Nederland - Zaanse Schans

The Zaanse Schans is a residential neighbourhood in which the 18th and 19th centuries are brought to life. It is best known for its collection of well-preserved historic houses and windmills. The Zaanse Schans is a unique and one of the most visited places in the Netherlands, with green wooden houses, windmills, barns and typical Dutch crafts.

From 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over the Zaanstreek were relocated using lowboy trailers to the area. Zaanse Schans derived its name from the river Zaan and its original function as sconce (schans in Dutch) against the Spanish troops during the Eighty Years' War.

Main image: panorama of some of the windmills
PiP1: De Huisman, a spice mill
PiP2: De Gekroonde Poelenburg, a saw mill
PiP3: De Kat, a paint mill