Ethnological Sencelles: the ancient wind giants
min. a peu
DIFFICULTY
Easy
DISTANCE
1’700 km
EQUIPMENT
Comfortable shoes and clothing
Ethnological Sencelles: the ancient wind giants
From an ethnological point of view, Sencelles has managed to preserve a whole series of old mill towers that surround the town centre and define the silhouette of the vast Mallorcan plain. These giants, which today have no ancestors, are the most direct testimony of an era of self-sufficiency, of the maximum use of nature in favour of human needs, and which have managed to adapt to modern conditions as houses.
The route starts in front of the main portal of the parish church of Sant Pere, located in Plaça de la Vila. Between the parish and the rectory there is a small passage that will take us to Plaça de l’Obra and, from here, to the Can Ramis winery. This establishment is part of Carrer de Sor Francinaina Cirer, where we turn right, heading west.
Later, we leave the streets of Caritat and the street of Llorenç Cartutxo behind us. A few metres further on, Carrer del General appears on the right, which we follow. Soon you will see the first mill on the route on the left: the Can Picapebre mill.
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Molí de can Picapebre
The mill is located in Carrer del General, right on the border between the centre and the countryside. It is named after one of its owners at the end of the 19th century, Bartomeu Llabrés Picapebre. However, it seems that the mill already existed in the 18th century. It has a base consisting of two barrel-vaulted naves with an external staircase that leads to the porch. The tower has a round cross- section, without wind vanes.
We go back, turn left into Carrer Sor Francinaina Cirer and then immediately right into Carrer Llorenç Cartutxo. When you leave Carrer Ramon Lull, turn left and take the first street on the right, Carrer Retiro. This street leads to Carrer de l’Esperança, where we turn left and then right into Carrer del Gall. Here, at the junction with Carrer Molins, we can see the beautiful tower of the Can Cinto Mill.
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Molí de can Cinto
It is located in the Carrer dels Molins. It seems that it already existed in the 18th century and belonged to Bartomeu Morro Sinto at the end of the following century. The base is quadrangular, with three turns. Access to the porch is via an external staircase with two sections. The access portal to the porch has a lintel. At the end of the 20th century, the machinery was no longer in use.
A few metres further on we can see a second inventiveness, the Can Mopi Mill. As you can see, single mills stand on one of the town’s small natural hills.
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Molí de can Mopi
This mill (c/ dels Molins, n. 7) seems to have existed in the 18th century. Later it belonged to Rafel Vallès Mopi. It maintains the square base of a single floor with raised gable. The tower is circular, where a lintel portal opens. It is covered by a double-sided roof. It has an exterior staircase, with two branches.
We turn round and continue along Carrer dels Molins. This road leads to the Ma-3140 road, where we turn left. We leave the cross of Rafal on the right and turn left along the street of the same name until we reach Plaça de la Vila. We leave the parish church on the left and arrive at the Ferrerico mill.
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Molí d’en Ferrerico
It is located in Carrer de l’Església, practically at the beginning, next to the Pou Major path. It was built in 1829 by Rafel Ramon. It has a round doorway flanked by a window. On the left side there is a staircase that leads up to the porch. The round portal of the tower consists of a lintel section.
We go back a few steps and go back along Carrer Rector Molinas. Before reaching the Creu de l’Era d’en Pelat, we can see the last two mills in the town of Sencelles: the Can Mascaró mills.
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Molins de can Mascaró
The two mills are located in Carrer del Capità and Carrer de So n’Arrom. They date back to the 18th century. At the end of the 19th century, the mill in Carrer del Capità was built by Francesc Llabrés Mascaró, while the second was built by Miquel Oliver Moliner.
