Bergmolen

Bergmolen is a 19th-century stone windmill standing on Molenstraat in Leopoldsburg, in the Belgian province of Limburg. It's also known by two other names, Molen van 't Kamp and Molen Bemindt, both pointing back to its origins and early owners. What remains today is mainly the round stone tower of the original structure — a solid trace of the area's industrial past.

Where does the name come from and who built it?

The story starts in 1837, when a man named Jan Willems from Leuven asked the municipality of Beverlo for permission to build, on the heathland west of the newly established military camp, a brewery, a distillery for grain jenever, and a mill. The mill itself wasn't actually constructed until 1846, when Pieter Bemindt-Annemans built it on commission for Pieter Beminez. The builder's surname lives on in one of the mill's alternative names, Molen Bemindt.

What was the windmill used for?

Bergmolen operated as a grain windmill, grinding corn into flour. Beminez and the owners who followed him worked mainly for the soldiers stationed at the nearby Kamp van Beverlo (Camp of Beverlo) — hence the other nickname, Molen van 't Kamp, literally "the mill by the camp." At its peak, the mill could process up to 400 tonnes of grain a year, making it a meaningful part of the local economy and the garrison's supply chain.

What happened to it during the 20th century?

Milling operations stopped in 1935, when the sail cross (the windmill's blades) was removed and the structure lost its original function. The building didn't disappear from local life, though: between 1965 and 1968 it housed an entertainment venue for soldiers, run under the cheeky name Moulin Rouge, a nod to the famous Parisian cabaret.

How does it look today, and who restored it?

In 2002, owner Jos Quintens took on the restoration of the surviving mill tower. The work included replastering the walls and fitting new windows, which is why the old windmill's stone shell has survived into the present in a condition that still lets visitors appreciate its historic form, even without its original sails and milling mechanism.

Where exactly is it located?

Bergmolen sits on Molenstraat in Leopoldsburg, close to the local cemetery, in the province of Limburg in Flanders. Its approximate coordinates are 51.1156 N, 5.2517 E.

Frequently asked questions

Does Bergmolen still grind grain? No — milling stopped in 1935 when the sails were removed, and only the tower structure remains today.

Where do the other names for the mill come from? Molen van 't Kamp refers to the nearby military camp the mill supplied, while Molen Bemindt comes from the surname of its builder, Pieter Bemindt-Annemans.

Can visitors go inside the building? The site is a privately restored windmill tower on Molenstraat — it's worth checking local signage and any access restrictions before planning a visit.