Vodní mlýn v Čelákovicích, Watermill in Čelákovice, Czech Republic.

The watermill in Čelákovice stands on the north side of the fortress complex, its Renaissance core a sandstone structure built more than half on wooden piles. The millrace, 530 m long, follows the former bed of the Elbe. The site includes the mill building (no. 1046), a dwelling (no. 1887) with two annexes, a brick barn with gate and wicket, and a pillar gate with wooden doors on the west side.

The first written record of the watermill in Čelákovice dates from the 1370s, when it stood by the fortress on a millrace of the former Elbe riverbed. In 1444 the mill, then with two millstones, burned down; in the second half of the 15th century it ran three water wheels. By 1612 it had eight flour wheels, a saw and a stamp mill, and from 1876 it was repeatedly enlarged and modernised.

The mill demonstrates how local communities relied on water power to sustain their daily work and food production. Walking through it, you notice how the machinery shaped the rhythm of village life and connected farmers to craftspeople.

You can reach the mill by the river and explore its interior mechanical systems during a visit. Wear comfortable shoes since you will walk through different rooms and possibly climb stairs inside the structure.

The mill's sandstone core stands more than half on wooden piles, and its 530-metre headrace is the former bed of the Labe river. Since 1986 a small hydroelectric plant has run here; three MTS5 turbines plus a TKP 11f unit installed in 2003 use a 2.3-metre drop to produce 150 kW.