Schiedam
Discover Schiedam, the city of the world’s tallest windmills, a centuries-old jenever tradition, and picturesque canals.
Travel Tips for a City Trip to Schiedam
Schiedam is the city of jenever and gin and home to the tallest windmills in the world. Here you’ll find many jenever distilleries, beautiful canals lined with charming little houses, historic warehouses, and drawbridges. The cityscape, featuring the tallest windmills, gives Schiedam a unique character—a city that exudes history. Discover Schiedam’s 'Distillers District' with our tips for a day trip.Useful for your trip
Travel Inspiration for Schiedam
From historic windmills and jenever to surprising hotspots: discover our travel tips for Schiedam.
Travel Inspiration for Schiedam
From historic windmills and jenever to surprising hotspots: discover our travel tips for Schiedam.
Things to Know About Schiedam
Curious about the windmills, the history of jenever, and the story behind the Dutch Distillers District? We answer the most frequently asked questions about Schiedam.
Why is Schiedam called the Dutch Distillers District?
For over 400 years, Schiedam has had a strong connection to jenever and distilled spirits. There are still active distilleries, and throughout the city you’ll find former distilleries, warehouses, the Jenever Museum, and all kinds of places that showcase its distilling heritage. That’s why Schiedam is also known as the Dutch Distillers District .
Why does Schiedam have the tallest windmills in the world?
The windmills of Schiedam were used to grind grain for jenever production. Because they had to be able to catch enough wind within the built-up city, they were built higher and higher. This is how the enormous tower mills that Schiedam is known for today came into being. At 33.3 meters, De Noord Windmill is the tallest.
How many windmills are there in Schiedam?
There are six tower mills in the historic city center: De Walvisch, De Drie Koornbloemen, De Vrijheid, De Noord, De Palmboom, and De Kameel. They are an important part of the historic cityscape. You can read more about them in our article about the windmills of Schiedam.
Is Schiedam only fun because of its jenever and windmills?
Definitely not. In addition to its jenever heritage, Schiedam has historic harbors, historic buildings, museums, restaurants, cafés, and cozy outdoor seating areas. It’s precisely this combination of history, culture, and contemporary hotspots that makes the city a fun place to explore further. Read more here Our Tips for a City Trip to Schiedam.
