This is what moves the windmill to face the wind, and anchors it once set.

Taken from the top of Molen de Adriaan.

Each position represents a message that the miller wants anyone in the area to receive. Those listed in this picture are:

• kort rust: Short rest, when the miller is taking a break
• lange rust: Long rest, when the mill isn’t working
• vreugde: Joy or Celebration, as in a birth or wedding
• rouw: Mourning
• hakscheef: Requesting someone to come sharpen the mill stones

The tour guide mentioned that there are other signals used for when help is needed for some emergency, and during WWII there were signals meaning that enemy troops were near.

Taken at Molen de Adriaan.

On my day trip to Haarlem I toured this staple of the city. The original windmill on this site was built in 1779 but burned down in the 1930s. It was rebuilt in the early 2000s, and is fully functional.

More subway station art.

Moo.