Wendhausen Windmill, Tower mill in Lehre, Germany
Wendhausen Windmill is a tower mill with five wooden sails and intricate cast iron gear systems inside, designed following Dutch engineering principles. The structure displays typical 19th century milling mechanics with restored internal components still in working condition.
The mill was built in 1837 by the Vieweg brothers from Braunschweig, replacing an older watermill that had operated on the Schunter River since the late 15th century. This construction marked the transition from water-powered milling to wind-powered technology at this location.
The mill shapes the visual identity of Wendhausen and appears on the town's coat of arms, marking its importance to the community's agricultural past. Locals and visitors alike see it as a living symbol of the region's rural heritage.
Visitors can join guided tours to examine the internal mechanisms and learn how the milling systems operated in the past. Check ahead for tour availability, as the mill operates at specific times throughout the year.
The mill uses English measurement standards in its construction, which is unusual for German engineering of that era. It also remains the only operational five-sailed mill of its kind in the entire country.
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