Siétamo

Siétamo is a village near the city of Huesca — find it in eastern direction. From Huesca take the road N-240 towards Barbastro and Siétamo. You'll pass Quicena. Just before Siétamo do not enter the A-22 but stay on the N-240 and after a while turn right at the service station onto the service road. Drive back for about 200m and turn left on the gravel road at the corner of kind of a resting place for engines. After about half a km You'll reach the river Guatizalema. Park the car and walk the river down on the right bank. The river at some point makes a sharp turn to the left. This is the spot where You must look for the dam. Follow the canal to the base of the road, walk under the bridge of the new autopista and at the other side (2) a sand track will bring you to the mill.

Pictures: 24.V.2011; pictures 4, 5: IX.2003 by Mariano Lacruz

This is a huge building but nature is claiming its rights and the structure will be inaccessible before long. While the mill was almost free of vegetation in 2003 (4, 5) the situation was entirely different in 2011 (1, 3). It took me quite a while to reach the interior and the canal was a treacherous pitfall below the schrub.

The water flows from back to front through a cárcavo which can be found below the window at the bottom right (1, 4). There was a strong current at the time of our visit in 2011 and I presume that the canal still plays a role in the irrigation of the surrounding fields.

The entrance (white arch: pict. 1 center, 4) opens directly into the workplace (6). The milling installations occupied about two thirds of the bottom floor. The remaining part was probably used to house some animals.

Living quarters were situated at the upper levels. They were reached via the stairs located just right from the entrance (6). Most of the contents are reduced to rubble but some features were still visible at the time of our visit. The kitchen had a fireplace and next to it a washing place (9).

(7) Composite stone; notice the huge eye.

There is nothing much left of the trade. A runner is dumped against the east wall. It is a composite stone (7) with an exceptionally big eye.

A thin wall isolates the stairs (6) from the rest of the room. Notice the spyhole (8), just below the former ceiling, making it possible to cast an eye on the situation without actually having to descend into the workplace.