Get off at Parkweg metro station in Schiedam. From here you can follow a walking route towards Schiedam Centrum station. Walk down the Parkweg towards the south. You could call the gin city of Schiedam the mill capital of the world. Kinderdijk? None of it: Schiedam has the highest windmills in the world.
Admittedly, there are not as many as there were a few hundred years ago, but a number of them are still standing proudly. Many mills were built to grind grain for the gin distilleries. In addition to alcoholism, the many gin distilleries had a dark side: everything in Schiedam was often covered by a black layer. The houses, the trees and even the flowers... The city owes its nickname 'Black Nazareth' to it.
Mill walk
Fortunately, when the weather is nice, you can enjoy fantastic walks in Schiedam – you won't notice the darkness anymore! The walk towards the station leads past three windmills: the first is De Noord. Until 2006, this was the highest windmill in the world, just a few centimeters higher than its neighbor De Vrijheid. Nowadays you can enjoy French cuisine with a Dutch touch in the Restaurant. Check the map to see how to walk.
The North Mill.
Walking along the Noordvestgracht you will come to the next major eye-catcher: De Palmboom. Until a few years ago, the mill served as a museum mill under the name 'De Nieuwe Palmboom', but since De Walvisch took over the museum duties, De Palmboom has regained its old name.
The next mill on the route is De Kameel, which was rebuilt in 2011. One of the reasons that the municipality was happy to see De Kameel return after the fire and demolition in 1868 is because this mill is the most eye-catching in the city center. The mill is not there for decoration: it is capable of grinding and the plan is that it will also generate electricity. The mill is a huge thing, but it is the smallest of the existing and rebuilt mills in Schiedam.
Liduina
The walk continues past the historic Proveniershuis over the modern Stadserf. In our opinion, this new municipal heart is not an architectural highlight, but you do look out over the beautiful Catholic Liduina Basilica, named after Saint Liduina of Schiedam. In short: Liduina skated across the Meuse in the fourteenth century, fell, broke a rib and then lay in bed with gangrene for decades.
Everyone who visited her was deeply impressed by her zest for life and devotion and left her house in good spirits. The nineteenth-century neo-Gothic cross basilica itself is also beautiful, but not as beautiful as the story behind it. Via the Singel you walk straight to Schiedam Centrum. You can also walk along the water, along the Overschiesestraat.
Did you know…
The windmills of Schiedam were so high because the wind never blew so well in Schiedam? And remember when we said that De Noord is no longer the highest mill? The famous Nolet distillery built a brand new colossus in 2006: the Nolet. The mill does not grind, but is in fact a wind turbine with an old-fashioned look, which generates electricity for the distillery. The Nolet is now the highest mill in the world: 42,5 meters up to the hood, and even 55 meters including blades.
Continue traveling
At Schiedam Center you take the metro to another beautiful historic place: Delfshaven. Take metro A, B or C towards Binnenhof, Nesselande or De Terp.
