Platform mill

The miller can almost always be found on one of the mill's six floors.     

The majority of tower mills are situated in villages and towns. The height of these mills means that they stand above the houses, thus enabling them to catch enough wind. The windmill's sails cannot be operated from the ground. This has to be done from the balcony which encircles the mill halfway up. This windmill was used for milling grain.  

A useful secondary purpose that developed for windmills was 'windmill language'. By positioning the sails in a certain way, the miller was able to communicate with the village. This was particularly beneficial before there were any telephones and during war time (warning of raids). For example, sails positioned completely straight signalled that the miller was away from the mill, but would be coming back soon. For celebrations the sails would be beautifully decorated with flags and garlands of flowers from the miller's own collection.  

Type of mill
Tower mill, smock mill. The Delft windmill is a stone flourmill measuring 27 metres in height. It houses six floors, each of which was used by the miller in his daily work. 
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