Arab mill and 3D show to open at Lluc

Sureda was speaking during an official visit to the monastery by the Council of Majorca's Environment Director Catalina Soler (pictured second right). She was inspecting reform works which are being carried out on an old mill of Arabic origin, Ca s'Amitger. It had been used right up until the middle of last century for grinding wheat and sawing wood, using water from the Puig Ferrer natural spring.

The reform work is being paid for jointly, to the tune of 172'000 euros, by the Council of Majorca and “Abaqua” which is the Balearic Institute for Water Quality. The mill will also be open to visitors in September. The Council, the management of Lluc monastery and Escorca town council are meanwhile negotiating funds for the construction of a path connecting Ca s'Amitger with the audio visual centre.

Back to working order
The work that is being carried out on the ancient mill will return the structure to its original state, and in fact, said Sureda, with all its machinery retuned, the mill could start working again if a second phase of restoration succeeds in reopening the water channels from the natural spring.

Any surplus water could be used to water the monastery's botanical gardens. However, as yet, no money has been allocated to this second stage by the Council of Majorca. With work continuing on the mill restoration, the Council of Majorca's Works and Services brigade are taking the opportunity to upgrade the paths across Lluc botanical garden which has been meticulously maintained for over a period of many years by Brother Macià.

Whilst technicians from the Council's brigade were cleaning up the access route to the Son Amer refuge at the monastery, they also unearthed a wash-house of Arab origin which has now been cleaned up and presented as a feature of interest for visitors.