De Zwaan, Tower mill in Lienden, Netherlands.
De Zwaan is a brick tower mill rising four storeys high with a rotating cap mounted on cast iron rollers. The structure features movable sails and was built to grind grain for the surrounding community.
The mill was built in 1644 as a replacement for a post mill that had collapsed on the same site. It became the main grinding facility in the region and has remained part of the landscape ever since.
The name 'De Zwaan' refers to a swan, following the Dutch tradition of naming mills after animals. Today the family operating it continues to demonstrate the age-old craft of turning grain into flour.
The mill can be visited on Saturdays when it is in operation and open for tours inside. For other days, visits can be arranged by contacting the operators directly.
The sails of the mill stretch across roughly 27 meters and reveal the force needed to grind grain effectively. This size was necessary to capture enough wind and power the grinding stones.
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