Towering above Amsterdam’s eastern harbor stands De Gooyer Molen. This isn’t just any windmill. It’s the tallest wooden mill in the Netherlands a remarkable 26.6 meters high.
De Gooyer Molen has a rich history. Its name originates around 1609 from brothers Claes and Jan Willemsz hailing from Gooiland. They owned the mill then. The mill wasn’t always here. It journeyed through different locations. Eventually in 1814 it found its current home on Funenkade. It stands on the stone base of a demolished watermill.
De Gooyer Molen is a national monument. It’s one of the last 26 corn mills on Amsterdam’s 17th-century bastions. The location was strategic. The city’s outskirts offered strong winds ideal for milling grain. The mill’s sails are functional. However they no longer grind grain. The city of Amsterdam owns De Gooyer Molen. It’s not open to the public.
The mill’s story includes periods of disrepair. In 1928 the city of Amsterdam bought it. They restored it for 3200 guilders. During World War II it served Amsterdam as a corn mill. A storm in 1972 damaged the sails. The upper shaft broke. The blades landed in the nearby Nieuwevaart. Years later the original Dutch-style blades were restored.
Today De Gooyer Molen stands as a symbol of Amsterdam’s history. It’s a testament to the city’s ingenuity and resilience. Next to it sits Brouwerij ‘t IJ a brewery. The mill and brewery are separate. The mill has no function for the brewery. Yet the brewery logo features a windmill. De Gooyer Molen is a silent sentinel. It stands watch over Amsterdam a magnificent reminder of a bygone era. A picture-perfect postcard from Amsterdam.