“How did grain kernels get into bread?” The Mühle Oberneuland has the answer. It stands before us a proud testament to Bremen’s history.
The Mühle Oberneuland isn’t just a pretty sight. It’s a journey back in time. This windmill demonstrates how grain was once ground into flour using wind power. That flour was then baked into bread.
The first grain windmill in Bremen’s rural area was built here in 1614. This was a post mill. Its entire structure could be rotated to catch the wind. In 1848, it was replaced by the cap windmill that stands here today. Only the cap rotates to follow the wind in this type of mill.
Step inside the Mühle Oberneuland. Imagine the miller carefully adjusting the sails. Feel the stone floor beneath your feet. The original stone floor offers a glimpse into the mill’s inner workings. From here, you can even peer up into the mill’s cap.
Since 1970, the Mühle Oberneuland has served as a museum. It is a branch of the Focke Museum. The Mühle Oberneuland is also a protected historical monument.
The Mühle Oberneuland is an example of a gallery Dutch windmill. Its base is octagonal and built of brick. The framework mill body and the hood are clad with reed. A wind rose automatically adjusts the four louvered sails to the wind direction. The mill is fully functional.
Since 1972, the restored Mühle Oberneuland has been open to the public. It is a branch of the Bremen State Museum of Art and Cultural History. Besides the mill technology, you can also visit the permanent exhibition “From Grain to Bread”.
The Mühle Oberneuland is station 43 on the Lower Saxony Mill Road. It is a landmark of the Oberneuland district.
The Mühle Oberneuland is open on Sundays from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. School classes can visit upon request. Please note that the Mühle Oberneuland is closed from December to the end of March.
So, as you leave the Mühle Oberneuland, remember the journey from grain to bread. Remember the power of the wind and the ingenuity of the millers. The Mühle Oberneuland stands as a reminder of Bremen’s rich agricultural past.