Velkoprevorský mlýn / Grand Priory Water Mill - Kampa Island (Prague)
N 50° 05.176 E 014° 24.456
33U E 457620 N 5548390
The Grand Priory Water Mill (Velkoprevorský mlýn) with a huge wooden wheel, which can be seen from the Charles Bridge, belongs among the touristic targets of Kampa Island in Prague's Lesser Town...
Waymark Code: WM83FQ
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 01/20/2010
Views: 255
Kampa Island is separated from Prague Lesser Town by the artificial Vltava river canal called Certovka ("Devil´s Stream"). It's probably named after the house "At the Seven Devils" nearby. Till the 16th century, there were only water mills and gardens at the Kampa Island. It was often threatened by floods. Four mills (and two of them with working water wheel) are still preserved there.
The Renaissance Grand Priory Water Mill, driven by a big wooden wheel immersed into Certovka stream, was built during 1597-1600. However, a mill had been standing on the same land since the medieval times. The name "Velkoprevorský / Grand Priory" refers to the owners of the mill – the Order of Maltese Knights, the commendam of which is situated in a close vicinity.
Nonetheless, about the ownership of the mill between the Order of Maltese Knights and the village a serious judicial disagreement had initiated, which lasted for more than a hundred years. For instance in 1629, the events went so far that the inhabitants of the Lesser Town forcefully conquered the building of the mill. The disagreement was resolved definitely as late as in 1795, when the Order of Maltese Knights sold the mill. The operation of the water mill was terminated in 1936, but the reconstructed wheel still turns on...