Viking Cruise Vacation #6: True Purpose of Windmills of Kinderdijk, and Sea Level

This is the sixth blog about our Viking Rhine River Cruise. Today's blog is about our experience with the 19 Historic Windmills of Kinderdijk, the Netherlands. These windmills were created for a unique purpose that most people would not have thought about, and it has something to do with land elevation. In the U.S., we use modern windmills to generate power.  Today's blog explains the historic windmills' main purpose (it has to do with sea level).

(Photo: Rob and Tom at a windmill built in 1740 before going inside. Credit: R.G.)

HOW MANY HISTORIC WINDMILLS REMAIN? According to Kinderdijk com, out of the original 150 historic windmills constructed in the region, there are 56 windmills still standing and operational in the region of Alblasserwaard. 19 of those 56 are in Kinderdijk.

(Photo: A couple of the windmills from one of the polders. Credit: R.G.) 

ABOUT THE KINDERDIJK WINDMILLS - The 19 Kinderdijk windmills, built mostly around 1740, are located in a water-rich area near Dordrecht (the Netherlands' oldest city). They are part of a larger water management system to prevent flooding, which I'll explain shortly.

Today they symbolize Dutch water management and in 1997 they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kinderdijk windmills were built to keep the low-lying land of the Alblasserwaard (a polder) dry. Arranged opposite each other, they form an iconic Dutch image that is popular with many photographers. 

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE NETHERLANDS IS BELOW SEA LEVEL? - The Netherlands literally means "lower countries" in reference to its low elevation and flat topography, with nearly 26% falling below sea level. Most of the areas below sea level, known as "polders," are the result of land reclamation that began in the 14th century. With an average elevation of only 30 meters above sea level, the Netherlands is one of the lowest-lying countries in the world.

(Image- the shaded parts on the left map indicate land area below sea level. Credit: R.G. at the Kinderdijk Wndmills)

WHAT DOES SEA LEVEL HAVE TO DO WITH WINDMILLS? Windmill actions hold back the North Sea to prevent it from flooding the country. to provide farmland. Flood control is an important issue for the Netherlands, as due to its low elevation, approximately two-thirds of its area is vulnerable to flooding. 

HOW THE POLDERS WORK & WINDMILL PURPOSE- The polder approach refers to the drainage and flood protection of low-lying areas by means of pumps, canals, and flood defenses. Windmills basically pump out the water from the North Sea into canals and drainage ditches to help dry the land. 

In fact, I learned the Dutch have a long history of reclamation of marshes and fenland, resulting in some 3,000 polders nationwide. About half the total surface area of polders in northwestern Europe is in the Netherlands. (Source: Holland.com) 

NEXT: GOING INSIDE A 285-YEAR-OLD WORKING WINDMILL