Leaning windmill

At first it seems that this windmill has collapsed during a storm or from old age. But no, this is a ‘tjasker‘, a mill built this way for drainage purposes.

The first specimens probably were constructed in the 16th century, although its history is quite unclear. In their golden age there must have been several hundreds of them, but in the 20th century there was almost none left.

In the 1960s views about the preservation of cultural history changed and a couple of tjaskers were rebuilt. They are still rare and worth a visit, like this one in the national park Weerribben.