Category: Civil Architecture > Windmill
District: Açores > Lajes do Pico > Ribeirinha
This windmill is situated in the coastal area of Ribeirinha, a locality in the municipality of Lajes do Pico. It is located on Rua do Passal, integrated into the urban fabric of the parish, but in an area that still allows one to appreciate the typical natural surroundings of the island, marked by volcanic stone and the proximity to the sea.
Its position offers an interesting visual setting, blending human construction with the characteristic rural and maritime landscape of Pico.
Distinguishing itself from windmills that could rotate, this is a fixed mill, built entirely of basalt stone, the dominant and defining material of Pico's traditional architecture. Its structure is a solid, conical tower, erected to withstand the strong winds of the Atlantic coast.
The use of local stone gives it a harmonious integration into the landscape, being a remarkable example of how constructions adapt to the availability of materials and the island's environmental conditions.
Like other windmills on the island, this stone example represents an important page in the economic and social history of Ribeirinha and Pico in general. They were essential infrastructures for grinding cereals, a fundamental activity for the subsistence of local communities in times past.
Its presence evokes the hard work of the millers and the population's dependence on natural resources, such as wind, to transform the land's produce.
The fixed stone windmill on Rua do Passal, by its form and materiality, constitutes a striking visual element in the landscape of Ribeirinha. Its silhouette contrasts with and, simultaneously, complements the surrounding houses and the maritime horizon.
It is a landmark that invites contemplation of human ingenuity adapted to the island environment and offers an interesting angle from which to observe the surroundings.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.439881,-28.0877149
Coordinates DMS: 38°26'23.6"N 28°05'15.8"W