Courela Watermill

Category: Civil Architecture > Mill

District: Évora > Mora > Brotas > Courela

Location

The Courela Watermill is located in Brotas, in the municipality of Mora, in a rural and isolated area that reflects the tranquility of the Alentejo. Situated on the southern bank of the Ribeira do Divor, the site blends perfectly into the surrounding landscape, dominated by extensive olive and cork oak groves, on land that combines rocky and more sandy areas. Its riverside position offers a serene environment, ideal for those seeking the calm of nature.

It is important to note that, given its remote nature, motorized access to this mill can be more challenging, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended for a more comfortable and safe visit.

Memory of an Agricultural Past

Conjecturally dated to the 19th century, the Courela Mill is an important testament to the old rural life and milling activity in the region. This complex is not limited to just the mill; it also includes the structure of the weir, the long water intake channel, and the house where the miller and his family lived. These infrastructures, once essential for transforming cereals into flour, tell the story of a time when water power drove the local economy, serving as a notable example of Alentejo's vernacular agricultural architecture.

Traditional Structure and Operation

The mill is of the horizontal wheel type, known as a millstone, and had two grinding sets, meaning two pairs of millstones for grinding. Its construction is robust, with elevations of stone and brick masonry, plastered and whitewashed, and reinforced with angular buttresses. On the west face, the perfect arch arcades are noteworthy, revealing the bays, the space where the grinding system was powered by the force of the water. The weir, built with irregular stone, and the channel, which extends for about a kilometer parallel to the river and has two gates, illustrate the traditional engineering used to capture and manage water flow.

Preserved Vestiges

Although currently disused, the Courela Watermill still retains elements that allow a glimpse of its operational past. Inside the mill, the bedstones, the fixed millstones, and traces of the hopper, the mechanism that transported the grain to the millstones, remain. The miller's house, located a few meters from the mill, also survives, with its mixed masonry walls and traces of adobe, and divisions that included a living room, a stable, and a space with a fireplace, offering a glimpse into the daily life of those who operated this engine.

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