Tower Windmill

The tower mill on Hessenwall is an imposing structure. Its massive walls, set within what was once an eight-metre-high city wall, reflect the scale and skill of the defensive works painstakingly built by generations of citizens to protect lives and property. Constructed in 1481, the mill ensured a secure supply of flour during times of siege.

The structure built in 1487 is particularly impressive: a round lower tower with walls 4.82 metres thick and an outer diameter of 15.50 metres supports a slimmer upper tower with walls 1.50 metres thick and an outer diameter of 8.70 metres.

The mill suffered repeated destruction: Hessian troops breached the city wall here in 1642, severely damaging the mill, which was rebuilt by 1650. In 1911, the upper tower was completely destroyed by fire, and in 1926 it collapsed during an earthquake. It was fully restored, including the installation of the paddle wheel, in 1966.

In February 2017, Storm “Thomas” broke one of the mill’s sails. In 2019, the mill was fitted with new metal-reinforced sails, ensuring its continued presence as a landmark of Kempen’s historic fortifications.