Watermill of Agualva

Watermill of Agualva (Azenha da Ribeira da Agualva)
Watermill of Agualva Ravine
Watermill (Azenha)
Official name: Azenha da Ribeira da Agualva
Named for: Ribeira da Agualva
Country  Portugal
Autonomous Region  Azores
Group Central
Island Terceira
Municipality Praia da Vitória
Location Agualva
 - coordinates 38°47′14.11″N 27°10′12.69″W / 38.7872528°N 27.1701917°WCoordinates: 38°47′14.11″N 27°10′12.69″W / 38.7872528°N 27.1701917°W
Length 18.05 m (59 ft), Northwest-Southeast
Width 5.20 m (17 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Architects unknown
Styles Medieval, Vernacular
Materials Basalt, Tuff, Wood
Origin 18th century
Owner unknown
For public Private
Visitation Closed
Management Secretaria Regional do Turismo e Ambiente (SRTA); Direcção do Ambiente (DRA)
Operator Private
Status Property of Public Intetest
Listing Decree No.234/1996, 3 October 1996
Location of the watermill on the island of Terceira

The Watermill of Agualva (Portuguese: Azenha da Ribeira da Agualva) is a watermill located in the civil parish of Vila Nova, in the municipality of Praia da Vitoria, island of Terceira, in the Portuguese Azores. It is part of the inventory of historical and religious buildings registered as an Inventário do Património Imóvel dos Açores (English: Inventory of Heritage Buildings of the Azores) dating back to the eighteenth century.[1]

Architecture

Its designation as a buildings of historical significance includes two structures: a watermill/home, and an ancillary building, at one time used as a barn, located along the right margin of the Ribeira da Agualva and roadway.[1] The watermill/house is a two-story structure, with only the residential floor visible from street-level, with an outdoor oven (constructed in a semi-circular shape) and rectangular chimney (on the left-side of the building).[1] This simple structure was built from local volcanic rock and stone from other ruins, and painted lime white. The spans are composed of curved wicker, and the windows are guillotine-style single-pain double-hung sash.[1] The roof is covered in traditional Azorean half-cane roof tiles with a simple awning. One of the exterior walls shows signs of the watermill's function, and site of the waterwheel.[1]

To the left of the main house/watermill is a simple rectangular building of one floor, used as barn (now garage or storage) of the same material as the main house (no windows, but with the same rock/stone construction and roof tile).[1] At one time it is likely that this building was used to house domesticated animals or storage of hay.[1]

While the building is in reasonable condition, its use as a mill and associated mechanisms have been removed. Still remains an iconic example of this type of structure, common in the Azores until the late 19th century.[1]

References

Notes
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bruno, Jorge Augusto Paulus (28 June 1999). "Azenha: à Ribeira da Agualva (Vila Nova)" (in Portuguese). Angra do Heroísmo (Azores), Portugal: Instituto Açoriano de Cultura/Inventário do Património Imóvel dos Açores. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
Sources