Tilting at Windmills in Menorca
When you mention windmills, the place that immediately springs to mind is Holland; but Menorca has a rich tradition of windmills – and it’s one that is quite fascinating to unearth. Visitors to modern Menorca are often surprised to see the windmills of the island, and they usually raise a smile amongst the children. It’s not unusual to see a windmill or two sticking proudly out from the top turret of a sandcastle on a Menorca beach – albeit a smaller one than the modern wind turbines! Travellers on Menorca holidays can sometimes be heard commenting on the striking landmark windmills of Menorca, and wondering how they came to be…
History
The origins of the windmills you might see on your Menorca holidays are commonly believed to have been introduced to the island from Persia, by the Crusaders returning from their exploits. However, the fact is that by 1604, wind power was a mainstay of the Spanish economy on the mainland, and in all likelihood had been introduced to Menorca from there. One famous example of textual evidence for this theory is the novel telling the story of Don Quixote, “The Ingenious Knight of La Mancha”. In the novel, the titular knight proposes to fight injustice through chivalry, and imagines himself to be fighting giants – when in reality attacking windmills. First published in 1604, it is considered a major literary masterpiece, and remains a best-seller in numerous translations.
The evidence is that if windmills had become popular enough to have twenty or thirty clustered together, as described in the book, the idea had certainly become widely-adopted; and Menorca was the first of the Balearic Islands to adopt the modern turbines that can be seen today on your Menorca holidays.
Modern Moli
Windmills, or Moli, have long been a feature of the Menorcan landscape, and they harness energy from the islands’ northern winds – the famous ‘Tratamontana’. The older moli have become tourist attractions on Menorca holidays, and remain beautiful to look at. The town of Moli de Dalt was built in 1762, during the brief French rule of the island, and named after the iconic windmill of the town. Two other windmills followed the construction of the first, and the three mills still stand as a picturesque backdrop for the town.
While visiting Menorca, make time to enjoy the cool breezes and take in the sights of the windmills on your travels – it’s a unique way to appreciate a little-known aspect of the Spanish/Menorcan culture.
Brenda Jaaback is the Managing Director of Bartle Holidays. They can provide you with a wide selection of great villa accommodation for your Menorca holidays . Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.
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