Old Harmonia Mill

Category: Civil Architecture > Millhouse

District: Porto > Porto > Porto > São Pedro de Azevedo

Location

Situated in the São Pedro de Azevedo area, in the city of Porto, the Former Harmonia Mill has a location that reflects its industrial history. Its proximity to the river is one of its distinctive features, marked by the existence of a private dock. This unique element highlights the importance of the site for the mill's operations, facilitating the transport of raw materials and finished products, and underscores the factory's connection to Porto's commercial and logistical dynamics.

An Industrial Heritage in Porto

Erected between 1891 and 1892, the Former Harmonia Mill represents a landmark in Porto's industrial history. Its foundation resulted from the vision of a group of five Porto merchants who, in 1890, joined forces to build this factory, subsequently giving rise to Companhia de Moagem Harmonia SA in 1918. Over the decades, the company's management remained in the hands of local entrepreneurs, who continuously invested in its modernization and growth, ensuring a prominent role in supplying flour to the region.

Architecture and Productive Ingenuity

The Former Harmonia Mill building stands out for its architectural characteristics, designed to optimize the milling process. The facades display remarkable verticality, punctuated by a succession of windows and doors that give rhythm and light to the whole. One of the most imposing external elements is its majestic chimney, a symbol of the strength and industrial activity that developed there. In 1932, the structure was expanded with the addition of two more floors, a work led by architect José Júlio de Brito.

Internally, the factory reveals a complex 19th-century structure, where iron pillars and beams can be observed from the basement to the fifth floor. Its spacious halls were meticulously designed to accommodate the innovative Austro-Hungarian Milling System, a manufacturing process imported from Germany. This advanced system utilized mills with horizontal cast-iron cylinders (one smooth and one fluted) which, through successive passages, ground the cereal until it was transformed into various types of flour.

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