Town Mills

Town Mills

Devastated by a massive fire and the removal of the town fortification, the town suburbs behind the town gate were entering an era of industrial change and reconstruction triggered by the boom of new production technologies. Thus, the mills, first mentioned as standing “on sand” in front of the old mill gate in 1328 and in the possession of the town since the 15th century, were sold to modern entrepreneurs. The new owners converted the mills to steam-powered operations and equipped them with new driving systems. Such intense changes, however, also required the reconstruction of old picturesque houses that had not changed since 1670 or 1689. As a result, modern factories were built in efficient Classicist style, such as the grinding mill of the Fischer brothers, which was reconstructed by V. Prökl in 1830 to conform to the style of the adjoining Písečná brána (Sand Gate). A cutting and weaving shop were added to the building. The front building known as Panský mlýn (Master’s Mill) was reconstructed by its new owner, Josef Hahn, in 1847. The rear mill was reconstructed in the same year by its owner, Franz Blechschmidt.

(Kunst 1992, 188)

Only Písečná brána (Sand Gate) has been preserved to this day.

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