The Zuidpoldermolen is a working polder windmill on the edge of Edam, built between 1626 and 1635 to drain the Zuidpolder and grind grain. It is one of a handful of windmills still operating in this part of North Holland and is maintained by volunteers who keep the sails turning on suitable days.
The mill is a short walk from the town centre along the dyke path. You can get close enough to watch the sails and hear the machinery working; the miller will sometimes explain the drainage system if asked. The surrounding landscape — flat, criss-crossed by ditches, with cows standing in fields below sea level — gives you a clear picture of how the Dutch engineered this region into existence.