In the village of Bistrica, the watermills are like keepers of time,
grinding the past and present into a unique symphony that never stops playing.
About Bistrica
The village of Bistrica is one of the older settlements in this region. The first written mention of this place is in the Charter of Prince Lazar during the founding of the Gornjak Monastery in 1378.
Julanska Watermill
The Miljković Milorada Watermill (Julanska Watermill) was built in the mid-nineteenth century. It is located in the settlement on the left side of the river, in what is known as the Julanska hamlet. The water for the operation of the watermill is supplied through a milling channel that runs through the village, which is utilized by several other watermills. Previously, it had two milling stones, but due to disagreements between the owners, half of the watermill with one milling stone was demolished.
It is constructed on a foundation of rubble stone, with walls made using bondruk technique and filled with oak beams. The roof is gabled and covered with tiles. Inside, there is only one room (without a miller's room).
The watermill has been well maintained, and the grinding mechanism is operational. There are noticeable minor changes to the structure of the building that have occurred over time. In the foundation area, it can be seen that the structure has been shortened. The roof has been altered, using cut timber with machine-finished ends at the eaves.
Minor maintenance work needs to be planned for ongoing upkeep.