Windmills in Holland above Amsterdam

Jan Adriaenszoon Leeghwater of De Rijp could be called the Don Quixote of North Holland. Except he didn't fight against windmills, but he built them and used them to create the landscape that so typifies Holland above Amsterdam. Just imagine: this entire region was still under water in the 17th century! Leeghwater was the contractor and foreman for reclaiming the Schermer, the Beemster and the Purmer. That is why you can come across so many windmills in Holland above Amsterdam. Most of them can only be admired from the outside, but if you really want to see the inside of a windmill, you can visit the Schermerhorn Museum windmill and go to the Zaanse Schans. Windmills also play an important role in the area surrounding Zijpe, just take a cycle ride through the polder past the ten remaining windmills.