Ruatti Watermill Museum

Description

The Molino Ruatti watermill is located just before the town of Pracorno in Val di Rabbi along the main road: the watermill has been recently restored and the wheels of the mill, which are powered by the Rabbiés stream and the nearby creeks can be seen on the outside of the mill, while inside visitors can see the milling room, courtyard, barn, cellar, the area where the miller lived with furnishings and utensils, a traditional «stube», bedroom and kitchen.

It is one of the last functioning watermills in northern Italy. The traditional exterior characteristics, typical of these types of mills, can still be seen: the focal point is the large wooden wheel, which is connected to channels that bring the water from the Rabbiés stream all the way to the mill. On the outdoor walls, made completely of stones, there are two entrances: one entrance takes you to the mill’s gears and millstone, the other to the cellar and the barn. Next to the second entrance, there is a staircase that takes you to the bedrooms, the kitchen area and a new room that has been created to welcome visitors. On the façade there is a fresco depicting the Madonna of Caravaggio and Saint Catherine of Alexandria, patron saint of all millers. After the mill's restoration it was turned into a museum and therefore there is a guided itinerary for visitors to follow within the mill.

Visitors will also learn more about rural life and agriculture in Val di Rabbi, with specific information on milling through the tools and utensils that can be found within the mill that were once used on a daily basis, plus audio information with comments recited by the local theatre group.

Opening period