molí de Lluc

Molí de Lluc is a historic water mill in Escorca, tucked into the Josafat valley right beside the path that links Son Amer to the Lluc sanctuary, deep in Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana.

Where does the mill by Lluc monastery come from?

The earliest written record of the mill dates to 1302, when the Order of the Temple, then the landowner in this area, gave its consent for a mill to be built drawing on water from several nearby springs, including the Comafreda spring. The channel infrastructure that fed the mill was laid down in that same fourteenth century, and much of it survives today as an underground conduit.

How was the water system laid out?

Water reached the mill through a channel built below ground, fed by the Josafat spring. Along the way it ran through a washing place used by local residents before finally reaching the mill wheel. That sequence — spring, channel, washing place, mill — was typical of mountain settlements on Mallorca, where every drop of water had to earn its keep more than once before moving on. The stone walls enclosing the channel are today among the best-preserved parts of the whole installation.

What did the mill actually produce?

For centuries the site operated as a flour mill, grinding grain for nearby farms and for the sanctuary itself. In 1683 a sawmill was added on — most likely to supply the beams and other timber needed for building the monastery's basilica and its later extensions. From that point on, the flour mill and the sawmill ran side by side, covering both the food and construction needs of the sanctuary.

Why did the mill stop working?

Both the flour mill and the sawmill ceased operating in 1960, not long after the road connecting Caimari and Lluc was paved in 1956. Easier transport and access to goods brought in from outside made local milling of flour and timber economically pointless. The mill, like the valley's second water mill, was left to fall quiet.

Can visitors see the mill today?

The site underwent conservation work in 2011, when its coatings and paved surfaces were restored. In 2024 the Consell de Mallorca, through the Serra de Tramuntana Consortium, allocated funds for a further stage of restoration, focused on clearing the channel's route and rebuilding the stone walls around it. The goal is to bring the mill back to a working state good enough to show visitors how it once ground grain and cut timber, turning it into a genuine stop along the route to Lluc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Molí de Lluc located? In the Josafat valley, in the municipality of Escorca, right on the walking path between Son Amer and the Lluc sanctuary, in Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana.

How long was the mill in operation? From the early fourteenth century (first documented in 1302) until 1960, when both flour milling and timber cutting stopped.

Is this the only mill in the valley? No — Molí de Lluc is one of two water mills that historically operated in this valley.

Where did the mill get its water from? From an underground channel fed by the Josafat spring, which passed through a washing place before reaching the mill wheel.