Ta’ Kola Windmill — Attraction in Xaghra

A Charming Glimpse into Gozo’s Rural Past – Ta’ Kola Windmill

Ta’ Kola Windmill, tucked away in the village of Xagħra on the island of Gozo, is a wonderfully preserved piece of Maltese heritage. Originally built in 1725 during the era of the Knights of St John, the windmill has been beautifully restored and now serves as a museum dedicated to traditional rural life.

The site is small but rich in detail. The architecture itself is striking, with a central cylindrical stone tower rising above a traditional two-storey building. Inside, visitors can explore an old workshop filled with antique tools—many handcrafted by the windmill’s former owners—as well as living quarters recreated with original furniture and typical Gozitan décor. It’s like stepping back in time to see how a miller and his family would have lived and worked.

Upstairs, you’ll find the original milling machinery, including the hefty millstones and the internal gears once powered by wind. It’s a fascinating look at how central these mills were to everyday life in centuries past.

The windmill is just a short walk from the Ġgantija Temples, so it's easy to visit both in one trip. Managed by Heritage Malta, the site is well-kept and informative, with displays that provide context without overwhelming.

Ta’ Kola may not be the largest attraction on Gozo, but it’s definitely one of the most authentic. It offers a quiet, thoughtful experience, perfect for anyone curious about Malta’s agricultural and social history. A real gem for history lovers and those looking to explore beyond the...

Dating from around 1725, the Ta’ Kola Windmill is a fascinating insight into Maltese life - even more so if, like me, you were previously uninformed about the history surrounding these islands.

Featuring reconstructions of the workshop, furnace, living quarters, and milling equipment, the site offer an immersive insight into the experience of those that lived in and around the windmill, revealing its operation to be a communal undertaking rather than the efforts of a single person.

Considering that the entrance fee is included that with of the nearby Ġgantija Temples, the Ta’ Kola Windmill is more than a worthwhile extension to what already promises to be a fascinating experience.

However, this benefit leads directly to its main downside. Arguably, one of the main downsides to the windmill is that its enjoyment is almost directly associated with being an included extra to visits to the Ġgantija Temples and offers little as an isolated experience, unless visitors have a specific interest in windmills or the historical period to which it relates.

People with reduced mobility should be mindful of the challenges that are associated with historic sites, particularly the stairs leading to higher levels of the windmill, but should not be discouraged from engaging...

Sitting on top of a hill in Xaghra village is Ta'Kola Windmill, a beautifully restored example which was built in the 1780's.

It changed ownership many times over the years, but came into the hands of the Grech family who kept it operating until 1987 when it's last miller, Guzeppi Grech passed away. He'd taken it over from his father in 1926, and his grandfather before him. The family not only produced flour, but in times of strong winds when the sails were locked, Guzeppi would retreat to his workshop and concentrate on sharpening tools, repairing carts, wine barrels and shoeing horses. The women would split raw cotton and weave using looms, they would also grade flour which was kept in storerooms within the windmill.

The building was restored in 1992 and opened to the public, but after an intense storm damaged the sails, Heritage Malta decided to fully reconstruct the windmill, including the sails and milling equipment to take it back to its original...