Windekemolen, Balegem

Windekemolen (also known as Molen De Visscher or Vissersmolen) is a historic post mill standing in Balegem, a village that is part of the municipality of Oosterzele in East Flanders, Belgium. It is the largest post mill in the entire region and the only one nearby fitted with a double armwheel on its main shaft.

Where does this mill come from?

A mill has stood on this spot for nearly four centuries — the first one dates back to 1822. The mill visitors see today was erected in 1910 to replace an earlier one lost to fire. The wooden structure itself is even older: it was originally built around 1815 in Marcq, then moved to Denderwindeke before finally being re-erected in Balegem. That earlier stop is where one of the mill's names, Windekemolen, comes from.

Who has owned and run it?

For much of its history the mill was linked to the De Visscher family, which gave it its other common name, Molen De Visscher. It was miller Hector De Visscher who brought the structure to Balegem. In 1956 the family sold the mill to Count Michel-Alfred-Isabel d'Ursel-de Boussies. Ownership changed again in 1975, when the mill passed to the province of East Flanders, which still looks after it today.

Did it keep grinding grain?

Windekemolen operated as a working grain mill until 1959. After that it fell into decline, and a restoration carried out between 1984 and 1988 failed to bring the hoped-for results, leaving the structure still in need of thorough repair. For safety reasons the mill was partly dismantled in 2005. It was only a later restoration, carried out between 2017 and 2018 by miller and restorer Dirk Peusens, that brought the mill back into working, grinding condition. Today Windekemolen is once again an operational windmill, making it a rare example of a technical monument still used for its original purpose.

What should visitors know before coming?

The mill rises above the open, rural landscape of Balegem, typical of the gently rolling farmland south of Ghent. Its large timber body, rotating around a central post, makes Windekemolen a distinctive example of traditional Belgian windmill construction and a notable stop for anyone interested in the industrial heritage of East Flanders.

Frequently asked questions

What is Windekemolen? It is a historic post mill (staakmolen) in Balegem, the largest of its kind in East Flanders, also known as Molen De Visscher or Vissersmolen.

Where did the current mill structure originally come from? It was built around 1815 in Marcq, later stood in Denderwindeke, and was re-erected in Balegem in 1910 to replace a mill destroyed by fire.

Until when was the mill used to grind grain? It ground grain until 1959. After years of decline and an unsuccessful 1984–1988 restoration, it was partly dismantled in 2005, then restored to working order between 2017 and 2018.

Who owns the mill today? The province of East Flanders has owned it since 1975; before that it belonged to the De Visscher family and then to Count Michel-Alfred-Isabel d'Ursel-de Boussies.

What makes this mill stand out from others in the area? Windekemolen is the only post mill in the region built with a double armwheel on its main shaft, a distinctive technical feature among traditional windmills.