Malta – Gozo – Ta’ Kola Windmill

Located just a few metres from the entrance to the Ġgantija Temples, this windmill was first constructed in 1725. Unfortunately it wasn’t built very well, some dodgy use of stone and mortar was to blame, so they had to rebuild it in the 1780s.

Bread is very important to the people of Malta, and they make it very well from what I’ve experienced, and the miller would have lived and worked here.

The staff member at the front desk was enthusiastic and gave me a comprehensive introduction to the building and what there was to see in it. There are a lot of milling related items on display, some of which are from the last miller to have worked here.

The recreated bedroom of the miller.

Some kind of machine.

And then the climb to the top of the windmill, up some fairly narrow steps at times. Fortunately I was the only visitor at the site, so I didn’t have to worry about passing people on the way up or down.

This was what was at the top of the steps, the two stones which would have ground up the cereals into flour. There was also a lot less space than I had been expecting when I reached the top. I think I had expected some kind of viewing deck, rather than a functional windmill, but only two or three people could be up here at a time.

Incidentally, one TripAdvisor review noted the below, and I certainly agree with them….. I was very brave though and struggled up.

“There are very steep and narrow stairs to the top so if you have trouble walking or are nervous with heights it probably isn’t a good idea to go up.”

I was using my Heritage Malta pass, but I think visitors who went to the temples next door also got free entrance into this mill. That has probably realistically boosted visitor numbers to a level which the mill might not otherwise have got, but it’s still an interesting site.