Mills in Alto Aragón — molino harinero

Ventas de Santa Lucía

Ventas de Santa Lucía is a crossroads situated a bit north of Graus on the main road to Benasque and Cerler. Coming from Graus take right towards La Puebla de Fantova and then right at the next branch. Very shortly you will cross a small rivulet — named Barranco de la Bodequeta on some maps — laying in the depth. After the bridge is a curve and before the bridge a track leads to the mill only a few steps away.

Pictures: 06.i.2012

(1) Molino de Ventas de Santa Lucía — overview from the back

The mill, which dates from 1903, is owned by the Comunidad de regantes de la Acequia de Santa Lucía and let to the city of Graus for a period of 50 years. Graus will use it for social events and as an interpretation center about water.
Work for its preservation — supported by Leader plus— started in October 2006 and was finished two years later with an inaugura­tion where several officials were present.

(2) Top floor at street level
(3) Cárcavo with place for two wheels

The construction counts 4 levels of which the top one is at the street (2). The walls are made of adobe except for -2 and -3 which are made (almost) entire­ly with stone.
The cárcavo (3) is a nice piece of masonry with enough space for two wheels though only one is present — probably from the beginning because there is no trace of a second botana either.

(4) Wheel made from iron
(5) Botana with valve blocked by incrustations

The wheel (4), made from iron, is in very bad shape. The botana (5) and its door are incrusted with lime so there is no way the current could be regulated. Presumably the purpose of the works was to preserve the mill and its contents, but it was not to result in a mill ready to run.
The water is captured upstream. The canal then crosses the rivulet (7) with an impressive arch and enters the mill at street level (6). The stones are at minus 2, however, and this means that there must be a cubo inside the building! I should go back one day and try to get in.

(6) Last stretch of the canal
(7) Aqueduct over the barranco

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