Větrný mlýn (Růžová) Hotel building

Welcome, dear visitors, and allow me to welcome you to one of our most interesting buildings. You are standing in front of a Dutch-type windmill that proudly stretches on the hill Petřín in the village Růžová. Your view captures a massive cone silhouette, stone masonry, and a green canvas of ivy, which slowly tangles into a clash. The surrounding forest landscape gives the place a quiet atmosphere, while the gentle breeze gently moves the leaves and reminds us that this object was once driven by wind power. Notice how the sun reflects from the stone walls and how the shadows extend along a circular plan that gives the building a firm and balanced impression.

Let's move on to the past and see how this mill came to be. It was built in 1878, at a time when agriculture was the foundation of the economy and the need for grinding grain was inevitable. The construction workers, whose names were unfortunately not kept in historical records, chose the Dutch type for this project, which was considered modern and effective at the time. The two-storey construction allowed the milling space to be separated from the storage space, which increased operational efficiency. The stone masonry, built from block sandstone, gave the building not only a fortress but also an aesthetic look that survived for over a hundred years.

Now pay attention to the architecture before your eyes. The whole object is walled and has a conical shape that is typical of Dutch windmills. The walls are made of sandstone, which gives them a fine, light grey colour, which over time softened under the influence of green ivy. The Břetan extends over most of the surface, partly covering stone blocks, creating a contrast between nature and construction. The two-storey height allows you to look into the inner structure, although the entrance to the spaces itself today serves as part of the pension for ten people. When you look around, you will see a circular plan, which is a clear sign of balance and symmetry, and which was at that time considered ideal for the distribution of grinding and storage equipment.

Over the years, stories have been created around this place that reveal its transformation and meaning. After more than 60 years of continuous operation, the mill was forced to cease its operation in 1945. At that time the building began to slowly decay, the stones lost their fortress and the ivy spread as a reminder of abandonment. In 1964 there was a major twist - the object was sold to a new owner who started the reconstruction and transformed it into a guest house. This move saved the mill from total destruction and allowed it to gain a new life. Two years later, in 1966, the mill was entered in the Central List of Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic, confirming its historical and cultural value. The listing not only protects the construction from further changes, but also underlines the importance it has for the local community and the wider public.

Now let me introduce you to the interesting thing that can attract even the most demanding listeners. The Dutch-type windmill, which today stands as the silent guardian of the hill, was considered a technological miracle at the time of its creation. Its construction allowed wind power to be used to drive grinding stone wheels, which significantly reduced the need for human strength and increased productivity. Although the operation stopped after World War II, the very existence of such construction in our region shows how the people at that time were able to adapt to the natural conditions and use them to their advantage. Moreover, when you look at the ivy that spreads across stone walls, you can see how nature and man together form a unique dialogue between the past and the present.

In conclusion, I invite you to explore this place again. If you feel like it, you can enter a guest house that now occupies ten guests, and soak up an atmosphere that combines historical stones with modern comfort. Walk around, listen to a murmur of leaves and imagine how large grinding wheels were once turned here under the influence of the wind. Let yourself be carried away by a story that takes place in stone walls, and let a picture of a windmill that has survived time be etched into your memory, transformed and today serves as a place of rest and inspiration. Thank you for joining this audio guide, and I wish you a pleasant rest of the visit. Let us say goodbye with respect to the past and with the hope that this mill will continue to be protected and admired.