Rotating wooden mill in Serreta, Ladeira do Alves

Category: Civil Architecture > Windmill

District: Açores > Angra do Heroísmo > Serreta > Terreiro

Location

Situated in the picturesque locality of Serreta, an integral part of the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on the stunning island of Terceira, the wooden rotating windmill is found in the area known as Ladeira do Alves. This position, likely on a slope or incline, offers a privileged perspective of the surrounding landscape. Serreta is a rural parish, characterized by its tranquility and proximity to Atlantic nature, making access to the mill an opportunity to appreciate the serenity of the Azorean countryside.

The mill stands in an area where the presence of wind is constant, an essential element for its original function, and its setting allows for an unobstructed view of the green fields and, on days of good visibility, the vast Atlantic Ocean that bathes the island's coast.

A Structure of Ingenuity

This mill stands out due to its construction entirely in wood, a material that gives it a rustic and authentic appearance, perfectly integrated into the local landscape. Its designation "rotating" reveals an architectural particularity: the ability of the entire body of the mill, or at least its upper part, to be rotated so that the blades can catch the most favorable wind direction. This mechanism, a feat of popular engineering, was fundamental for the efficiency of grain milling, adapting the structure to the variable dynamics of the Atlantic winds.

Its blades, once tireless in the task of transforming grains into flour, are a visible testament to an ancestral technology that depended on the force of nature to sustain the life of the communities. The robustness of the wood, although subject to the elements, was designed to withstand time and the rigorous climate of the archipelago.

Legacy and Landscape

The wooden rotating windmill in Serreta is an echo of a past where self-sufficiency and a direct relationship with the land and sea were pillars of Azorean life. Although its original function may have ceased today, it remains a symbol of human ingenuity and its ability to shape natural resources for subsistence. Its presence in Ladeira do Alves serves as a cultural landmark, recalling the importance of agriculture and milling in the local economy of yesteryear.

For the visitor, the mill offers not only a perspective on the traditional architecture and agricultural history of Terceira Island but also a unique vantage point. Its silhouette outlined against the sky, especially at sunrise or sunset, provides a setting of serene beauty, inviting contemplation of the landscape and the way of life that this ancient device represents.

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