The History of the Mill

A place chosen by the heart

1991: the search

We wanted a place of our own for our seminars, protected, only for the group, lovingly designed. We drove across Austria in a camper van and came to the Waldviertel for the first time. Right at the end, the estate agent showed us an old, abandoned mill on the river Thaya.

Die Mühle 1991, kurz nach dem Kauf

A ruin and a decision of the heart

The Modlisch Mill, once the dairy farm of Schwarzenau Castle, had stood empty for years, roofs and windows broken, the grounds overgrown. Reason would not have bought it. We did, on credit. Then we cleared, built, plastered and roofed, year after year, together with friends and professionals.

Asha und Marie-Luise packen beim Aufbau mit an

A place of power

Beneath the old plaster, large round-arched windows appeared, and we opened the mill up again. A geomancer told us it is built according to the golden ratio, without a single right angle. Guests often say: “It feels like coming home.”

Gemeinsam beim Dachdecken

Two floods: 2002 and 2024

Twice the Thaya came into the house, in 2002 and in September 2024, in the middle of saying goodbye to Yod. Both times friends, guests and helpers from near and far came and pitched in. We were allowed to learn to accept help.

Hochwasser September 2024 im Innenhof

Today

By spring 2025 we had rebuilt the mill, more beautiful than before and better prepared: with travertine floors and furniture that can be lifted up. Today El Molino is also open to other groups, from March to November.

Das El Molino heute aus der Luft

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