Kinderdijk in 3D

South Holland · the mills of 1740

South Holland, the Netherlands

Kinderdijk's nineteen windmills were built between 1738 and 1740 to lift water out of the polder, first into a storage basin and then into the river. The land lies about 1.5 m below the water in the canals, so every drop of rain has to be lifted out. The mills still turn, and where a miller parks the sails still carries a message.

Where: South Holland, the Netherlands
Mills: Nineteen, built 1738 to 1740
Land level: About 1.5 m below the canal water
Job: Lifting water out of the polder in two steps
UNESCO World Heritage: 1997

Official site

Walk Kinderdijk in 3D

A real-time 3D model, built from open elevation data and published measurements. Loads 2.2 MB when you start.

Works in VR on Meta Quest and other WebXR headsets: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR.

Walk it yourself. Works on this phone.

Part of the Low Countries pack: a one-time unlock in this browser.

Terrain from open elevation data · a 3D reconstruction, not a photograph · tags as in the app

Hear the guide

The narrator from the app reads each tour stop. Transcripts below.

Nineteen mills, 1738-40
Known0:16

Built to lift water out of the polder in two steps, into the storage basin and then the river. They still turn, though pumping stations do the real work now.
Below the sea
Known0:13

The land here lies about 1.5 m below the water in the canals and lower still below the river beyond the dyke. Every drop of rain has to be lifted out.
The sail code
Known0:11

Where the miller parked the sails carried a message to the village: a cross for rest, a blade just past the top for joy, just short of it for mourning.

How to visit Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is reached by road, by bike along the dykes, or by water bus from Rotterdam. Paths run along the canals between the mills, and some mills are open inside.

Opening times and tickets change: check the official site. Official site

Open Kinderdijk in Farstep

The full site on your phone: a narrated guided tour, passport stamps, offline, and smoother graphics than a browser can give.

Narrated guided tour, stop by stop, in nine languages
Passport stamps for every hotspot and finished tour
Works offline once installed
Stonehenge free; other sites are one-time packs. No ads, no subscription.

Open in Farstep

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On iPhone the button opens the App Store.

Kinderdijk: questions and answers

How old are the Kinderdijk windmills?

The nineteen mills were built between 1738 and 1740.

Why were the windmills at Kinderdijk built?

To lift water out of the polder, which lies about 1.5 m below the canals: first into a storage basin, then into the river.

Can I walk around Kinderdijk in 3D?

Yes, in your browser. Everything on this page is free to read. Walking Kinderdijk in 3D is part of the Low Countries pack: a one-time purchase with no subscription, and signing in with the same account unlocks it in the Farstep app too.

Can I walk Kinderdijk in VR?

Yes, on a Meta Quest or another WebXR headset: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR. The left stick walks, the right stick turns and the trigger opens the fact cards.