At the beginning of the 20th century, Pitgam still had three pivot mills: the Pitgam Plaetse, the Moulin du Sud and the Moulin Den Leeuw.
The Moulin Den Leeuw, or Lion's Mill, is of standard dimensions, with a surface area of 5 meters by 3.60 meters wide. The shape of the roof is typically Flemish.
The mill belonged to Guillaume DELABAERE and his family until it was sold to Lucien DENDRAEL in 1923. Lucien DENDRAEL rented it out to various millers until 1946. The Germans then used it as an observation post and cut an opening in the roof, which marked the beginning of the mill?s ruin.
It was abandoned for some forty years before being saved in extremis in 1970 and classified by the Monuments Historiques, but the pedestal was in poor condition. Knocked over by a storm in 1983, the cage fell to the ground and broke.
The mill was sold by its descendants to the commune in 1984. Today, the mill is ready to grind.
It can be visited on Heritage Days (3rd weekend in September).
Anecdote
The mayor volunteered to rebuild the mill with the help of ARAM. In 1988, the drive shaft was rebuilt. The wings were installed on August 19, 1989, and the mill was inaugurated on September 3, 1988.
The Moulin Den Leeuw, or Lion's Mill, is of standard dimensions, with a surface area of 5 meters by 3.60 meters wide. The shape of the roof is typically Flemish.
The mill belonged to Guillaume DELABAERE and his family until it was sold to Lucien DENDRAEL in 1923. Lucien DENDRAEL rented it out to various millers until 1946. The Germans then used it as an observation post and cut an opening in the roof, which marked the beginning of the mill?s ruin.
It was abandoned for some forty years before being saved in extremis in 1970 and classified by the Monuments Historiques, but the pedestal was in poor condition. Knocked over by a storm in 1983, the cage fell to the ground and broke.
The mill was sold by its descendants to the commune in 1984. Today, the mill is ready to grind.
It can be visited on Heritage Days (3rd weekend in September).
Anecdote
The mayor volunteered to rebuild the mill with the help of ARAM. In 1988, the drive shaft was rebuilt. The wings were installed on August 19, 1989, and the mill was inaugurated on September 3, 1988.
