Since time immemorial the southwestern part of the city of Trebic has been boasting a unique landmark - a brick and stone windmill of the Dutch type which is featured in the majority of famous, locally made Nativity scenes. The multistory building of the Windmill, known familiarly as "vetrnik" (in Czech a popular name for 'windmill'), is situated near the railroad track between the cities Jihlava and Brno in a place locally called 'Kanciborek' in the U vetrniku Street, a stone's throw from the downtown area and the I/23 highway.
Despite protests from local residents who feared that the sails of the Windmill would scare passing dray horses, the Windmill was finally finished in 1836 thanks to the enthusiasm of two brothers - Karel and Frantisek Budisowsky. Originally, the Windmill was supposed to be made from wood but in view of the fact that the nearby buildings could easily catch fire, it was eventually decided to build it from stones and brick masonry. Its tower with 8m in diameter was given the shape of a truncated cone with a pointed shingle roof. Every story of its machine room was lit through three, on the highest story, four windows.
In those old times the Windmill did not serve for grinding grain but for making tan for Trebic-based tanneries. It is very likely that adjacent to the Windmill stood a wooden outbuilding with a ridge roof. The building was used for housing an extra grinding machinery and for storing various items. The Windmill kept crushing bark till the second half of the 19th century when it was superceded by the steam engine. Ultimately, the Windmill was used as a block of apartments, which did not suit very well the interior design of the building. The Windmill stopped to be used for this purpose in 1977 when its outside was entirely reconstructed. Since then the building has been closed to the public and out of use.
With respect to the fact that the Windmill is a unique landmark both as regards the southwestern slope of the inner city area and the whole Trebic district area, it is imperative to follow the conditions set by the Historic Buildings Conservation Authority. The Authority wants to preserve the building as a technical curiosity and make all reconstruction plans compliant with this condition. At the same time it is necessary to take into account the standpoint of the Czech Railroad Company whose safety zone along the railroad track must remain intact. Any additional extensions to the Windmill should respect rather than disturb its uniqueness. The fact that the Windmill is of the Dutch type facilitates its possible use for commercial purposes (tourism). Although its present-day appearance is not original, the restoration project tried to make the Windmill look the way our ancestors knew it over most of the 19th century and the whole 20th century.
Mill on map
