This beautiful mill in Etten-Leur Noord owes its name to a polder of the same name, on the south bank of the river De Mark. It is a polder mill that is unique in Brabant.
This beautiful mill in Etten-Leur Noord owes its name to a polder of the same name, on the south bank of the river De Mark. It is a polder mill that is unique in Brabant.
Vincent van Gogh, born in Zundert in 1853, was 11 years old when his parents decided to send him to boarding school in Zevenbergen. Vincent must have passed this place, via Etten, several times with Pa and Ma's striking yellow carriage, on his way to boarding school or on leave at home. These were not Vincent's happiest years. But if he were standing here now, how he would enjoy this beautiful West Brabant landscape - nature lover that he was.
Van Gogh drew and painted several mills during his life. Although Vincent never wrote about it and never drew it - as far as we know -, he must have seen the Zwartenbergse Mill in the period 1864-1866. Not this one, but its predecessor, which was built in 1721. As a result of a lightning strike, the mill burned down at the end of August 1888. A year later - when Vincent had already lived in the South of France for a long time - the current wind-water mill was built, intended to rid the polder of excess water. In 1968, the mill lost its function, when an electrically powered pumping station was put into use on the other side of the polder. But after more than 2 centuries of faithful service, the Zwartenbergse mill still adorns the polder, as it used to and is a recognizable landmark for many travelers.
The mill can be visited regularly on Saturdays between 9:00 and 14:00. To be on the safe side, please contact miller Chris Baeten in advance on 076-5017525.