Tat-Tmien Kantunieri Windmill

Tat-Tmien Kantunieri Windmill
Il-Mitħna Tat-Tmien Kantunieri
Xewkija Windmill
Alternative names Il-Mitħna Ottagonali tax-Xewkija
General information
Type Windmill
Location Gozo
Address Triq Mgarr
Town or city Xewkija, Gozo
Country Malta
Coordinates 36°02′09.4″N 14°15′37.0″E / 36.035944°N 14.260278°E / 36.035944; 14.260278Coordinates: 36°02′09.4″N 14°15′37.0″E / 36.035944°N 14.260278°E / 36.035944; 14.260278
Opened 1710
Closed 1886

Tat-Tmien Kantunieri Windmill (Maltese: Il-Mitħna tat-Tmien Kantunieri) located in Xewkija, on the main road mid-way between Victoria and Għajnsielem stands as the oldest surviving windmill in Gozo, Malta. It is undergoing restoration after the Planning Commission had approved the works to start on this historic building.[1][2][3]

History

The Tat-Tmien Kantunieri Windmill was commissioned by Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful and started operating in 1710 by the miller Ganni Scicluna (Gio Maris Xicluna). Perellos has also made Giovanni Gourgion as the Procurator of Wheat, where Giovanni would receive a commission on all grain he brought to Malta. Gourgion has his residence, which later used to be known as the Gourgion Tower in Xewkija.[4][5]

The Windmill with Gozo Citadel in background

The windmill consists of a large entrance hall with two parallel rooms. At the back of the mill, there is a kitchen and building still retain it’s original oven. In the middle of the mill, there is a winding staircase leading to the mill roof. Above the entrance hall, there is the birth room. The windmill remained in use until 1886 as a fire destroyed it. Later in the mid of the 19th century, it was owned by the three Camilleri brothers. This windmill served also as the first location for the Xewkija Band Club – Banda Prekursur. It was used as the base of this club from 1956 to 1965.[6][7][8][1][2]

About

The Miller

The miller would grind cereals and grains, with the help of a big rotating stone driven from the eight pointed fan like sails made from wood. When the wind blows from the required direction, the miller would call his customers by a trumpet shell (Maltese: Bronja), or otherwise he would also go with his cart to collect the grains. Before this type of mill has been built, the miller had to use a blindfolded mule or ass to turn a similar stone setup, usually in a stable. These mills are considered the first industrial machines on the Maltese islands.[9][10][11]

Maltese windmills

Malta has the biggest density of windmills in the world, which is 1 windmill every 9sq km. This surpasses the Netherlands, which has 1 windmill every 39sq km. In the Maltese Islands, 69 windmills are known to have been built, but only about 36 still exist today. 54 windmills were built in Malta and 15 in Gozo. Only 3 windmills have sails to date. The introduction of the windmill technology in Malta started by the Knights of St. John after they had introduced them before in Rhodes. In 1674, the Grandmaster Cottoner ordered the building of the first five mills, with other building orders followed after. The construction period for these windmills was between 1663 till 1773. The windmill builders were assisted by the experts brought up from Mallorca. Some windmills were also used for the production of gunpowder.[12] In 1838, the government ended the monopoly of windmills, thus everybody was allowed to build windmills. The windmills were later superseded by steam mills.[13][1][2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Willem, Staat. "Malta has biggest density of windmills worldwide". Times of Malta. Times of Malta. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Staat, Willem (July–August 2005). "Molens Malta" (PDF). Molen Wereld (in Dutch) (84): 256–264. ISSN 1387-2974. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  3. ↑ Gauci, MGR. Dr. Anthony (1969). Gozo - A historical and tourist guide to the Island (2nd ed.). Hamrun, Malta: St. Joseph's Home Printing Press. p. 88.
  4. ↑ Azzopardi, Joe (October 2013). "The Gourgion Tower - Gone but not Forgotten (Part 1)" (PDF). Vigilo. Din l-Art Ħelwa (44): 45–47. ISSN 1026-132X. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 11, 2014.
  5. ↑ Azzopardi, Joe (May 2014). "The Gourgion Tower - Gone but not Forgotten (Part 2)" (PDF). Vigilo. Din l-Art Ħelwa (45): 44–47. ISSN 1026-132X. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Tat-Tmien Kantunieri Windmill". Windmills of Malta. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Information on Xewkija". My Guide Malta.
  8. ↑ Bezzina, Joseph (2004). "10 The Perellos octagonal windmill". Xewkija THE FIRST VILLAGE OF GOZO (1st ed.). Qala Malta: A+M Printing. pp. 49–50. ISBN 978-99909-57-23-5.
  9. ↑ "Ta' Kola Windmill". Visit Gozo. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  10. ↑ Malta, Heritage (17 May 2016). "Ta' Kola Windmill". Malta Independent. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Grima, John Paul (April 2015). Studju Lessikali tat-Taħditiet Djalettali li ġabru Aquilina u Isserlin (PDF). University of Malta.
  12. ↑ Mericieca, Simon; Muscat, Joseph. "WINDMILLS AND THE PRODUCTION OF GUNPOWDER IN MALTA Windmills and the Production of Gunpowder in Malta". Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  13. ↑ "Unique Windmill in Xewkija to be restored". Maltese National TV Website.
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