Gempemolen, Watermill in Gempe, Belgium
Gempemolen is a watermill located where three streams meet in Belgium, built with stone walls and equipped with an oak wheel powered by water. The structure was designed to grind grain and process other materials using the constant flow of water.
A medieval duke granted land and a milling facility to monks in the 13th century, establishing its role in agricultural production. Ownership changed after the French Revolution when it transitioned to private operation.
The mill once served as a gathering place where local farmers brought grain to be processed. The building stands as a reminder of how rural communities depended on such facilities for their daily needs.
The mill sits along marked cycling routes that branch out to other regional sites from this location. Visitors can walk the grounds to observe the stone construction and water channels that made the mill function.
In the 17th century, a stream was diverted about 600 meters to create a pond that kept the water wheel running during dry periods. This engineering effort shows how important the mill was to the region and how far people would go to maintain its operation.
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