Nederland - Schiedam, De Walvisch

Schiedam is home to the seven largest windmills in the world. Once there were more than 30 mills in the city. The majority of the so called ‘brandersmolens’ (malt mills) ground grain for the distilleries. To catch enough wind within the built-up area, and for greater storage and production capacity, the mills grew to be the tallest in the world. They have been joined in this century by two new mills, bringing the total number of malt mills to seven. These remaining ‘Giants of Schiedam’ are still characteristic of the city.

De Walvisch (The Whale) is one of the ‘Giants of Schiedam’. The mill was built in 1794 and the foundation stone-layer was distiller A. Nolet. The mill was named after the Greenland whaling industry that flourished in the late 18th century.

Around 1900, the mill lost a piece of inner rod during a storm; it took eight months before it had four sails again. In 1928, it was sold to the then young association De Hollandsche Molen from Amsterdam. In December 1938, there was a fire in De Walvisch.

In 1996 De Walvisch burned down due to a short circuit. Only the rump of the mill remained standing. Thanks to many actions by Schiedam companies, institutions and citizens, the restoration of De Walvisch had been made possible. In 2002 it was grinding agin.

De Walvisch nowadays is owned biy the foundation Stichting De Schiedamse Molens. This foundation started a major renovation in 2017. A year later the mill became a museum, where one get to know the malt and roasting mills of the city. Fromf the stage - 17,5 meters high - there is a beautiful view over Schiedam. There is also a mill shop where one can buy flour and other baking products for instance.