The mill of Damme, a sight you can not miss when you are in the neighborhood. It is standing next to the canal on one of the most picturesque spots of Damme, a small city near Bruges. The amazing landscape makes it one of the most photographed mills in the world.
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| Picture by Pixabay |
Originally in that place, there was a wooden standard mill called "Scellemeulen". This mill was owned by the Counts of Flander. In 1267 the mill and its rights were sold to the city of Damme by Countess Margaret of Constantinople, however, the city still had to give half of the mill proceeds to the Countess.
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| Picture by Pixabay |
The current mill was built in 1867 on the site where the wooden mill stood for centuries and remained in use until 1963. In 1971 he was bought by the Province of West Flanders and restored between 1975 and 1977. It is a protected monument since 1975 and since its restoration, the sails are turning in the wind again. Also, note that there is a small mermaid that stands on top of the hood of the mill. It is a reference to the legend of the Damme mermaid.