Sint Martinus, windmill in Didam, Gelderland, Netherlands
Sint Martinus is a round grain mill in Didam built in 1854 that operated on wind power. The structure has four large blades, white plaster walls, and a rotating cap to face the wind, with traditional grinding stones and gear systems inside that have been carefully maintained.
The mill was built in 1854 by Theodorus Kempers and changed hands several times before being owned by the Strijbosch family from 1951 onward. After a fire in 1964 and machinery failures starting in the 1970s, the building was restored in 2007 by a housing company and has since been preserved as a monument.
Sint Martinus was once a vital gathering place where local farmers brought their grain to be processed. Today, the mill tells the story of how communities depended on wind power before modern technology, with the old machinery inside serving as a reminder of that era.
The mill is typically open to visitors on Saturdays, and school groups are welcome by appointment. On windy days, the blades can be manually turned to demonstrate how the traditional milling system worked.
One of the blades had to be repaired in 2024 due to a crack and was fully replaced in 2025. This demonstrates how traditional mills require ongoing maintenance and highlights the effort needed to keep historic structures operational.
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