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Invaluable Dutch history

Kinderdijk: UNESCO World Heritage

The windmills and landscape of Kinderdijk cannot be found anywhere else in the world, and that’s why this area is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It’s an exceptional achievement, because there are only thirteen sites overall in the Netherlands that have made the list.

A unique story

It’s not easy to find your way onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are all sorts of conditions to be met, the most relevant of which is that the location has been of tremendous value to humanity – and that certainly applies to Kinderdijk. The pretty image of the windmills hides a unique story: Kinderdijk is the Netherlands’ longest standing water management system still in operation. The windmills are still in their original places and are still inhabited by millers and their families.

The UNESCO World Heritage quality mark reminds you: there is only one Kinderdijk on the planet.

The interior of the living room in the Nederwaard Museum Mill in Kinderdijk.

Inside the windmills

You can look around inside three of the nineteen windmills. These museum mills have been furnished with authentic details and all three have a different theme. They all lead you on a journey through time, but each takes you to a different historical period. For instance, you can imagine yourself in a 1950’s miller’s yard and learn about life in that era. Find out what else you can do at Kinderdijk.

Working for world peace and the future

Every UNESCO World Heritage Site tells a story. All those stories unite us and contribute to world peace. We learn about other cultures, which leads to more mutual respect and admiration. People come from far and wide to Kinderdijk to learn about the past and the significance of these windmills and pumping stations through the ages. We show you the past, where we are now and what the future will be.

 

Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage logo

 

The story behind the iconic windmills

Even after eight centuries, Kinderdijk is still in a class of its own. The windmill is the symbol of the Netherlands. We tell the story of inventive engineers, dedicated millers, and collaborative projects in the Dutch polders – a history that we have preserved and must continue to tell.

A miller is reading a book in the living room of the Nederwaard Museum Mill.

Learn about the millers’ stories too.