Beschrijving
The Netherlands is a watery country. For centuries, the Dutch have either coexisted with water or come up with ingenious solutions to manage and contain it. In the Alblasserwaard, close to the cities of Rotterdam and Dordrecht, we find a prime example of this human inventiveness: the mill complex of Kinderdijk-Elshout. This world-famous complex, consisting of nineteen mills and an accompanying network of ditches, sluices and water storage, found its way onto UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1997.
Historical landscape with the Kinderdijk mills
Looking at the Kinderdijk mills, one does not just see a gorgeous, traditional Dutch landscape, but also a reflection of various historical phases of water management in the Dutch polders. The original mediaeval drainage system of the Alblasserwaard was first superseded by polder mills # and these, in turn, gave way to pumping stations and sluices. At Kinderdijk, all of these phases have been preserved in working order and can be admired in a unique setting.
Text and beautiful illustrations take you along all that Kinderdijk has to offer
Kinderdijk. World Heritage provides the reader with a concise history of the various stages of water management in the Kinderdijk area. The book ranges from the very first drainage system used in the Alblasserwaard, to the current computer controlled pumping stations. Using beautiful illustrations, it takes the reader on a journey along all that Kinderdijk has to offer.