Aarlanderveen: Mills, Polder Paths and Cultural Heritage

Aarlanderveen is shaped above all by the Molenviergang and the polder’s water landscape. The Molenviergang Aarlanderveen is the only still-operational windmill system of its kind in the world. Its special significance is reflected in its continuing purpose: it drains excess water from the low-lying polder of Aarlanderveen into the Oude Rijn. Wind, sails and four experienced millers all play a part. The mills, landscape and water management are closely connected here: the mills are not just a part of the history of technology; they continue to serve a purpose in managing the water.

Mills and Polder Paths

Two mill walks offer a practical comparison when planning your visit. The Polderwandeling is about 4 kilometres long and passes the Ondermolen and the Putmolen. The Molentocht is about 8.5 kilometres long and runs past all four mills of the Molenviergang. This means you can choose between a shorter route passing two named mills and a longer one that takes in the entire group.

The Molentocht follows the Kerkvaartspad along the Kerkvaart. This waterway has long served as a shipping link between the Oude Rijn and the village of Aarlanderveen. Along the route, the mills and the history of the Kerkvaart as a shipping route come together.

Both mill walks start at the car park at the junction of Kerkvaartsweg and Achtermiddenweg in Aarlanderveen. The paths require you to climb over several fences; occasionally, you may need to cross a ditch using a beam. These conditions are part of practical route planning. Path conditions may vary by season, and access rules may also change. Check current path conditions before setting out, and local parking arrangements before travelling.

Cultural Heritage and Local History

Aarlanderveen’s cultural heritage also includes the Hervormde Kerk Aarlanderveen. It is a Rijksmonument, thanks to its authentic furnishings and a medieval priest’s grave slab in the churchyard. This means the area’s cultural heritage extends beyond mill technology to include historic church furnishings.

The Verzetsmonument in Aarlanderveen commemorates three local resistance fighters who died in a German concentration camp in 1945. The sculpture is made of white natural stone and depicts a young male figure standing with his back against a wall. Its design and purpose as a memorial add another perspective on local history to the history of technology and architecture.

The Putmolen also had a clearly defined historical purpose: it was built in 1801 to drain a remaining peat lake of more than 100 hectares in the Drooggemaakte Polder west of Aarlanderveen. The Polderwandeling passes the mill. Its construction date and purpose offer a concrete way to consider mill-building and the transformation of the polder landscape together.

Discover more destinations: Alphen Aan Den Rijn, Zwammerdam.

Return to the main travel overview: Alphen Aan Den Rijn.