Windmühle Varel, Windmill in Varel, Germany
The Varel Windmill is a Dutch gallery mill standing about 39 meters tall with three main parts: a stone base, an octagonal wooden section, and a removable cap. The building now functions as a museum displaying farming tools, fishing equipment, and exhibits related to local life and coastal management.
Graf Gustav Adolf von Bentinck commissioned the mill between 1847 and 1848, and it operated as a grain mill for many years afterward. The mill worked until 1965 before being converted into a museum to preserve the region's industrial heritage.
The building holds a collection of agricultural and fishing tools from the region, showing how people worked in earlier times. The exhibition also documents flood management and dike systems, which were essential for this flat coastal area.
The site is best visited on weekends or during special opening times, which you should confirm in advance. Since access is not guaranteed every day, it is worth contacting the site beforehand to plan your visit.
Inside the mill sits an exceptionally large millstone about 2 meters across, considered one of the largest of its kind in Germany. This massive stone shows what kind of power and craftsmanship were needed to build and operate grain mills on this scale.
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