The Wind Chaser
Get blown away by The Wind Chaser!
Brace yourself, because The Wind Chaser takes you on a whirlwind journey through time. Step in, strap in, step in... and begin the ride begins that’ll completely blow you away! (Well, figuratively speaking.)
The newest attraction at Madurodam
- The newest GI-GAN-TIC attraction
- A Dutch invention
- One ride, centuries of adventure
- The power of wind
The Wind Chaser is not your average ride… it’s the newest GI-GAN-TIC attraction in which everything spins, sways, whooshes, and comes to life. It revolves around the power of the wind: ever surprising, thoroughly dynamic, and quite simply spectacular. And you? You’re right in the middle of it all. As you ride back and forth, you’re bound to discover something new each time; be prepared to get caught off guard by the unexpected on this immersive journey through time.
Who knew wind could be thís cool?
You zip through workshops and gusts of wind, sawing wood, mixing paint, making paper, and generating energy. Every turn brings something new: unexpected twists, exciting effects, and moments that make you go: what just happened?!
A Dutch invention that changed everything
You roll into an old sawmill. Everything creaks and squeaks. The saw dances on the wind and turns logs to timber as the secret behind all those mighty windmills slowly reveals itself. In the 16th century, a Dutchman invented something clever: the crankshaft. It converted the rotating motion of the mill into a back-and-forth motion. This allowed saws to cut wooden planks quickly and precisely on a large scale - fully powered by the wind!
One ride, centuries of adventure
Moments later, you’re in the middle of a whirl of colour: pigment powder fills the air while massive millstones spin. That’s how you discover that mills produced the materials that revered Dutch painters used for their masterpieces.
Then comes the paper. You hear it rustling and see it fluttering through the air. The paper mill is running at full speed. Thanks to wind power, the Netherlands could produce grade-A paper quickly - and in large quantities - becoming a global supplier of top-quality paper.
The power of wind
At its peak, the Netherlands had over 10,000 windmills! Each region had its own type. Polder mills in the west, grain mills in the east, and saw and oil mills in the Zaan region. But then: Sparks. Flames. Smoke. More and more mills disappear. Does this spell the end of wind’s power?
Dutch ingenuity
No! In the distance, you hear a different kind of blade. Not wooden giants, but modern wind turbines. Spinning calmly above the sea. Wind power is back, stronger than ever. And more important than ever: it’s here for our future. Windmills are the symbol of Dutch ingenuity. They prove we’ve always found clever ways to harness nature. And we still do - with today’s wind turbines!
