Molino de Aixerrota, Stone windmill in Getxo, Spain.
Molino de Aixerrota is a stone mill with white walls and a conical shape perched on La Galea cliff overlooking Getxo's coast. The building now functions as an art gallery and restaurant, with its elevated location providing expansive views toward the sea.
Built in the early 1700s by an English settler, this mill was constructed when the region faced prolonged drought that made water-powered grinding impractical. It remains the oldest surviving windmill in the Basque Country and marks a significant shift in grain-processing methods.
The name Aixerrota combines Basque words meaning wind and mill, reflecting the linguistic roots of this northern region. Today the site serves as a meeting point where the importance of wind in local life remains tangible to visitors.
The site can be reached by following a path that leads upward from the coastal promenade, giving visitors time to take in the surroundings. It is best to plan your visit outside peak times to fully appreciate both the location and the interior space.
The windmill was an unusual building for its time, as most mills in northern Spain relied on water power and no strong wind-power tradition existed locally. This novelty in design eventually became the reason the structure survived across centuries, while similar buildings elsewhere disappeared.
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