Visiting the Museum
The Maintenance Tools
A collection of tools for the maintenance of the wooden parts of the mill, house repair and for farming purposes, such as basket-making or field-plowing.
The Weaving Loom Room
A special room of the house, the whole weaving machinery ranging from the loom used for making household covers and blankets or the knapsacks for work, the spinning machine, to the yarn swift, the embroidery hoops and whatever served the purpose of meeting family members’ needs. Adjacent to it, a small crib carved out of tufa stone and clay depicts the crafts performed by the peasant civilization.
The little Miller’s house
Located in a single cave, the little Miller’s house protects and bears witness to ancient traditions thanks to its furnishings. A plethora of artifacts that have now fallen into oblivion give this place a homely atmosphere. Highlights include “a naca a vientu” (the wind-driven cradle), hanging over a typically hay master bed; tools for making bread; “u cannizzu” (an old container intended to hold wheat grains), valued as a precious commodity back in the past; a kitchenette with a “tannura” (a wood-fired stove made of stone; various vases and vessels).
The Kitchen Garden
Not far away, in a small corridor that almost looks on to the house, you will find a display of the tools used by the miller to grow vegetables next to the Mill. Here, you will be able to see a wide range of typical utensils from the places and the golden age of manual craftsmanship.
The laundry was definitely more of a place for women, even if work was just as tough in there, as shown by the stone washing trough where housewives toiled their time away before sunrise, maybe in the dim light of oil lamps (“lumi di carrettu”), hitting the hand-woven linen and bed sheets with bats to wash them clean and white.
The Stable and the Barn
Adjoining to them, in a two-room space, with an unaltered structure and scents you can still breathe in, there is a stable and barn. The word “picturesque” can easily describe the stone-paved (“cuticci”) floor, the ancient trough, the heaps of hay, the baskets (“crueddi”), well-stuffed with straw, the pitchfork (“trarenti”) with its wooden frame worn out by the passing of time.
The Water Duct
Walking up an old stone staircase, turning up like a long snake, you will see a water duct on its way into a so-called “botte”, a majestic vessel shaped like a boot, about 11 meters high with a gradually decreasing caliber, which resembles the geometrical shape of a cone. At the bottom, a small bore allows water to drain out and jet-hit the blades of the wheel. As a backdrop, typically overfilled in the winter, the waterfalls. You will feel like standing on a patio, with steep rocks and lush pinewoods at the back, all the while facing the Cava.
The Paddle Wheel
The water chamber is another spectacular place, with the paddle wheel connected to the grindstones through an iron axle. It generates a captivating interplay of colors and the bizarre shapes that can be seen through limestone stalactites, as though signing off the passing of time out of the rock.
The Milling Room
Finally, the milling room, the sheer heart of the mill, with its neat, age-old grindstones, the stone-paved (“cuticci”) floor, the ancient weight scales and sieves, and last but not least, the room itself with a unique collection of artifacts which blend tradition and poetry.
It is possible to visit the Water Mill every day throughout the year. A guided tour is included, either with an Italian guide or with an English, French or German audio guide. In every case, the visitor will be guided through a thematic trail consisting of two distinct stages: the Museum and the Mill.
The Museum covers the caves and the surroundings with their wealth of utensils and furnishings that perfectly piece back together the ancient lifestyle of peasants, millers and their families.
Conversely, the Mill discloses peasants’ know-how, ingenuity and craft along with the charm and the mesmerizing effect of the environment.
BOOK YOUR VISIT
For night tours call:
+39 0932 771048 / +39 328 1683213
Advance booking recommended for school groups, large groups and wedding services.