Brussels Museum of Moulin and Food – Wikipedia
The Brussels Museum of Moulin and Food is sheltered by the old Evere windmill, built in XIX It is century, which is one of the oldest testimonies of the architectural heritage of the Brussels commune.
The first years [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
The construction of the Moulin d’Evere by Charles Van Assche (1811-1879) dates from 1841. At that time, Evere was still a small village, on the outskirts of the city, where agriculture occupied an important place, in particular culture cereals.
Unlike most windmills in the Brussels region, built in wood and called “Moulins Pivots”, that of Evere was built in bricks and presented a coastal shape. Most of this “mill-tour” was fixed: only the roof-also called cap-could pivot at the top of the building. This type of windmill, which was less expensive in maintenance, also offered the advantage of being more badly resistant and presented a more important interior space.
The grinding by wheels [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
Using a crank, the miller could extend the canvases on the wings, increasing their speed of rotation. The energy produced was then transmitted by a system of axes and gears to the grindstones, located on the third floor of the building.
The bags of grains were mounted towards the upper levels of the mill using a Sac-tap crossing the different floors present in the building. Once the version is completed and the flour stored in bags, this system also allowed the finished product to be down on the ground floor where it was loaded in a cart pulled by horses. Entrance by one of the two large doors located at the bottom of the tower, it could then come out by the second in order to deliver the flour to the various customers of the mill.
From the steam wind [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
The use of thermal energy is certainly one of the most significant aspects of the industrial revolution in the XIX It is century. It thus allowed the development of the first mass transport by railway. But its properties have also been exploited in the industrial field, including at the Moulin d’Evere.
By definition, windmills work thanks to wind energy. The grinding of the grains cannot therefore be carried out on wind -free days. To increase the productivity of its tool, Charles Van Assche decided in 1853 to add to the mill a boiler and a small building housing a steam engine and a transmission system.
With the development of the industrial era, it became more and more obvious that the steam had to go beyond its simple role of energy source. After the death of Charles Van Assche in 1879, his wife, Pétronilla, resumed the exploitation of the mill in hand and decided to replace the old boiler and steam machine with more powerful installations.
The version is therefore only exclusively using steam, the wings were dismantled around 1886.
Cylinder grind [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
The dismantling of the wings was followed in 1887 by the construction of a three-story building next to the mill. On the ground floor were installed cylinder mills, thus ending the grinding by grinding. This technological innovation was developed around 1870 by the Swiss Meunier-Mécanician Friedrich Wechman (whose patent was bought in 1874 by André Mechwart, director of the Hungarian firm Ganz and Cie). This so -called “Hungarian” version of version was much more effective, both from the point of view of the whiteness of flour and the quality of the bread produced.
Different kinds of cereals were ground in Evere: wheat, rye, oats, barley, … The version was made for cultivators, merchants, bourgeois, brewers, bakers, grocers or for individuals. At the same time, the mill also directly sold flour to its customers.
After the death of Madame Van Assche in 1891, the family heritage was shared between her nine children. In 1904, a new building was attached to the existing building. Called “store”, it served as a storage place but also as accommodation for workers who worked on site.
After twenty years of existence, in 1911, the “Van Assche Frères et sisters” meune stressed all activity. Competition of large minoteries, as well as flours imported from abroad, was then too strong for this small family business.
Multiple reallocations [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
After being closed for a few years, the mill was reassigned, thus hosting various successive activities. As early as 1914, until 1923, part of the buildings was rented to accommodate a thermosiphon factory for forcing chicon, a vegetable whose peasants of Evere had converted to culture from the last quarter of the XIX It is century. In 1921, another part of the building was rented to what became the “Tannerie-Chromerie du Moulin”.
After the death of Jean-Baptiste, the last descendant of the Van Assche family, the mill was bequeathed to the latter’s brother-in-law, Frans Van Hove. Alfons Van Hove, his son, then set up a company to build small wooden machines but with mixed success. A factory of hoses intended for the butcher-chacuterie also occupied the building thereafter. This boyauder was taken over in 1928 by Oscar Tausig.
Spice milling [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
Boucher’s son, Oscar Tausig stopped making hoses after a few years. He then embarked on the trade of sausages, dyes and spices, well requested by the butchers. Among the ground and sold spices on site, let us quote pepper, cloves, nutmeg, paprika or coriander. The company experienced great success and was renowned for the quality of its products. The version of spices at the Evere mill will continue for several decades, even after the death of Oscar Tausig in 1970.
The sale of the company “Oscar Tausig” to the ISFI (International Spice and Food Import) company in 1983 involved the relocation of its production to Braine-l’Alleud and therefore meant the end of activities at the Moulin d’Evere.
As early as 1979, the town undertook approaches for the site classification – Moulin, Park and paved allée – but they only succeeded in Thanks in particular to the intervention of the ASBL CEBE (Brussels and surrounding environment commission). From 1994, this association began research and study of the mill. After entering full ownership of the site in 2002, the municipality of Evere undertook in 2006 the renovation of the site, which was in pitiful condition.
The end of the works in 2008 allowed the opening of the Brussels Museum of Moulin and food in September. In addition to the presentation of objects relating to the history of the mill and the milling, this young museum institution adopted as a policy to offer annually to its visitors a new temporary exhibition on the theme of food.
Activities [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
Over the years, the Brussels Museum of Moulin and Food has developed various activities for its visitors (guided tours, gourmet visits, culinary workshops (individual groups), game booklets, children’s internships) and participated in Many events: Heritage Days, Place to Children !, Nocturnal of Brussels Museums, Smaak Van Week, ERFGOEDDAG, CEBE visits,…
Tram :
- 55 (stop Linden )
- 7 (stopping Paul Brien )
Bus :
- 45 (stop Old-kapelleke )
- 59 (stopping Chaumontel )
- 64 and 65 (stop Our Lady )
- 66 (judgment Kurth )
- De Lijn 270, 271, 272 ET 471 (Arrêt Van de Velde )
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External link [ modifier | Modifier and code ]
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