Fixed stone mill in Santo Antão, Outeirão

Category: Civil Architecture > Windmill

District: Açores > Calheta > Topo > Canada da Levada

Location

This windmill is located in the village of Topo, part of the municipality of Calheta, on São Jorge Island. It is specifically situated in the Santo Antão area, in the zone known as Outeirão, included in Canada da Levada.

Its position is set within the rural context of this part of the island, characterized by its agricultural landscape and the dispersion of traditional buildings. Although integrated into a residential area, it maintains its connection to the region's rural heritage.

Construction Characteristics

It is a fixed stone windmill. This type of structure is built entirely of masonry, featuring a solid and immovable base. It distinguishes itself from rotating windmills by having its tower permanently oriented in a single direction.

The stone construction gives it remarkable robustness and durability, bearing witness to the traditional building techniques used on the island to harness wind power.

Legacy and Heritage

The presence of this fixed stone windmill in Santo Antão, in Outeirão, is an element that evokes the past related to grain milling on São Jorge Island. Windmills like this were essential for the life of local communities, transforming harvests into flour.

It represents a piece of the rural and ethnographic heritage of the municipality of Calheta and the village of Topo, helping to tell the story of agricultural practices and human ingenuity in utilizing natural resources, such as wind, for daily needs.

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