Santiponce Itálica

Heritage

An immense legacy waiting to be discovered

Windmill

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At the top of the village, like a soldier on guard, straight as a rod, stands the “El Molino de Viento”, known today as “Torre de Viento”.

The Navarrese manuscript states that it was built and used as a windmill before 1750.

Given its location, it has been argued that it may have been a medieval defensive tower, later reused as a windmill.

In the past, it measured 6 metres high, 7 metres wide and the walls were 1.60 metres thick. Its blades were not made of wood as in the windmills of La Mancha. It had four leather or cloth material sails.

On top of the windmill was a stone platform that measured 7 metres in diameter. This structure rested on wheels that rotated into the wind as they moved inside the groove carved into the platform. The groove was greased with animal fat.

In 1774, a family rebuilt it as a mill. It is also claimed that although the windmill was sold several times, it was abandoned because it was unprofitable. In the mid-19th century, Antonio Sanz Galufo bought the windmill and 0.322 hectares of land around it.

In 1970, José Julio Ruiz bought the mill tower and added 4 metres to its height to 9.5 metres. He used it as his private holiday home.

Today, the windmill is still a significant landmark that can be seen from afar, like a lighthouse on the seashore.

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