On the Funenkade, beside the Nieuwe Vaart canal, the De Gooyer windmill stands on the edge of the Eastern Islands and the Indische Buurt, in Amsterdam-Oost. This former grain mill, set on a tall brick base, is described as the tallest wooden windmill in the Netherlands: its sails span 26.6 m and its gallery sits 17.8 m above the ground. The mill is a private home and cannot be visited, but you can see it freely from the quays. At its foot, the Brouwerij 't IJ brewery serves its beers in a former bathhouse, with a terrace beneath the sails.
Highlights
The mill from the Funenkade
The octagonal wooden body rests on a brick base about 7 m high, ringed by a gallery used to turn the sails into the wind. The bridge and the quay opposite give the best view. The sails still turn from time to time, but the mill has not ground any grain since the 1950s.
Brouwerij 't IJ
Founded in 1985, the brewery occupies the former Funen bathhouse right next to the mill, which also appears on its logo alongside an ostrich. Its proeflokaal (tasting room) serves the house beers on tap with a few snacks: peanuts, boiled eggs, sausages. In fine weather, the terrace with its long tables fills up quickly.
A mill on the move
The mill's origins go back to the 16th century, when it stood on the city ramparts. In 1814, after barracks built in 1811 blocked its wind, it was moved at the city's expense onto the stone base of a municipal water mill demolished in 1812. A storm broke its shaft in 1972; the 1976 restoration gave it traditional Dutch-style sails again.
The brewery tour
From Friday to Sunday, a short guided tour of about 20 minutes covers the brewery's history and the role of water, malt, hops and yeast: in English at 15:00, in Dutch at 16:00. It costs €2.50 per person and takes up to 20 people; you can sign up at the bar on the day, but booking online is recommended.
Where the name comes from
There are two explanations: the name may come from former owners who hailed from the Gooi, the region south-east of Amsterdam, or from the mill's height, which supposedly let you see all the way to that region.
Infos pratiques
Tips
The mill belongs to Stadsherstel Amsterdam and is lived in: the interior opens only occasionally, by appointment or on National Mill Day (Nationale Molendag). For the brewery tour, book online in advance, as places are limited to 20 per tour. The proeflokaal is not wheelchair accessible. Prices as of October 2026.
How to get there
De Gooyer windmill, Funenkade 5, 1018 AL Amsterdam; Brouwerij 't IJ (proeflokaal), Funenkade 7, 1018 AL Amsterdam. Tram 19: Pontanusstraat stop, a few minutes' walk away. Bus 37 also serves the Pontanusstraat stop.
Opening hours
Nearby
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