There are three types of windmills in Finland, each with distinctive regional variations in building technique and design. All these machines and their outer skin are made by hand out of wood, and not two windmills are alike. Most of the surviving 700 are small farm mills with the sole function to grind flour. Together with the mills on the islands of the northern Baltic Sea Finnish mills form a unique group among the mills of the world. Every one of these old machines testifies of the history of mechanics, agriculture and architecture.
There are three types of windmills in Finland: post mills represent the oldest type; hollow post mills represent a type that dates back to the second half of the 18th century; and smock mills, which are called mamselli in Finland according to mademoiselles who wore the smocks, were also introduced in the late 18th century. Most of the surviving mills were built in the 19th century. According to Hirsjärvi & Wailes “smock mills were used by the manors; hollow post mills were built by the larger farmers, and post mills by smallholders”. All Finnish windmills are made of wood with one exception. Today most of them are painted with red earth paint, and indeed, this is known to have been the tradition since long at least in the western and central parts of the country.
Windmill technology was brought to Finland from Sweden. Windmills were mentioned for the first time in 1463 in this eastern province of the kingdom. Towards the end of the 16th century their number is known to have grown to about 400. Over the centuries the technology spread from the southwest through the whole country. Water–powered mills always dominated in areas with waterways but windmills were built in great numbers over the next three centuries where fast flowing rivers and rapids are scarce.
Special Thanks
The information about the number and state of the historic windmills in Finland was collected by the following curators and researchers at the regional museums in Finland and on Åland:
- Paula Hautala, Lapin maakuntamuseo, Rovaniemi
- Minna Heljala, Tornionlaakson maakuntamuseo, Tornio
- Teija Ylimartimo, Pohjois-Pohjanmaan museo, Oulu
- Rauni Laukkanen, Kainuun museo, Kajaani
- Pirkko Järvelä, Keski-Pohjanmaan maakuntamuseo, Kokkola
- Kaj Höglund, Pohjanmaan museo, Vaasa
- Risto Känsälä, Sirkka-Liisa Sihvonen, Etelä-Pohjanmaan maakuntamuseo, Seinäjoki
- Päivi Andersson, Keski-Suomen museo, Jyväskylä
- Marianna Falkenberg, Kuopion kulttuurihistoriallinen museo, Kuopio
- Ulla Härkönen, Pohjois-Karjalan museo, Joensuu
- Jorma Hytönen, Savonlinnan maakuntamuseo, Savonlinna / Harri Kaipainen, Etelä-Savon ELY-keskus
- Anu Salmela, Pirkanmaan maakuntamuseo, Tampere
- Liisa Nummelin, Satakunnan museo, Pori
- Juha Vitikainen, Kanta-Hämeen maakuntamuseo, Hämeenlinna
- Päivi Siikaniemi, Päijät-Hämeen maakuntamuseo, Lahti
- Miikka Kurri, Etelä-Karjalan museo, Lappeenranta
- Eija Suna, Turun museokeskus, Turku
- Vesa Kiljo, Länsi-Uudenmaan maakuntamuseo, Tammisaari
- Sari Saresto, Keski-Uudenmaan maakuntamuseo, Helsinki
- Synnöve Bergholm-Kullström, Juha Vuorinen, Porvoon museo, Porvoo
- Timo Lievonen, Kymenlaakson museo, Kotka
- Carola Boman, Ålands museum, Mariehamn
- Göran Dahl, Åland, Saltvik
Windmill glossary in English, Estonian, Finnish and Swedish
The glossary of windmill terminology is based solely on the available literature and Internet sources. Despite its limitations it should help those who are inspired to go on studying the subject in these languages.
Estonian | Finnish | Swedish | |
type of mill | |||
postmill | pukktuulik | jalkamylly, varvasmylly | stubbkvarn, stolpkvarn, fotkvarn |
hollow post mill | harakkamylly | holkkvarn | |
smock mill, Dutch mill | Hollandi tuulik | mamsellimylly | hättkvarn, holländare |
machinery | |||
sails, sweeps | tiivad | siivet | vingar |
sail bar | siiven varsi | kvarnarmar | |
wing stock, sail stock, middling, main spar | tiiva ige, ike | siiven apuvarsi | hjälparm |
wind shaft | võll, võlv | siipiakseli, siipitukki | gångås, drivaxel |
bearing | laakeri | lager | |
journal, neck | kaela tits | siipiakselin kaula | axelns hals |
poll end, canister (cast iron) | siipiakselin etupää | kvarnhuvud, storände | |
tail end | siipiakselin takapää | lillände: axelns bakända | |
brake wheel | suurratas | suuri hammasratas / hammaspyörä | kronhjul, storhjul |
cog | hammas | hammas | kugg |
spokes | ardam | rattaan puolat | ekrar |
brake | pidur | jarru | broms, pass, trög |
wallower | värkel | lyhty, trälli | trellan, drevet, lyktan |
upright shaft | pystyakseli, tantari, mäntä | kvarnaxel | |
spindle | pill, harkpill, argiraud | neularauta, väkirauta | trellnål, spindel |
grinding apparatus | |||
hopper | (vilja)kolu, korv | suppilo, tuutti | tratt för korn |
trough | king, küna | porsas, ruuhi, karistin | ränna |
millstones: runner stone, bedstone | veskikivid: kivitörskivi, krants | myllynkivet: päällyskivi, aluskivi | kvarnstenar: löparen, liggaren |
stone casing, stone furniture | kiviraam | kivilaatikko, kahna | mjölkar: låda kring, kvarnstenarna |
meal spout | jauhotorvi | rör för mjöl | |
meal bin | jahukirst | jauholaatikko, kahmalo, jauholaari | låda för mjöl? |
structure | |||
body | kere | myllyaitta | kvarnhuset |
tail pole | veskisaba, sabapuu, vehmer | häntäpuu | vindhäst, kvarnhäst |
breast beam, weather beam | siipiakselin etupäätä kannattava palkki | ||
tail beam | siipiakselin takapäätä kannattava palkki | ||
porch, balcony | kuisti | bro | |
post | sammas, emapuu, post | tukki, tammi | stubbe, stolpe |
hollow post | pystypatsas | ||
crown tree | pöörpakk, söömer, ematala | niskahirsi | hjärtstocken |
trestle | raampakud | jalka | fot |
ladder | trepp | tikkaat / portaat | stege / trappa |
floor, deck | lava | silta, lattia | brogolv |
kelkkaset | brostockar | ||
collar (or bearing) above the sub-structure that carries the body | kääntölaakeri | sadel | |
cap | müts | hattu | hätta |