Laakmolen, The Hague

The Laakmolen was built in 1699 on the foundations of an earlier mill. It has a somewhat lurid background, for it was used for raeybraken (radbraken). The mill ...
Read more

The Laakmolen was built in 1699 on the foundations of an earlier mill. It has a somewhat lurid background, for it was used for raeybraken (radbraken). The mill was located near the Galgenheul, one of the gallows fields of the provincial court. The bodys of criminals (some not even dead) were, before to be buried in a gallows field, hung or placed on a blade of the mill as an example. That is why everyone used to talk about Galgemolen (Gallowmill) instead of Laakmolen.
Nowadays the Laakmolen is enclosed by urban buildings, so that the blades can hardly turn. There are therefore going to be voices for him to be moved.
Read less