De Distilleerketel, Grain windmill in Delfshaven, Netherlands.
De Distilleerketel is a grain mill in Delfshaven, Rotterdam's historic neighborhood, featuring a cylindrical stone structure with a rotating cap and wooden blades. The building still operates today, grinding grain using wind power.
The original mill was built in 1727 and ground malt for local distilleries near the harbor. A fire in 1899 destroyed the building, after which it was reconstructed in a new location and has been operating ever since.
The mill's name comes from its past work grinding malt for nearby distilleries in the neighborhood. Today visitors can watch how the traditional machinery operates and see how wind powered the grinding process.
The mill sits on an island in the historic Delfshaven harbor and is easy to reach on foot. The best visits happen when the wind is strong enough to turn the blades, so windy days offer the most rewarding experience.
From the mill's platform you can see both the medieval harbor layout and Rotterdam's modern buildings at the same time. This view shows how the city evolved over centuries while the old mill remained standing in the middle of all this change.
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