Wassermühle Barrien, Historical watermill in Barrien, Germany

Wassermühle Barrien is a grain processing mill in Syke that used water power to grind grain for local farmers. The structure still features its water wheel, grinding mechanisms, and the original water channel that once powered the operation.

A mill on the Hache was first documented in 1345, when the Klenck brothers sold their mill "im Kercdorpe tho Beringen" to the Counts of Hoya, who had held Barrien since 1326. The present historicist building dates from 1857, and its undershot water wheel from the 18th century. Grain was ground here until 1972.

The mill building has hosted exhibitions and lectures since around 1975, organised by the Kulturinitiative Barrier Wassermühle founded in 1992. The Verein Rüttelschuh holds folk and classical concerts, readings and cabaret there, and from 1985 to 2015 it also served as a café-bistro.

The mill is best reached on foot or by car parked nearby, as it sits in a rural area outside Syke's main center. The site is relatively accessible, but checking local information beforehand helps ensure visiting is possible at your preferred time.

The undershot wheel, which dates from the 18th century, is older than the 1857 brick mill building it serves. Since 1997, students from Hochschule Bremen have used the preserved milling machinery to generate electricity whenever the wheel turns.