Kortrijkse Molen

At the entrance to the van der Valk Hotel.

The Kortrijkse Molen is a smock mill located west of Breukelen in the Dutch province of Utrecht. The mill was built around 1675 and used wind power to drain the Kortrijk and Gieltjesdorp polders until 1951. That year the A2 motorway was built almost directly west of the mill, and the mill became the property of the Ministry of Public Works. Due to the construction of the A2, the mill was cut off from the polder water of the original polder. The mill has been owned by the Utrecht Windmills Foundation since 1978. In 1982 the mill underwent extensive restoration. In 1991 the mill was made capable of grinding again and has since been able to drain a circuit with the help of a scoop wheel. The rods are almost 24 meters long and are equipped with the old Dutch fences with sails. The mill's biotope has deteriorated significantly over the last fifty years due to the construction of the A2 motorway, the Hotel Van der Valk and the Breukelen train station. There have always been discussions about relocating the windmill, but this is no longer an option due to the changed policy of the Rijksdienst voor Cultureel Erfgoed. Last year the area surrounding the mill was further improved by felling trees. The surrounding buildings also have remarkably little hindrance to catching the wind. The mill operates every week on a voluntary basis. The blades of the water wheel currently have to be replaced before the mill can be put back into operation. The costs of the repair must first be borne by the foundation. One of the few specialists then has to carry out this repair.
A couple is currently taking care of the mill on a voluntary basis. The mill can be visited every Sunday (not on September 17, 2022). The couple are happy to explain how the mill works and provide insight into the interior of the mill. The furnishings were previously provided by the couple themselves.