Jan Pol, Smock windmill in Dalen, Netherlands.
Jan Pol is a smock windmill in Dalen built on a three-story brick foundation with a three-story wooden structure above. The design uses a wood-covered frame typical of this mill type, protecting the internal mechanisms from weather while allowing the top section to rotate for the sails.
The original mill from 1820 was destroyed by lightning in 1875, leading millwright Schiller from Dalfsen to rebuild it in 1876 with an updated design. This reconstruction reflects how damaged mills were often replaced with improved structures rather than simply repaired.
The windmill takes its name from Jan Pol, who ran the operation for several decades until the early 1980s. Today visitors can observe how the structure served as both a working space and home for those who managed it.
Visits take place during spring and fall months, so plan ahead to ensure availability. The brick foundation provides stable ground access, though interior stairs may be steep in places.
The interior houses multiple pairs of millstones driven by four sail-equipped rotors that could operate simultaneously. This setup allowed the mill to grind different materials at the same time, making it more productive than single-operation mills.
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