Seven Mills

Across the Yarkon River, the Seven Mills stand as silent witnesses to centuries of activity. Here at the Seven Mills, also known as Sheva Tachanot, the rhythmic grinding of millstones once filled the air. Imagine farmers from all over the region bringing their wheat here. They would spend hours, sometimes days, waiting their turn. The Seven Mills weren’t just a place of industry. They were a social hub, a cultural center. A coffeehouse offered respite. A dock and boats provided leisurely entertainment on the nearby pond. The name “Seven Mills” comes from the seven grinding facilities housed within one of the buildings on this site. This site was part of a larger complex, with eleven pairs of gristmills powered by the Yarkon River’s flow. The complex was very close to Jarisa Mound, sometimes leading to it being called the Jarisa Mill. Today, only the remains of three 19th-century gristmills are visible. These were built over even older structures. Some speculate that mills operated here as far back as the Roman period. This site thrived until the early 1940s. Although the millstones are still, the Seven Mills whisper stories of a time when the Yarkon River powered a vital part of life in this region. Take a moment to imagine the hustle and bustle, the sounds, and the smells of this once-thriving center.