Windmills
Sails turning slowly above a flat green polder: few sights are as unmistakably Dutch as a windmill. In this category you'll find our windmill souvenirs in every shape and size. From Delft Blue stage mills and colourful polder mills to musical windmills that play a cheerful tune, little mills with a kissing couple and tiny windmill magnets for the fridge. Many of our windmills cost just a few euros, so there's always one to suit your budget, your collection or the person you're shopping for.
Buy a Dutch windmill souvenir: the most Dutch gift there is
The Netherlands and windmills have gone hand in hand for centuries. The first windmills appeared here around the year 1200, and by the nineteenth century there were an estimated 10,000 of them. They ground grain, sawed timber, pressed oil and, above all, kept the polders dry. Without windmills, much of the country would look very different today. More than a thousand historic mills still stand, the best known at Kinderdijk and the Zaanse Schans. The craft of the miller is even listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
No wonder a windmill is one of the most popular souvenirs from Holland. De Holland Winkel has been selling typically Dutch gifts since 2002, and in this category we've gathered all our windmill souvenirs in one place: from a tiny mill that slips into your suitcase to a large musical windmill that takes pride of place on the windowsill.
Which windmill souvenirs can you choose from?
Delft Blue windmills
The classic Dutch souvenir: ceramic windmills in the famous blue and white. Choose a stage mill, a polder mill or a mill with a little house, or go for a version with gold accents in a gift box.
Coloured windmills
Prefer a mill that looks like the real thing? Our coloured windmills have true-to-life details such as a thatched body, a stage and wooden sails. There are village mills, city mills and polder mills in yellow, red, green and grey.
Musical windmills
Wind up the mechanism and these windmills play a melody. A lovely gift for anyone with a nostalgic streak, and a delight for children. Also available in Delft Blue, with a kissing couple or a farmer's wife.
Windmills with a story
Mills with a kissing Dutch couple, a girl in a clog or a little shop at the foot: a cheese shop, flower shop, bicycle shop or museum shop. One souvenir, several Dutch stories.
Windmills in a box
A windmill set in a complete Dutch landscape inside a display box, or a mill that comes ready-packed in a gift box. Ideal if you want to hand it over straight away or pack it safely in your luggage.
Small gifts and everyday items
Windmill fridge magnets, a pewter keyring, mini mills just a few centimetres tall and windmill charm earrings. For the kitchen, there are windmill tea towels, potholders and a salt and pepper set, plus a Delft Blue water bottle and a windmill Christmas ornament.
Stage mill, polder mill or hollow post mill?
The Netherlands has many different types of windmill. These are the ones you'll come across most often in our collection:
- •Stage mill (stellingmolen): a tall mill with a gallery running all the way round, called the stage. From there the miller sets the sails and turns the cap into the wind. You'll often find them in towns, where they had to rise above the rooftops to catch the wind.
- •Polder mill (poldermolen): built to pump water out of the low-lying polders. These mills usually stand alone in the fields, with sails that sweep almost to the ground. The mills of Kinderdijk are the most famous example.
- •Hollow post mill (wipmolen): a smaller polder mill with a distinctive silhouette: a pyramid-shaped base topped by a narrow mill house with sails.
- •Village and city mills: the heart of many a Dutch village or town, where the miller ground grain for the local baker. Our coloured village and city mills are inspired by these.
The secret language of the sails
Did you know that Dutch windmills were once used to send messages? The position of the sails at rest told the whole village what was going on. Millers still use these positions today:
- ✓Cross position (+): the mill is taking a short break and is ready to turn again.
- ✓Diagonal position (×): the mill will be standing still for a longer time.
- ✓Joy position: the top sail stops just before the highest point. There's something to celebrate, such as a birth or a wedding.
- ✓Mourning position: the top sail has turned just past the highest point, as a sign of grief.
A windmill souvenir as a gift
A windmill is a gift that everyone instantly links to the Netherlands, which makes it a good choice for all kinds of people and occasions:
- ✓For visitors: a keepsake of a bike ride past the windmills or a day out at the Zaanse Schans.
- ✓For Dutch expats: a little piece of the Dutch landscape at home, wherever in the world that may be.
- ✓For collectors: combine stage mills, polder mills and musical windmills into a complete windowsill of windmills.
- ✓For businesses: a Delft Blue windmill is a recognisable corporate gift for international guests and partners.
- ✓For a wedding or anniversary: a windmill with a kissing couple is a romantic and typically Dutch gift.
Frequently asked questions about windmill souvenirs
What's the difference between Delft Blue and coloured windmills? +
Delft Blue windmills are ceramic and decorated in the traditional blue-and-white style that has been linked to the city of Delft since the seventeenth century. Coloured windmills are made to look like real mills, with lifelike colours and details. Each product description tells you what the windmill is made of and how tall it is.
How does a musical windmill work? +
A musical windmill has a small built-in music movement. Wind it up and the mill plays a melody, just like a classic music box. No batteries needed. You'll find more musical souvenirs among our music boxes.
Can you ship a windmill souvenir abroad? +
Yes. We ship our souvenirs within the Netherlands and worldwide, so you can surprise family and friends abroad with a genuine Dutch gift.
Can I order windmills in larger quantities? +
Certainly. Looking for windmills as corporate gifts, for an event or for international guests? Visit our B2B page or email info@hollandwinkel.nl.
Can I add a personal message? +
Yes, we'll include a free card with your message. Want your gift beautifully wrapped? Choose one of our gift wrapping options.
Discover more Dutch souvenirs
Found your favourite windmill? Our online shop has thousands of Dutch souvenirs and gifts. Why not pair your windmill with a Delft Blue kissing couple, a pair of clogs or a bunch of wooden tulips?