De Liefde, Destroyed windmill in Amsterdam, Netherlands

De Liefde is a former windmill in Amsterdam, now standing as a simple tower-like structure with weathered wood and a rotating cap. The building has a plain, functional look with no remaining sails, and its position near old city streets shows how it once fit into a row of working structures.

The structure dates from the period when windmills were common in Amsterdam, before steam and electric power replaced them. Over time it stopped working and was largely dismantled, leaving only the base that visitors see today.

Local residents still use the name De Liefde in everyday speech, and the building stands as a visual anchor for the block where people meet or give directions. Its bare wooden frame and missing sails remind passersby of the time when millers were trusted figures in daily neighborhood life.

The site is easy to spot from the nearby street, and the surrounding walkway lets you view the old structure up close without entering. Wear comfortable shoes, since the surrounding area has old paving that can be uneven after rain.

The name De Liefde means "the love" in Dutch, an unusual choice for an industrial mill and far softer than most working structures of its kind. A visitor might also notice that the remaining wood shows repair marks from different centuries, as if the building was patched many times before falling out of use.