Ekstermolen, Blanden

Ekstermolen is a former tower mill standing in the village of Blanden, part of the municipality of Oud-Heverlee in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Although it no longer serves its original purpose, the brick tower still stands out in the local landscape and makes an interesting stop for anyone exploring the area around Leuven.

When was the mill built and what type is it?

The mill was constructed in 1846 as a grain mill. Structurally it belongs to the tower mill category known as a "bovenkruier" — a design where the main body of the building stays fixed while only the upper cap, carrying the sails and drive mechanism, rotates to face the wind. This construction method was common for brick and stone tower mills built across Flanders during the 19th century, allowing efficient use of wind regardless of its direction.

How did the mill's use change over time?

For decades Ekstermolen operated as intended, grinding grain for the surrounding farms. As technology advanced, a gas engine was installed in 1909 to support or replace wind power during calm periods. Although such a solution might look improvised today, it was in fact a widespread way of modernizing traditional mills that had to compete with the growing milling industry of the era.

A turning point came in 1920, when the original cap and sails were dismantled. Despite losing its characteristic windmill silhouette, the building did not stop functioning as a mill — grinding continued using only the gas engine mentioned above. This illustrates how flexibly millers of the time adapted their workshops to shifting technological realities rather than abandoning them outright.

What happened to the building after milling stopped?

From 1937 onward the tower took on entirely different roles. It was first adapted into a youth hostel, later housed a catering establishment, and was eventually converted into a private residence — a function it still serves today. This kind of repeated repurposing is a common fate for historic mills in Belgium, many of which survived precisely because they were adapted for residential or commercial use once industrial milling lost its economic rationale.

A thorough renovation was completed in 2003, which helped preserve the tower in good condition despite the earlier loss of its original windmill components.

What does Ekstermolen look like today?

Today Ekstermolen is a conical brick tower topped with an unusual, tent-shaped slate roof that includes a built-in skylight for interior light. The sail cross and the cap's rotating mechanism have been removed, so the building no longer resembles a classic windmill with moving parts — what remains is the distinctive tower shape that still reveals its milling origins.

Frequently asked questions

Can Ekstermolen be visited inside? The building functions as a private residence, so it cannot be visited inside — it can only be viewed from the outside.

Is it still an operating windmill? No. The original sails and cap were removed in 1920, and the milling mechanism itself disappeared through later conversions of the building.

Where exactly is Ekstermolen located? In the village of Blanden, part of the municipality of Oud-Heverlee, in the province of Flemish Brabant, close to Leuven.

What type of mill is it? A brick tower mill of the "bovenkruier" type, meaning only the upper cap — carrying the sails and drive mechanism — could be rotated to face the wind.