A thousand years ago, Kinderdijk was full of bogs, a place only apparently accessible to hunters and fishermen during the summer months. Nonetheless, the promise of its fertile soil persuaded more and more people to settle here, living on the sand dunes and building dikes.
Unfortunately, the water would continue to triumph over the settlers. That’s why Floris V, a strong local ruler of the time, decided to establish water authorities – the first of their kind – and made agreements with the inhabitants of the area about coping with the water. As a result, in the Alblasserwaard region, they built sluices, locks, and watercourses to transfer the water to the lowest point: the sluices at Kinderdijk, where all the water was fed into the river. This network of structures became the foundations for a system that still works today.
In the centuries that followed, Kinderdijk grew into an innovative but charming landscape. The windmills pumped the water out of the polders using the power of the wind. To achieve their mission, the millers followed the rhythm of the natural world – after all, windmills will only work if it’s windy enough. Many other countries learnt from this water management system and, not surprisingly, the windmill became emblematic of the Netherlands.
Over time, typewriters replaced quills, steam trains were introduced to all parts of the Netherlands and the first steam-powered pumping station was put into service at Kinderdijk. Later, the steam-powered pumping station was converted into one driven by electricity: Wisboom Pumping Station, which helped the Overwaard windmills pump away the water. This new pumping station worked seven times faster than the windmills.
Alongside the impressive technical story of water management and windmills, Kinderdijk is a living heritage site. Miller families still live in many of the mills. They preserve traditional crafts, carry out day-to-day maintenance, and keep their family stories alive for future generations.
A water management system to educate the whole world: in Kinderdijk, we’ll show you the past, where we stand now and what the future will be. This unique location is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Read on to find out why.
We keep Kinderdijk turning, thanks to our team of 10 dedicated millers, about 100 permanent staff and over 260 volunteers. Every one of them is a great coworker, who has the nature and history of this landscape at heart.