June 4, 2012

The Old Water Mill on the Mura River


Coexistence between man and the river led to the construction of floating mills as early as the 4th century. Floating mills are a unique invention that efficiently harnesses the natural energy of water and allows farmers to make ground whole-wheat products.

Once, over 90 mills operated on the Mura river, but today only the Babič mill in Veržej is still working. It is the monument of the Slovenian heritage and it has invaluable value. It was built in the year 1890. The local people were producing mostly wheat and cereals. The mill was entirely built from the wood and independent from the quantity of the rainfall. The water mill was burnt down by the fire, so the family Babic built new one in the year 1925. Present mill is wooden, stands on the fourth columns by the bank and the water wheel is fasten to the two floating boats, which are made from iron.