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The watermill at
The watermill at Sint-Gertrudis-Pede
Sint-Gertrudis-Pede is a village in Dilbeek.
Toponymy
According to local legend, Gertrude of Nivelles, abbess of Nivelles Abbey, was on her way to Lennik when her carriage became stuck in the mud. Therefore, she was obliged to continue her journe ...
(''Pedemolen'') in the municipality of Dilbeek
Dilbeek () is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in the Flemish region of Belgium. The municipality comprises the villages of Dilbeek proper, Groot-Bijgaarden, Itterbeek (with Sint-Anna-Pede), Schepdaal (with Sint-Gertrudis-Pede), ...
is the only working watermill in the Pajottenland
The Pajottenland (in English occasionally Payottenland) is a distinct region within the Flemish Brabant province and the south-western part of the Brussels Region of Belgium. The region is located west-southwest of Brussels. The Pajottenland is pre ...
, and is protected as a monument since 1975
History
The original mill, built in 1392 was one of the five mills in the Land of Gaasbeek. After being destroyed by a fire in 1763, the mill was restored. Also living quarters were added. Until 1963, they kept milling with water power, after that they used an electric engine. The mill was completely shut down in 1970. In 1990 restoration was begun, so nowadays it still can be used as a mill.Current use
Today the monument only is used as a tourist attraction, with volunteers milling two Sundays every month. Apart from the mill, there are several ponds and an orchard located on the domain. The first depictions of the mill date back to the 16th century, afterPieter Bruegel the Elder
Pieter Bruegel (also Brueghel or Breughel) the Elder (, ; ; – 9 September 1569) was the most significant artist of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, a painter and printmaker, known for his landscapes and peasant scenes (so-called genr ...
used the mill as a model for his paintings ''The Return of the Herd
''The Return of the Herd'' is an oil on wood painting by Pieter Bruegel in 1565. The painting is one in a series of six works (High Springtime is presumed lost) that depict different seasons. The painting is currently in the collection of the K ...
'' and ''The Magpie on the Gallows
''The Magpie on the Gallows'' (German: ''Die Elster auf dem Galgen)'' is a 1568 oil painting, oil-on-panel painting, wood panel painting by the Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, Netherlandish Renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder. It ...
''.
References