List of windmills in Malta
# List of windmills in Malta

This is a list of windmills in Malta, that include those on Malta and Gozo. Most windmills (Maltese: imtieħen tar-riħ) in Malta were built while the islands were under the rule of the Order of St. John, by the Cottoner and the Manoel Foundations, while other were built in the British Colonial period. There are 48 windmills (apart from those demolished that would add up to at least 69) which were included on the antiques list of 1932 and scheduled as cultural buildings by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA). The windmills form an integral part of Maltese history. Those in the countryside were used exclusively for food production, such as wheat, barley or vines, while some of those within the fortified walled cities in Valletta and the Three Cities had a military use, for the production of gunpowder.

At the time of construction, each windmills' tower could site the next windmill from distance, similar to military watchtowers, in order to learn whether the others are working on that day. An instrument called bronja, colloquially known as tronga, is commonly associated with the functioning of windmills. The tronja is a sea snail that is modified, with a hole at one end, and when blown it creates a strong noise reaching a large distance in a given Maltese village. This was useful to inform the people that the windmills are operating that day due to being a windy day, by which the sails turn for general function.

The architecture of a windmill could differ from one to another, but in general a Maltese windmill has similar characteristics. A tower has a built circular staircase inside it that leads to the top. Rooms are built around the tower, giving both support to the tower and used for the general storage of production. A windmill could simultaneously be the family residence of the miller. Each tower has an approximate height of 15 meters and a radius of 1.5 meters. A functioning Maltese windmill has six sails. The first mills were built in the 16th century, however these were post mills. The oldest tower mills were built in the late 17th century on the island of Malta while the latest were built on Gozo in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. The windmills were eventually replaced with the industrial development of steam mills, circa 1900, but managed to keep competitive production throughout the mid-twentieth century.

Malta has the highest density of windmills in the world, having approximately a windmill for each 9 $km^2$ (3.5 sq mi), which is higher than the Netherlands which is famous for its windmills. At one point there were more than the present amount of windmills on the islands, but many were demolished over the years. Despite the survival of a significant number of windmills, only three still have their sails in place. Other more traditional mills in Malta include those that made use of animals, such as horses and donkeys, to turn the mill.

## List

### Malta

| Location | Name of mill and coordinates | Type | Built | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Birkirkara | Għar il-Ġobon Windmill 35°54′12.9″N 14°27′59.1″E﻿ / ﻿35.903583°N 14.466417°E﻿ / 35.903583; 14.466417 | Tower | c. 1685 | Built by Gregorio Carafa. Remained in use until 1930, and sails were subsequently removed. Converted into a house. |
| Birkirkara | Mrieħel Windmill 35°53′34.6″N 14°27′42.9″E﻿ / ﻿35.892944°N 14.461917°E﻿ / 35.892944; 14.461917 | Tower | c. 1685 | Built by Gregorio Carafa, and possibly rebuilt in 1807. Remained in use until 1886. The base still exist while the mill’s parts were sold out in 1889. It has been a residence since then. |
| Birkirkara | Ta' Ganu Windmill 35°53′59.9″N 14°27′21.5″E﻿ / ﻿35.899972°N 14.455972°E﻿ / 35.899972; 14.455972 | Tower | 1724 | Built by the Manoel Foundation. Contains a niche of St. Michael. Remained in use until 1929, and sails were subsequently removed. Later used as a blacksmith's workshop. Restored in 1985–89 and converted into an artist's studio. |
| Birkirkara | Ta' Triq San Ġiljan Windmill 35°54′7.5″N 14°28′17.3″E﻿ / ﻿35.902083°N 14.471472°E﻿ / 35.902083; 14.471472 | Tower | 1855 | Remained in use until 1900. Tower demolished and base converted into a house. |
| Cospicua | San Ġwann t'Għuxa Windmill 35°52′44″N 14°31′7.7″E﻿ / ﻿35.87889°N 14.518806°E﻿ / 35.87889; 14.518806 | Tower | 1674 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Remained in use until 1879. Sails removed. |
| Cospicua | Santa Margherita Windmills 35°53′0.2″N 14°31′28.7″E﻿ / ﻿35.883389°N 14.524639°E﻿ / 35.883389; 14.524639 | Tower | 1674 | 2 side-by-side windmills built by the Cottoner Foundation. One remained in use until c. 1916. Sails removed. Its mechanism was used to restore the Xarolla Windmill. |
| Floriana | Saint Francis Ravelin/Sarria Street Windmill 1 | Tower | c. 1670 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished. |
| Floriana | Saint Francis Ravelin/Sarria Street Windmill 2 | Tower | c. 1670 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished. |
| Floriana | Robert Samut Square Windmill | Tower | | Demolished. |
| Għargħur | Għargħur Windmill 35°55′31.6″N 14°27′7.5″E﻿ / ﻿35.925444°N 14.452083°E﻿ / 35.925444; 14.452083 | Tower | 1838 | Remained in use until c. 1910, and sails were subsequently removed. Converted into a house. |
| Gudja | Gudja Windmill | Tower | c. 1670 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished in 1930. |
| Kirkop | Kirkop Windmill | Tower | | Demolished, no details known. |
| Lija | Tal-Mirakli Windmill / Tal-Għadiriet il-Bordi Windmill 35°53′50.9″N 14°26′21.9″E﻿ / ﻿35.897472°N 14.439417°E﻿ / 35.897472; 14.439417 | Tower | 1674 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Has a round base. Remained in use until 1889, and sails were subsequently removed. Later used as a blacksmith's forge. Restored in 1991–92 and used for socio-cultural activities. |
| Luqa | Ta' Caraffa Windmill 35°51′23.3″N 14°29′17.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.856472°N 14.488167°E﻿ / 35.856472; 14.488167 | Tower | c. 1684 | Probably built by Giovanni Paolo Lascaris or Gregorio Carafa. Remained in use until c. 1889, and pulled down in July 1943. Rebuilt after World War II but demolished again in c. 1985. |
| Mellieħa | Windmill near Salib tal-Pellegrini 35°57′23.6″N 14°21′54.1″E﻿ / ﻿35.956556°N 14.365028°E﻿ / 35.956556; 14.365028 | Tower | Late 17th century Rebuilt 1849 | Sails removed in 1938. Now used as a restaurant known as Il-Mitħna Restaurant. |
| Mellieħa | Il-Qadima Windmill 35°57′15.4″N 14°21′50.3″E﻿ / ﻿35.954278°N 14.363972°E﻿ / 35.954278; 14.363972 | Tower | c. 1843 | Remained in use until c. 1920. Tower demolished and base converted to a house. |
| Mellieħa | Il-Ġdida Windmill | Tower | c. 1849 | Demolished, exact location unknown. |
| Mosta | Jesus of Nazareth Windmill / Il-Qadima Windmill 35°54′15.5″N 14°25′34.5″E﻿ / ﻿35.904306°N 14.426250°E﻿ / 35.904306; 14.426250 | Tower | c. 1685 Rebuilt 1757 | Façade bears the coat of arms of Gregorio Carafa (reigned 1680–90). It was rebuilt in 1757 by the architect Francesco Zerafa and master mason Nicola Camilleri, and this is commemorated by an inscription below the coat of arms. Remained in use until 1925, and sails were removed in c. 1928. |
| Mosta | Il-Ġdida Windmill 35°54′19.2″N 14°25′32.6″E﻿ / ﻿35.905333°N 14.425722°E﻿ / 35.905333; 14.425722 | Tower | c. 1800 | Contains a niche of St. Anthony of Padua. Remained in use until 1979, and sails were subsequently removed. Converted into a house. |
| Mosta | Ta' Triq San Silvestru Windmill 35°54′14.6″N 14°25′24.8″E﻿ / ﻿35.904056°N 14.423556°E﻿ / 35.904056; 14.423556 | Tower | c. 1800 | Tower demolished and base converted into a house. |
| Mosta | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Windmill 35°54′25.6″N 14°25′46.9″E﻿ / ﻿35.907111°N 14.429694°E﻿ / 35.907111; 14.429694 | Tower | 1858 | Tower demolished, base used as a shop. |
| Mqabba | Tar-Rith Windmill / Mqabba Windmill 35°50′34.8″N 14°27′54.5″E﻿ / ﻿35.843000°N 14.465139°E﻿ / 35.843000; 14.465139 | Tower | c. 1873 | Sails removed c. 1890. Converted into a house. |
| Naxxar | Tas-Sgħajtar Windmill 35°54′49″N 14°26′12.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.91361°N 14.436778°E﻿ / 35.91361; 14.436778 | Tower | c. 1670 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Naxxar | Tal-Għaqba Windmill 35°54′36.5″N 14°26′43.9″E﻿ / ﻿35.910139°N 14.445528°E﻿ / 35.910139; 14.445528 | Tower | c. 1710 | Built by Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. Sails removed c. 1960 but most of the machinery is still present. Partially restored in 2002. Converted into a house. |
| Naxxar | Tad-Dejf Windmill / Darnino Windmill 35°54′50.7″N 14°26′23.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.914083°N 14.439833°E﻿ / 35.914083; 14.439833 | Tower | 18th century | Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Naxxar | Santa Luċija Windmill 35°54′55.1″N 14°26′32.1″E﻿ / ﻿35.915306°N 14.442250°E﻿ / 35.915306; 14.442250 | Tower | 18th century | Sails removed and converted into a house and studio. |
| Naxxar | Tal-Laqx Windmill 35°55′6.8″N 14°26′55.1″E﻿ / ﻿35.918556°N 14.448639°E﻿ / 35.918556; 14.448639 | Tower | c. 1730 | Built by the Manoel Foundation. Contains a niche. Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Paola | Paola Windmill | Tower | | Demolished. |
| Qormi | Tal-Erwieħ Windmill / Ta' Pampalaw Windmill 35°53′2.4″N 14°28′25.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.884000°N 14.473722°E﻿ / 35.884000; 14.473722 | Tower | c. 1685 | Sails removed. |
| Qrendi | Qrendi Windmill 35°50′21.2″N 14°27′44.6″E﻿ / ﻿35.839222°N 14.462389°E﻿ / 35.839222; 14.462389 | Tower | c. 1695 | Built by Gregorio Carafa. Sails removed. |
| Rabat | Ħal Bajjada Windmill 35°52′46.7″N 14°23′42.3″E﻿ / ﻿35.879639°N 14.395083°E﻿ / 35.879639; 14.395083 | Tower | c. 1685 | Built by Gregorio Carafa. Façade bears an eroded coat of arms. Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Rabat | Taċ-Ċagħki Windmill 35°52′41.9″N 14°23′53.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.878306°N 14.398167°E﻿ / 35.878306; 14.398167 | Tower | 18th century | Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Rabat | Ta' Għeriexem Windmill / Tal-Balla Windmill 35°52′59.9″N 14°23′54.6″E﻿ / ﻿35.883306°N 14.398500°E﻿ / 35.883306; 14.398500 | Tower | c. 1730 | Built by the Manoel Foundation. Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Senglea | Senglea Windmill 1 35°53′24.2″N 14°30′53″E﻿ / ﻿35.890056°N 14.51472°E﻿ / 35.890056; 14.51472 | Post | c. 1536 | Probably the first windmill to be built in Malta. Existed during the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. Demolished. |
| Senglea | Senglea Windmill 2 35°53′23.2″N 14°30′54″E﻿ / ﻿35.889778°N 14.51500°E﻿ / 35.889778; 14.51500 | Post | c. 1565 | Probably the second windmill to be built in Malta. Existed during the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. Demolished. |
| Siġġiewi | Tat-Tank Windmill 35°51′22.4″N 14°26′7″E﻿ / ﻿35.856222°N 14.43528°E﻿ / 35.856222; 14.43528 | Tower | 18th century | Sails removed. At one point it was converted into a water tower. |
| Siġġiewi | Ta' Kerċeppu Windmill 35°51′30.8″N 14°26′31″E﻿ / ﻿35.858556°N 14.44194°E﻿ / 35.858556; 14.44194 | Tower | c. 1800 | Sails removed. |
| Siġġiewi | Ta' Barba Zepp Windmill 35°51′16.1″N 14°26′3.3″E﻿ / ﻿35.854472°N 14.434250°E﻿ / 35.854472; 14.434250 | Tower | 1879 | Built by Joseph Sammut. Remained in use until the 1930s, and the sails were removed in c. 1940. Converted into a house. |
| Tarxien | | Tower | | Tower demolished and base used as a store room. |
| Valletta | St. Michael's Bastion Windmill 1 35°53′56.6″N 14°30′27.2″E﻿ / ﻿35.899056°N 14.507556°E﻿ / 35.899056; 14.507556 | Tower | 1674 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished before 1900. |
| Valletta | St. Michael's Bastion Windmill 2 35°53′56.8″N 14°30′28.8″E﻿ / ﻿35.899111°N 14.508000°E﻿ / 35.899111; 14.508000 | Tower | 1674 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished before 1900. |
| Valletta | Saint Elmo Windmill | Tower | | Demolished. |
| Żabbar | Bir Għeliem Windmill / Ta' Buleben Windmill 35°52′10.8″N 14°31′37.8″E﻿ / ﻿35.869667°N 14.527167°E﻿ / 35.869667; 14.527167 | Tower | c. 1710 | Built by Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. Used as a redoubt in 1798–1800. Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Żabbar | Ħaż-Żabbar Windmill 35°52′23.1″N 14°32′0.7″E﻿ / ﻿35.873083°N 14.533528°E﻿ / 35.873083; 14.533528 | Tower | 19th century | Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Żebbuġ | Tal-Għodor Windmill 35°52′15.2″N 14°26′4.2″E﻿ / ﻿35.870889°N 14.434500°E﻿ / 35.870889; 14.434500 | Tower | 1674–82 | Remained in use until c. 1900. Sails removed and converted into a house. |
| Żebbuġ | Ta' Ċanfut/Qanfut Windmill 35°52′28.4″N 14°27′23.6″E﻿ / ﻿35.874556°N 14.456556°E﻿ / 35.874556; 14.456556 | Tower | c. 1680 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Remained in use until 1884. Was later used as an abattoir and a lime kiln. Tower demolished and base converted into a house. |
| Żebbuġ | Ta' Srina Windmill 35°52′44.2″N 14°26′21.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.878944°N 14.439278°E﻿ / 35.878944; 14.439278 | Tower | c. 1685 | Remained in use until c. 1900. Sails removed and tower reduced in height. Converted into a house. |
| Żebbuġ | Ta' Għasfura Windmill 35°52′28″N 14°26′23.3″E﻿ / ﻿35.87444°N 14.439806°E﻿ / 35.87444; 14.439806 | Tower | 1858 | Remained in use until 1865. Sails removed and tower reduced in height. Converted into a house. |
| Żebbuġ | Ta' Kustanz Windmill 35°52′22.3″N 14°26′21.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.872861°N 14.439278°E﻿ / 35.872861; 14.439278 | Tower | 1872 | Remained in use until c. 1900, and sails subsequently removed. Converted into a house. |
| Żejtun | | Tower | c. 1670 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished. |
| Żejtun | Bir id-Deheb Windmill 35°51′5.3″N 14°31′35.2″E﻿ / ﻿35.851472°N 14.526444°E﻿ / 35.851472; 14.526444 | Tower | c. 1724 | Built by the Manoel Foundation. Demolished c. 1960. |
| Żejtun | | Tower | | Demolished. |
| Żurrieq | Tal-Qaret Windmill / Nigret Windmill 35°49′25″N 14°28′7.9″E﻿ / ﻿35.82361°N 14.468861°E﻿ / 35.82361; 14.468861 | Tower | 1674 | Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Has a round base. Sails removed. |
| Żurrieq | Xarolla Windmill 35°49′54.5″N 14°28′50.5″E﻿ / ﻿35.831806°N 14.480694°E﻿ / 35.831806; 14.480694 | Tower | 1724 | Built by the Manoel Foundation. Restored a number of times, and is one of the few windmills in Malta which are preserved in working order. Open to the public as a museum. |
| Żurrieq | Ta' Marmara Windmill 35°49′27.4″N 14°28′10.7″E﻿ / ﻿35.824278°N 14.469639°E﻿ / 35.824278; 14.469639 | Tower | c. 1800 | Sails removed. |
| Żurrieq | St. James Windmill / Tas-Salib Windmill 35°49′45.7″N 14°28′27.5″E﻿ / ﻿35.829361°N 14.474306°E﻿ / 35.829361; 14.474306 | Tower | 1857 | Built by the Gafà family. Remained in use until 1938 and sails removed in c. 1945. |

### Gozo

| Location | Name of mill and coordinates | Type | Built | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Fontana | Ta' Randu Windmill / Ix-Xagħri Windmill 36°2′28.8″N 14°14′5.6″E﻿ / ﻿36.041333°N 14.234889°E﻿ / 36.041333; 14.234889 | Tower | c. 1856 | Sails removed. |
| Għarb | Ta' Borom Windmill / Għarb Windmill 36°3′26.7″N 14°12′40.4″E﻿ / ﻿36.057417°N 14.211222°E﻿ / 36.057417; 14.211222 | Tower | 1862 | Sails removed c. 1900. |
| Għasri | | Tower | 1858 | Built by Luigi Camilleri and consisted of a wooden tower. Destroyed during a whirlwind in c. 1939. |
| Għasri | | Tower | 1859 | Built by Giuseppe Grech. Demolished. |
| Kerċem | Tal-Qasam Windmill / Ta' Bejn Kerċem u l-Għarb Windmill 36°3′6.1″N 14°13′26.3″E﻿ / ﻿36.051694°N 14.223972°E﻿ / 36.051694; 14.223972 | Tower | 1724 Rebuilt 1784 | Originally built by the Manoel Foundation, but was poorly constructed and was rebuilt in 1784. Sails removed and converted to a farmhouse. |
| Kerċem | Santa Luċija Windmill 36°2′33″N 14°13′7.9″E﻿ / ﻿36.04250°N 14.218861°E﻿ / 36.04250; 14.218861 | Tower | 1885 | Sails removed. |
| Nadur | | Tower | 1727 | Built by the Manoel Foundation. This windmill was poorly constructed, and it was demolished in c. 1787. Il-Ġdida Windmill was built in another location to replace it. |
| Nadur | Il-Ġdida Windmill 36°2′17.2″N 14°17′23″E﻿ / ﻿36.038111°N 14.28972°E﻿ / 36.038111; 14.28972 | Tower | 1787 | Sails removed. |
| Qala | Ta' Randu Windmill / Qala Windmill 36°2′19.1″N 14°18′40.4″E﻿ / ﻿36.038639°N 14.311222°E﻿ / 36.038639; 14.311222 | Tower | 1853 | Built by the Camilleri brothers. Remained in use until 1977. |
| Qala | Ta' Sufa Windmill 36°2′15.1″N 14°18′26.9″E﻿ / ﻿36.037528°N 14.307472°E﻿ / 36.037528; 14.307472 | Tower | 1853 | Built by the Camilleri brothers. Currently in poor condition. |
| Sannat | Ta' Randu Windmill 36°1′40.4″N 14°14′32.1″E﻿ / ﻿36.027889°N 14.242250°E﻿ / 36.027889; 14.242250 | Tower | c. 1860 | Built by the Cammilleri brothers. Remained in use until c. 1900, and sails were removed in c. 1940. It was subsequently used as a limekiln, and its tower was shortened. |
| Victoria | Windmill 36°2′30.4″N 14°14′24.5″E﻿ / ﻿36.041778°N 14.240139°E﻿ / 36.041778; 14.240139 | Tower | c. 1680 | Probably the first windmill to be built on Gozo. Built by Gregorio Carafa. Demolished in 1781 and replaced by the Ta' Marżiena Windmill. |
| Victoria | Ta' Marżiena Windmill 36°2′6.8″N 14°14′24.5″E﻿ / ﻿36.035222°N 14.240139°E﻿ / 36.035222; 14.240139 | Tower | 1783 | Sails removed. |
| Victoria | Għajn Qatet Windmill / Ta' Fortun Windmill 36°2′27.3″N 14°14′36.6″E﻿ / ﻿36.040917°N 14.243500°E﻿ / 36.040917; 14.243500 | Tower | 1856 | Sails removed. |
| Xagħra | Il-Qadima Windmill | Tower | c. 1725–31 | This windmill was poorly constructed, and it was demolished in c. 1787. Ta' Kola Windmill was built in another location to replace it. |
| Xagħra | Ta' Kola Windmill 36°2′59.3″N 14°16′0.5″E﻿ / ﻿36.049806°N 14.266806°E﻿ / 36.049806; 14.266806 | Tower | 1787 | Remained in use until 1960. Restored a number of times, and is one of the few windmills in Malta which are preserved in working order. Open to the public as a museum. |
| Xagħra | Tal-Bwier Windmill / Ta' Ġnien Xibla Windmill 36°3′7.2″N 14°16′16″E﻿ / ﻿36.052000°N 14.27111°E﻿ / 36.052000; 14.27111 | Tower | 1858 | Remained in use until 1944 and sails subsequently removed. Converted into a holiday home. |
| Xagħra | | Tower | c. 1900 Relocated c. 1940 | Possibly the last windmill to be built in the Maltese Islands. Built by Fortun Bonello. His son George Bonello dismantled it in c. 1940 and rebuilt it a few kilometres away. It was demolished in c. 1960. |
| Xewkija | Tat-Tmien Kantunieri Windmill 36°2′9.4″N 14°15′36.9″E﻿ / ﻿36.035944°N 14.260250°E﻿ / 36.035944; 14.260250 | Tower | c. 1710 | Built by Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. Has an octagonal base. Remained in use until it burnt down in 1886. |
| Żebbuġ | | Tower | c. 1859 | Probably built by Galent Vella. Tower demolished but base survives. |
| Żebbuġ | | Tower | c. 1870 | Demolished c. 1900. |
