Santiago do Cacém Municipal Museum
Abela Rural Work Museum
Flour Museum
Quintinha Municipal Mill
Quintinha Windmill
The windmills, standing alone on the top of their hills, had the air of a sentry, guarding the nearest village. For centuries, they bore witness to man’s strong connection with the forces of nature. The millers dominated the wind in the sails of their windmills, turning wind power into bread.
The milling wealth (the term “molinology” refers to all the sciences necessary to study mills) of the County of Santiago do Cacém is due to the size of the county and its relief.
Around 70 windmills can be found, 50 driven by wind power and 20 by water, characterized by five different types.
These mills are mostly in “endangered”. It is urgent, therefore, to take measures to protect, preserve or reconstruct them. That is what Santiago do Cacém City Council did when it acquired and restored the Quintinha windmill, located on the Cumeadas and forming part of the pre-industrial milling belt of the City.
It is a masonry mill featuring a frustoconical tower and rotary cap actuated by a winch system.
The Local Authority has been keeping it in operation since 1982. Whenever the weather allows, visitors can observe the traditional process of grinding grain.
The ground grain belongs to people living in the countryside and who still maintain the tradition of going to the mill to grind their grain, using the flour to make homemade bread, corn gruel and feed some farm animals.
Payment for this service continues, as it has for centuries, depending on the amount of grain brought by the customer.
As far as anyone knows, the story goes that all millers have a dog, but always a black one to see if he put his nose in the flour.
Opening hours:
November to March from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
April to October from 9.00 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.00 pm to 5.30 pm
Closes on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays
Contact telephone number for arranging visits: 964 174 982
