Rotating wooden mill in the Upper Company, District of Ensign José Pereira

Category: Civil Architecture > Windmill

District: Açores > Lajes do Pico > São João > Terra do Pão

Location

The wooden rotating windmill is located on Pico Island, more precisely in the locality of São João, in the municipality of Lajes do Pico. It is situated in the area known as Companhia de Cima, on Canada do Alferes José Pereira, an integral part of the rural area of Terra do Pão. This location places the windmill in a setting of authentic Azorean landscape, characterized by its tranquility and the natural surroundings typical of the island's agricultural zones, where traces of volcanism and the intense green of the pastures merge.

A Symbol of Traditional Ingenuity

This windmill is a remarkable example of a wooden rotating windmill, an architectural typology designed to make the most of the dominant winds. Its structure, entirely made of wood, stands out for the ingenious ability of the upper part of the mill, where the sails are inserted, to rotate on its base. This particularity allowed the millers to orient the grinding mechanism according to the wind direction, ensuring maximum efficiency in its operation. It was a fundamental instrument for grinding cereals, supporting the food needs of local communities.

Testimony to Azorean Rural Life

The presence of this windmill in the landscape of Companhia de Cima, on Canada do Alferes José Pereira, is not limited to its practical function. It is a living testament to popular engineering and the resilience of the Azorean people, who knew how to adapt to available natural resources to ensure their subsistence. Its construction reflects an ancestral know-how, where structural simplicity is combined with functionality. It thus constitutes a tangible link with the agricultural practices of yesteryear and the ways of life that shaped the rural identity of Pico, evoking a time when self-sufficiency was an essential pillar of the community.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moinho_de_vento_da_Canada_do_Alferes_Pereira

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