Fixed stone mill in Calheta, Outeiro do Sancho.

Category: Civil Architecture > Windmill

District: Açores > Calheta > Calheta > Outeiro do Sancho

Location

Situated on Outeiro do Sancho, this windmill is located in an elevated position in the Calheta area. Outeiros, or small hills, were privileged locations for the construction of windmills due to their greater exposure to dominant winds. From this area, it is possible to gain a perspective of the surroundings of the locality of Calheta.

Construction and Typology

This example is a fixed stone windmill. Its main characteristic is the tower structure, built of stone and immobile, unlike rotating wooden windmills. Inside, the movement of the sails captured wind energy to power the millstones and grind cereals. The stone construction gives it solidity and durability.

Heritage and History

The fixed stone windmill on Outeiro do Sancho is a material vestige of the importance of cereal milling for the subsistence of local populations throughout the centuries. It represents a form of popular engineering that utilized the natural force of the wind to process basic foods. Its presence in the landscape is a testament to rural history and human adaptation to the natural conditions of the island of São Jorge.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt