Mulino Vecchio
Water mill dating from 1718 on the Molinara canal (roggia) in the Ticino Valley: the only one still working, with a millstone hall, a bread oven and a permanent exhibition.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The present Mulino Vecchio was rebuilt in 1718, as shown by the date carved in the mortar of the wall facing the Molinara canal, which was dug by the Sforza in 1484. A mill along the canal already appears in a 1545 inventory of the property of Ippolito del Mayno, a feudal lord of the Sforza at Bellinzago. In the 18th century the community, having redeemed the feudal rights, became its owner; confiscated by the Napoleonic state domain, the mill was then sold several times.
In 1925 it was bought by the Ambrosetti family, millers for generations, who kept it running for sixty years and preserved a valuable example of water milling. In 1985 it passed to the Parco naturale della Valle del Ticino, which has kept its mechanisms working for the different stages of milling, capable of producing flour for educational purposes.
Today it is the only water mill in the Ticino valley still in operation and in good condition, and it is a Regional Centre for Environmental Education, visited by school groups and other visitors. On the first floor a permanent exhibition presents historical documentation and objects linked to farming and milling. During Sunday openings the millstone hall and the bread oven can also be visited.
Highlights
- The only water mill in the Ticino valley still in operation
- Millstone hall with original mechanisms
- Bread oven
- Permanent exhibition on farming and milling on the first floor
- Regional Centre for Environmental Education on the Molinara canal
Permanent exhibition
- Mulino e mostra permanente sull'attività molitoria – Visit to the millstone hall and the bread oven, with an exhibition on the first floor of historical documents and objects linked to farming and milling.
- Operated by
- Ente di gestione delle Aree protette del Ticino e del Lago Maggiore
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
The mill stands along the Molinara canal, in the Ticino Valley, at Mulino Vecchio 20 (coordinates 45°34'18,8" N, 8°41'21,3" E).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The Regional Centre for Environmental Education offers educational activities for schools; during the Sunday openings the millstone hall and the bread oven can be visited. Groups and school parties book by email (PEC parcoticinolagomaggiore@pec-mail.it) or by telephone at +39 329 317 4848. |
