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
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.
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.
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.
