This is a list of windmills in Malta, that include those on Malta and Gozo. Most windmills () 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 , 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 milland coordinates Type Built Notes Photograph Birkirkara Għar il-Ġobon Windmill Tower Built by Gregorio Carafa. Remained in use until 1930, and sails were subsequently removed. Converted into a house. Birkirkara Mrieħel Windmill Tower 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 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 Tower 1855 Remained in use until 1900. Tower demolished and base converted into a house. Cospicua San Ġwann t'Għuxa Windmill Tower 1674 Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Remained in use until 1879. Sails removed. Cospicua Santa Margherita Windmills Tower 1674 2 side-by-side windmills built by the Cottoner Foundation. One remained in use until 1916. Sails removed. Its mechanism was used to restore the Xarolla Windmill. Floriana Saint Francis Ravelin/Sarria Street Windmill 1 Tower Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished. Floriana Saint Francis Ravelin/Sarria Street Windmill 2 Tower Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished. Floriana Robert Samut Square Windmill Tower Demolished. Għargħur Għargħur Windmill Tower 1838 Remained in use until 1910, and sails were subsequently removed. Converted into a house. Gudja Gudja Windmill Tower 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 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 Tower Probably built by Giovanni Paolo Lascaris or Gregorio Carafa. Remained in use until 1889, and pulled down in July 1943. Rebuilt after World War II but demolished again in 1985. Mellieħa Windmill near Salib tal-Pellegrini Tower Sails removed in 1938. Now used as a restaurant known as Il-Mitħna Restaurant. Mellieħa Il-Qadima Windmill Tower Remained in use until 1920. Tower demolished and base converted to a house. Mellieħa Il-Ġdida Windmill Tower Demolished, exact location unknown. Mosta Jesus of Nazareth Windmill / Il-Qadima Windmill Tower 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 1928. Mosta Il-Ġdida Windmill Tower 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 Tower Tower demolished and base converted into a house. Mosta Our Lady of Mount Carmel Windmill Tower 1858 Tower demolished, base used as a shop. Mqabba Tar-Rith Windmill / Mqabba Windmill Tower Sails removed 1890. Converted into a house. Naxxar Tas-Sgħajtar Windmill Tower Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Sails removed and converted into a house. Naxxar Tal-Għaqba Windmill Tower Built by Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. Sails removed 1960 but most of the machinery is still present. Partially restored in 2002. Converted into a house. Naxxar Tad-Dejf Windmill / Darnino Windmill Tower Sails removed and converted into a house. Naxxar Santa Luċija Windmill Tower Sails removed and converted into a house and studio. Naxxar Tal-Laqx Windmill Tower 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 Tower Sails removed. Qrendi Qrendi Windmill Tower Built by Gregorio Carafa. Sails removed. Rabat Ħal Bajjada Windmill Tower Built by Gregorio Carafa. Façade bears an eroded coat of arms. Sails removed and converted into a house. Rabat Taċ-Ċagħki Windmill Tower Sails removed and converted into a house. Rabat Ta' Għeriexem Windmill / Tal-Balla Windmill Tower Built by the Manoel Foundation. Sails removed and converted into a house. Senglea Senglea Windmill 1 Post Probably the first windmill to be built in Malta. Existed during the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. Demolished. Senglea Senglea Windmill 2 Post Probably the second windmill to be built in Malta. Existed during the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. Demolished. Siġġiewi Tat-Tank Windmill Tower Sails removed. At one point it was converted into a water tower. Siġġiewi Ta' Kerċeppu Windmill Tower Sails removed. Siġġiewi Ta' Barba Zepp Windmill Tower 1879 Built by Joseph Sammut. Remained in use until the 1930s, and the sails were removed in 1940. Converted into a house. Tarxien Tower Tower demolished and base used as a store room. Valletta St. Michael's Bastion Windmill 1 Tower 1674 Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished before 1900. Valletta St. Michael's Bastion Windmill 2 Tower 1674 Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished before 1900. Valletta Saint Elmo Windmill Tower Demolished. Żabbar Bir Għeliem Windmill / Ta' Buleben Windmill Tower Built by Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. Used as a redoubt in 1798–1800. Sails removed and converted into a house. Żabbar Ħaż-Żabbar Windmill Tower Sails removed and converted into a house. Żebbuġ Tal-Għodor Windmill Tower 1674–82 Remained in use until 1900. Sails removed and converted into a house. Żebbuġ Ta' Ċanfut/Qanfut Windmill Tower 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.Vella, C. (2016). Imtieħen f'Ħaż-Żebbuġ. Għaqda Każin Banda San Filep, A.D. 1851, Ħaż-Żebbuġ : festa, 2016, 251-260. Żebbuġ Ta' Srina Windmill Tower Remained in use until 1900. Sails removed and tower reduced in height. Converted into a house. Żebbuġ Ta' Għasfura Windmill Tower 1858 Remained in use until 1865. Sails removed and tower reduced in height. Converted into a house. Żebbuġ Ta' Kustanz Windmill Tower 1872 Remained in use until 1900, and sails subsequently removed. Converted into a house. Żejtun Tower Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Demolished. Żejtun Bir id-Deheb Windmill Tower Built by the Manoel Foundation. Demolished 1960. Żejtun Tower Demolished. Żurrieq Tal-Qaret Windmill / Nigret Windmill Tower 1674 Built by the Cottoner Foundation. Has a round base. Sails removed. Żurrieq Xarolla Windmill 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 Tower Sails removed. Żurrieq St. James Windmill / Tas-Salib Windmill Tower 1857 Built by the Gafà family. Remained in use until 1938 and sails removed in 1945.
Gozo