Amati 1710 1/30 scale Dutch Windmill. The first windmills appeared around 1300 years ago. In Europe, early windmills developed in the Middle Ages and were usually fixed directly on the walls of the cities. Later, swivelling heads were developed so they could be kept constantly turned into the wind. As they evolved, windmills were used in a wide range of industries, from traditional flour milling to sawmills and, by installing Archimedes screws, pumping stations. With the advent of the industrial revolution, windmills gradually gave way to steam power and internal combustion engines. Today, the search for renewable energy has given renewed importance to wind power for generating electricity, and windmills have been given a new name: wind turbines.
