Mills in Delft

Exhibition in the Treasury, TU Delft Library
From 15 March to 15 June 

The exhibition maps out the history of mills in the Netherlands and a few Delft mills in particular, based on historical maps, drawings and books from the Trésor collection. 

There are beautiful drawings on display depicting the different types of mill, as well as an engraving of the figurative map of Delft dating from 1703. You can see the mills clearly on this map, as is the case for an even older map of the city from the 16th century. An impressive model illustrates the story of Delft’s famous De Roos Mill. 

Mills driven by wind have played a significant role in the Netherlands and therefore have determined the landscape of the Netherlands. Originally, they were only used to grind grain. However, starting in the 15th century, they were also used to pump polders dry and so greatly increase the amount of habitable land in the Netherlands. Mills were first used for industrial purposes in the 17th century, for example for pressing oil, fulling wool and grinding tobacco (for snuff), dye stuffs and spices. In the 18th century, some 10,000 mills were in operation.