat ("the cat"), De Gekroonde Poelenburg ("the crowned poelenburg") and De Huisman ("the houseman"). Photograph: Niels Kim.

External links

• Official website
• Zaanse Schans Cycle Route