Machův válcový mlýn

Machův válcový mlýn in Slopné is a still-operating roller mill in the Zlín district, one of the few places in Moravia where historic milling machinery keeps running in an almost unchanged technical setup.

Where is Slopné and how do you get there?

Slopné sits roughly 10 km northeast of Luhačovice, tucked into the valley of the Horní Olšava river within the Zlín district. It's a quiet rural spot on the edge of the Vsetín Beskids and the White Carpathians, away from the main tourist routes — a car is the easiest way in, and the mill stands right on the stream in the middle of the village.

How did a water mill end up on the Horní Olšava?

A small water mill once stood on this exact site, powered by the Horní Olšava. Records already list a Josef Kozubík as owner in 1828. For decades the property belonged jointly to two families, the Machůs and the Kozubíks, until 1914, when Josef Machů bought out the remaining half from František Kozubík and became sole owner. The mill has carried the Machů family name ever since.

From water wheel to roller-milling plant

The building took its present form during a 1928 reconstruction, when a single-pair roller mill and a grain cleaner were installed, turning the old water mill into what was, for its time, a modern roller plant. Four years later, in 1932, the site was expanded again with two more single-pair roller mills and the machinery to run them. In 1973 the mill was shut down as part of a broader centralization of flour supply that ended small-scale commercial milling — from then until 1990 it stood only as a standby reserve, with no regular production. After 1990 the property returned to a descendant of the original owners, František Machů, who got the original machinery running again and kept the mill in commercial operation until 2014.

What will you actually see inside?

The building has three floors, each tied to a different stage of milling. The ground floor holds the drive machines, the transmission gear, the intake hoppers and the brushing units. One floor up are the huller, the grinding tables, the scales and the bagging station. The top floor houses the silos, the cleaner, the pneumatic distributors, the reform equipment and the dust filters. Power today comes from electricity, though the site's whole path from water wheel to electric roller mill is still visible in the layout.

When to visit and how to arrange a tour?

The mill is currently owned by Marek Machů, who keeps the machinery in working order and opens the building to visitors. Tours run by prior phone arrangement, and afternoons are the best time to plan a visit. Turning up unannounced is fine too — you'll generally be welcomed — but calling ahead is the only way to be sure someone is on site.

Frequently asked questions

Is the mill in Slopné still working? Yes — the current owner, Marek Machů, keeps the machinery in functional condition, though regular commercial production stopped in 2014.

Can you visit without booking ahead? Calling ahead, ideally for an afternoon slot, is the safest bet. Unannounced visitors are usually welcomed too, just without any guarantee that someone will be there to receive them.

Where does the mill's name come from? From the Machů family, sole owners of the site since 1914, apart from the 1973–1990 period when it was held as a state reserve.

What's the main draw of the place? The intact, three-floor layout of a 1920s–30s roller mill — drive gear, husking, grinding and bagging all still arranged the way they were built, almost unchanged since the last major rebuild.