Aeolus, Vlaardingen

Aeolus is the name of the corn mill in the center of Vlaardingen. The history of the tower mill goes back to the 15th century. At that time there was a wooden mill on the site of the current mill on the Kortedijk, owned by individuals who leased the milling right granted to the city by Count William of Holland in 1407. In 1585 the mill was bought by the city and millers could rent it.

Around 1688, the mill was replaced by a larger one with a stone substructure and a wooden superstructure with a thatched roof. One hundred years later, in 1790, the mill was again replaced by a larger mill with a stone hull.

The mill was commissioned by the municipality of Vlaardingen, which owned Aeolus until 1878. In that year the mill was sold to a private individual. The rather large mill has been inhabited, which can be seen immediately by the large windows on the east side. On that side, three attics show traces of walls and stucco. The dwelling took up about half of the floor space.

From 1914 to 1919 the mill was in disuse, after one of the sails collapsed right through the circumference. In 1919, the mill was sold to the Co-operative Farmers Purchase Association "Cooperation", which used the mill to grind cattle feed. The mill was stripped of sails and cap and received a flat roof on which German anti-aircraft artillery was mounted during World War II. In 1954 the mill was bought by the municipality and refurbished, after which it was leased on April 30, 1957 as a storage and sales facility to 'Samenwerking', now Coöperatieve Vereniging 'Maasmond'. The name of the mill dates from that year, referring to the god Aeolus. Since 1977 the mill is in operation again. In a store attached to the mill, you can buy products that are milled by the mill itself. On September 12, 2009, the mill Aeolus was transferred to a foundation called SEMA.

In Aeolus there are two electrically driven and two wind-driven grinding chairs, each with its own regulator to set the distance between the stones. In addition, two mixing machines are present.

The mill is a national monument.