Here’s a summary of the construction and history of Tal-Mirakli Windmill (also known as Tal-Ghadiriet Windmill) in Lija, Malta:
📍 Location
35.897404, 14.439423📜 History
Date of Construction:** Built in 1674 under the rule of Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner (1663–1680). This makes it the oldest surviving windmill in Malta.
Name Origin:** The name Tal-Mirakli (“of the Miracle”) is linked to local tradition — according to folklore, the first bread baked from flour milled here was offered to a nearby chapel of Our Lady of Miracles (Madonna tal-Mirakli), which gave the mill its name.
Purpose: Like other early windmills, it was constructed to grind wheat and barley, which were essential to Malta’s diet. In the 17th century, the Order of St John promoted the building of windmills to strengthen food security, reducing reliance on imported flour.
Later Use:
Continued in use until the 19th century, when steam-powered mills took over.
Was eventually converted into a residence, which helped preserve its structure.
Today it is a scheduled heritage monument, still standing in the heart of Lija as a landmark of the village’s history.
🏗️ Construction & Features
Structure:**
A cylindrical limestone tower, about 3 storeys high, capped by a conical stone roof.
Built using local globigerina limestone, robust enough to withstand centuries of exposure.
Sails: Originally fitted with six large wooden sails, mounted on a rotating cap at the top. The sails caught the northwesterly winds, which are strong in the area.
Interior Layout:
Ground floor: living quarters for the miller and grain storage.
Upper levels: housed the milling machinery. The wind’s energy was transferred down through a vertical shaft to power heavy millstones, which ground wheat into flour.
Ancillary spaces: Yard and small outbuildings for storage and working purposes.
Survival: The tower still retains its traditional form, though the sails and much of the original machinery are no longer in place.
🏛️ Significance
Oldest Windmill: Its 1674 construction places it at the very start of windmill building in Malta, predating the larger state-sponsored programme under Grand Master Vilhena in the 1720s.
Cultural Identity: The Tal-Mirakli Windmill is not only an industrial relic but also a symbol of the village of Lija, tied to religious tradition through its association with the Madonna tal-Mirakli.
Heritage Protection: Today it is recognized as a Grade 1 listed building, ensuring that it is protected as part of Malta’s architectural and industrial heritage.
✅ In summary:
The Tal-Mirakli Windmill in Lija, built in 1674 under Grand Master Cotoner, is Malta’s oldest surviving windmill. Constructed as a cylindrical stone tower with six wooden sails, it served for over two centuries as a vital grain-grinding facility. Its name reflects a religious legend, and despite the loss of its sails and machinery, the mill survives intact as a landmark and cultural treasure in the Maltese Islands.
