Zaniklý Starý mlýn

Could a simple mill hold the key to understanding Prague’s past? Here, at the site of the Zaniklý Starý mlýn, or Lost Old Mill, we uncover a story woven into the fabric of Prague. The Zaniklý Starý mlýn, first mentioned in 1088, played a vital role in Modřany’s early economy. King Vratislav I even included it in the founding charter of the Vyšehrad chapter. Imagine the Vltava’s waters powering the mill’s wheels, a constant hum against the backdrop of daily life. The Zaniklý Starý mlýn witnessed history unfold, surviving floods and wars. The Kosmova Chronicle speaks of a catastrophic flood in 1118, unlike any seen since the biblical deluge, sweeping away the mill and several fisheries in Modřany. Yet, the mill was rebuilt, a testament to its importance. Over the centuries, the Zaniklý Starý mlýn changed hands, from royalty to local millers. In 1329, Queen Eliška, for reasons unknown, ordered the mills in both Komořany and Modřany burned. These mills had been built for the benefit of the Zbraslav Monastery. By 1479, records reveal millers like Vondra of Modřany and Pavel of Komořánky overseeing the Vltava weirs. The mill faced its final chapter in 1827. Sold to the navigation fund, it was deemed an obstacle to Vltava traffic and demolished. Only its foundations and cellars remained. A sugar factory, belonging to the Czech sugar refiners Urbánka and Wagner, now occupies the site. The Zaniklý Starý mlýn may be gone, but its story echoes. It speaks of resilience, of a community dependent on the river, and of the constant flow of time that reshapes our world. This very spot, where we stand now, once pulsed with the rhythm of grinding stones. Though only memories remain, the Zaniklý Starý mlýn whispers its secrets to those who listen closely.