Budčický mlýn, Historic watermill in Budčice, Czech Republic.
Budčický mlýn is a watermill on the Sázava at river kilometre 115.9, built in 1892–1893 by lawyer Josef Vaněk on the site of a demolished ironworks. The mill retains its 1893 equipment, including a wooden undershot water wheel and a Kaplan turbine; the 89-metre weir and millrace are part of the ensemble.
The building was first mentioned in documents from the 1500s but was completely rebuilt around the 1890s. A lawyer named Josef Vaněk modernized it and gave it the structure it has today.
The mill's name comes from the village of Budčice, and its site on the Sázava was first recorded in a 1587 urbarium. The ironworks that stood here from 1802 left an island in the river built largely of blue slag from smelting iron ore, still visible near the mill. The miller's household in the 1890s included a foreman, two mill hands, two maids, a coachman and seasonal labourers.
The site is located along a walking trail between two nearby villages and can be viewed from the outside. It is easy to reach if you are exploring the area, particularly while hiking along the river valley.
The island beside the mill is made largely of blue slag left over from smelting iron ore at the panská iron works, which operated here from 1802 until its blast furnace went out in 1874 and the works was demolished in 1890. The mill that replaced it was built in 1892–1893 for lawyer Josef Vaněk of Prague.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,229 contributors worldwide.