Windmill (Evergem) | exhibition centre, listed building / architectural heritage, 1830s construction

 windmill, exhibition centre, listed building / architectural heritage, 1830s construction

The Doornzelemolen is a windmill in the East Flemish municipality of Evergem. The current stone mill was founded in 1839 to replace a post mill that was probably built before 1414 and after being destroyed in 1452 during the war of the Gentenaren against Philip the Good, it was rebuilt in 1490. In the period 1883-1885 a steam engine was installed , later replaced by a lean-gas motor and later by an electric motor.
In 1945 the mill was protected as a monument, but during a storm in February 1948 it fled and the ash head broke off. The wooden mill cover was removed in 1957. A mechanical milling plant in the mill hull remained active until 1970, powered by three electric motors. In 2000-2002 the windmill hull was restored and in 2010 the hull was redesigned for the “Belgisch krulbolbond” as a permanent exhibition space about curling balls (a Flemish popular sport).