For centuries peat was the sole source of natural riches in Zaanstreek, the watery moorland on the banks of the River Zaan. But right next door Amsterdam was expanding to the status of one of the world’s great cities and demand for goods rose to an immense level. Suddenly Zaanstreek moved into the centre of attention. For this flat landscape had something more precious to offer than peat. Wind! In 1594, just at the right time, a man named Cornelis Corneliszoon von Uitgeest revolutionised the building of windmills by equipping them with a crankshaft. This improved their performance out of all proportion with the result that every windmill became a small factory in itself. More than a thousand windmills sprung up in Zaanstreek during the 17th and 18th centuries. They sawed wood, threshed corn, pressed grain and nuts to oil, milled coloured powder from chalk and ground snuff from tobacco leaves. All sorts of craftsmen moved into the area including tin founders, boat builders, sail makers and last not least a man called Gerrit Kist, who had worked for a time at the court of the Russian Czar in Moscow. He was later to make a name for himself as the man who accommodated the Czar in his cottage in Zaanstreek for a week. The Czar had come there as an for the purposes of industrial espionage, for in those days the area had a reputation of being a centre of innovation. Now it is one of the oldest manufacturing areas in Europe. Of the countless windmills which once dotted the landscape only 12 have survived, five of which are standing in Zaanse Schans. All of them have now been restored to working order and continue to saw and grind just as they did centuries ago.

The Zaanse Schans is a residential area in which the 18th and 19th centuries are brought to life. Despite the fact that visitors from all over the world visit this neighborhood every day, it is good to know that people still live here. Keep this in mind during your visit. Stroll past the bakery museum and enjoy the smell of fresh cookies, or take a look at the warehouse where clogs are made. You should be sure not to miss the cheese factory, pewter foundry and the various windmills. The Zaanse Schans is a unique part of the Netherlands, full of wooden houses, mills, barns and workshops. Make a cycling or sailing trip, browse the shops or treat yourself at the pancake restaurant. A day out at the Zaanse Schans in North Holland is fun and educational.