Molí de Rigat

Molí de Rigat is a former paper mill in Vilanova del Camí, a small town in Catalonia's Anoia district, set on the banks of the Anoia River.

How do you get to Molí de Rigat?

The building stands along Camí dels Moletons, on the edge of Vilanova del Camí, right where the Anoia River meets the Castellolí stream — also the boundary between Vilanova del Camí and the neighboring town of La Pobla de Claramunt. The easiest way in is on foot or by bike, following the riverside path that runs from the town centre; it's a walk of well under half an hour. By car, it's just a few minutes from Igualada, the main town of the Anoia district, which borders Vilanova del Camí directly. Since the mill is best appreciated from the outside, it's worth treating the visit as one stop on a longer riverside walk rather than a destination in itself.

What will you see there?

Molí de Rigat was built in the 18th century following the classic layout of a paper mill, combining three sections: a residential wing, a lookout tower, and the mill itself, all arranged in the style of a grand Catalan manor house. The building sits on a rectangular plan, faces north on its main façade, and rises through a ground floor, three upper storeys, and an attic. Set into the front façade is a small niche holding an image of Saint Peter, flanked by the carved dates 1879 and 1939, marking later alterations to the structure. Until the close of the 19th century, the mill turned out white paper, one of many such workshops that once lined the Anoia — a river long associated with paper-making in this part of Catalonia.

The water company and the museum years

In 1923 the mill was bought by Ròmul Gavarró, a businessman from Igualada, who converted it into a facility for supplying drinking water. The following year, in 1924, the company Aigua de Rigat was founded to bring water to Igualada, Vilanova del Camí, and La Pobla de Claramunt — its name taken from the Pla de Rigat, the plain on which the mill stands. For years afterward, the building housed the Water Museum, displaying the Gavarró collection of vintage water-supply tools and equipment. That changed in 2014, when the collection was moved out because the structure had fallen into disrepair.

When should you go?

The mill no longer functions as a museum and its interior isn't open to visitors, so the best plan is to fold it into a walk or bike ride along the Anoia. The route is pleasant year-round, though spring and autumn bring the softest light on the façade and the greenery around it. Summer offers shade along the river path, while winter means quiet, near-empty trails.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Molí de Rigat? No. The building is closed to visitors, and the old Water Museum collection was removed in 2014 once the structure's condition had deteriorated. It can only be viewed from the outside, as part of a riverside walk.

Where does the name Rigat come from? The mill sits on a plain called Pla de Rigat, which also gave its name to the water company Aigua de Rigat, founded in 1924 by Ròmul Gavarró.

What did the mill originally produce? Until the end of the 19th century, Molí de Rigat produced white paper, making it one of the typical paper mills that once operated along the Anoia River.

How far is it from Igualada? Just a few minutes by car — Vilanova del Camí sits right next to Igualada, the main town of the Anoia district.