Giorginaro mill in Novara di Sicilia
The Giorginaro mill in Novara di Sicilia is a rare example in Sicily of a water mill with a horizontal wheel in which wheat and wholemeal flour is still produced today.
The mill stands in an area characterized by a large number of these structures: originally on the same watercourse, the San Giorgio torrent, there were 11 mills, this is the only one still functioning.
A notary document from the Middle Ages attests the presence of a mill in Novara di Sicilia already before 1399, this demonstrates how the area of Novara di Sicilia has always been characterized by the presence of water mills accompanied by a large production of wheat and cereals.
The Giorginaro water mill was built between 1350 and 1400 The year 1690 is engraved on the frame of the entrance door, which refers to the building's elevation works.
Today the mill belongs to the Affannato family, it was purchased in 1860 by Ugo Affannato. One hundred years after the purchase, the crisis in the agricultural sector led to the closure of many mills and also of the Giorginaro mill. In 2001, Ugo Affannato, great-grandson of the first owner, decided to renovate it and use it as a museum. In 2006, his son Mario managed to bring the mill back into operation and produce flour using ancient Sicilian grains such as russello, perciasacchi, mallorca and timillia.
The Giorginaro mill hosts a characteristic Santa Claus village in the winter.
