Ruatti Watermill – in Ponsadio, Rabbi
This is one of only a small number of 19th century watermills that are still running in Trentino.
This watermill has been operating since the 19th century and it still works today! There is no better demonstration of the importance of water as an essential resource for the rural mountain economy.
Located at the entrance to the Val di Rabbi, there are records of this watermill dating as far back as the late 18th century. Looking around it takes you back to the time when watermills played a crucial role in the rural economy.
Visitors are greeted by the sight of the water wheels outside, which power the machinery in the milling room. A channel conducts water from the Rabbiés stream to the mill. The miller and his family lived in the same building where the mill is found. Above the stable and the operating facilities on the ground floor, there are bedrooms, a kitchen and a traditional stuå: a room covered with wooden panelling with a large ceramic stove, where the family would gather in their free time.
Finally, on the top floor is a hayloft and a room for the famèi (a sort of houseboy), which is entirely made of wood.
