Cothen

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Cothen is a village in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It belongs to the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede and sits about 10 kilometers southeast of Houten. The village’s skyline is defined by a church and the windmill Oog In 't Zeil.

Origin and layout: Cothen was first mentioned in the 1100s as Coten, meaning “little house” or “farm.” It grew as a long, straight village along the Kromme Rijn river. Across the river stood Castle Rhijnestein, with its tower dating from the 14th century; the current building was rebuilt in 1873.

The church: The Dutch Reformed Church has parts from the 13th century. It burned in 1673 and was rebuilt in 1735, later enlarged in 1890.

The windmill: The Oog In 't Zeil grist mill was built in 1869. An engine was added in 1904; the top was removed in 1936 and only the base remained. In 1985 the remainder burned down, and the mill was rebuilt in 1987. It is still sometimes used for grinding.

Today: Cothen covers about 11.93 square kilometers, lies about 4 meters above sea level, and has around 3,275 residents (as of 2021). It used to be its own municipality, but in 1996 it became part of Wijk bij Duurstede.