Windmills in Palma get new lease of life

THE Friends of the Majorcan Windmills Association yesterday asked the Minister for the Environment, Jaume Font, to restore the three windmills in the Es Jonquet area, near Palma seafront. Their request received a warm and positive response from the government. The group claims that the government has a “moral and civil” obligation to maintain these “cultural heritages” which date back to the year 1300.
The Minister showed his backing and took note of the needs to preserve the history in Majorca, said Matilde Mulet, President of the Association.
In fact at the end of this month, the Balearic government will sign up to an agreement which should give the restoration of the three windmills in this area the green light. Also, two new windmills, modelled on those already standing at Es Jonquet, may be built. Matilde Mulet said that by restoring the three windmills the general image of the Es Jonquet area will receive a major boost.
The start of this big project is set for October 31 when initial planning will begin. It is foreseen that the Balearic Government and Palma city council will equally finance this project. The President of the Association was unsure about the exact number of intact windmills in Majorca, but estimated the number to be around 895.