Hein's Mühle
Fully functional 16th-century water mill on the Brexbach in Bendorf-Sayn, open to visit as a mill museum with free admission.
About the museum
The mill on the Brexbach below Sayn Castle was probably built between 1550 and 1600. Originally an oil mill, it temporarily served as a tobacco mill in the early 19th century and was converted into a grain mill in 1816, soon known as the Neumühle (New Mill).
In 1898, Paul and Elisabeth Hein took over the operation, after whom the mill is now named. They added a story to the building, had a roller mill and a sifting machine installed, replaced the wooden water wheel with an iron overshot wheel, and set up a bakery next door. Milling largely came to a halt in the late 1950s; the last grinding took place in 1961.
A demolition application in 1983 led to the mill being placed under heritage protection. In 1986 the town of Bendorf bought the property, volunteers got the machinery working again, and in 1987 the Förderkreis Hein's Mühle (friends' association) was founded. The site has been open as a mill museum since August 1988.
Of the roughly 20 mills that once existed in the Bendorf area, it is the only one that still functions completely. The milling works extend over three floors from the water wheel to the millstones; information boards and volunteer guides explain the steps from grain to flour.
Highlights
- Iron overshot water wheel about 3.80 m in diameter
- Millstones and roller mill from 1898
- Milling works over three floors
- Digital tour with almost 50 stations via app
- Volunteer guides
Permanent exhibitions
- Mühlenmuseum Hein's Mühle – The working mill technology, from the water wheel via millstones and roller mill to the sifter and cleaning system, is explained across three floors. It also covers the role of the miller's trade in the region.
- Founded
- 1988
- Operated by
- Förderkreis Hein's Mühle e.V.
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | –Free admission for everyone. |
|---|---|
| Groups | –Individual guided tours outside opening hours: €30 per group of up to 30 people. |
During regular opening hours admission is free; donations go entirely toward the upkeep of the mill.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is not accessible.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Sayn Schlossstraße · 500 m
Bus to the Sayn Schlossstraße stop (Bendorf).
By car
Parking available
No parking directly at the mill; signposted parking areas, for example at Sayn Abbey, the Prälatengarten, the Butterfly Garden or the Sayner Hütte, followed by a short walk through Sayn.
The mill is a starting point for hikes to Sayn Castle and to the Limes.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The mill can be explored on your own using information boards, and volunteer guides accompany visitors during opening hours. The free app "SaynGuide" (Digiwalk) offers almost 50 stations with audio, images and text. Register group tours outside opening hours with the Förderkreis (tel. 02622 14217); programs for elementary and secondary schools. |
