Moinho do Inácio

Water mill near Vila de Punhe in Northern Portugal

Nestled along Rua das Boucinhas in Vila de Punhe, the Moinho do Inácio stands as a testament to Portugal’s industrial past. This historic water mill, first documented in 1837, is a rare example of a single-waterwheel rotary mill, a type of engineering design that once powered local communities.

The mill was reopened after restoration paid by the local municipality in 2014.

The mill itself is a modest, rectangular building covering just 27 square meters. A small window to the west and another to the south let the sun light inside, where the mill’s mechanism once harnessed the power of the nearby stream.

Beneath the southern window, a hidden channel directs the water back to the stream after turning the millstones.

The area surrounding the mill has been transformed into a small park.

Coordinates: 41.643248671598236, -8.725533425676625

Each year, the Moinho do Inácio participates in the Dia dos Moinhos Abertos (Open Mills Day), part of the Rede Portuguesa dos Moinhos (Portuguese Mills Network).

On this day one can appreciate the significance of traditional and currently decommissioned wind mills and water mills. It’s an opportunity to have a look behind the otherwise locked doors.

Open Mills Day takes place in early April. Check which mills in your neighborhood are opening their doors to visitors on that day.