Hosman is a typical Transylvanian Saxon village in Hârtibaci Valley, preserving one of Europe’s the last authentic medieval landscapes: flowering meadows, forests, haystacks spreading on hills and a fortified church that dominates the panorama with Făgăraş Mountains in the background. In this landscape, the Old Mill in Hosman is a complete snapshot of the life of a Transylvanian village.
Revived by the family that passed on traditions from one generation to another, the places includes a mill, a bakery and a smithy workshop open for both visitors and locals.
In the front part of the building, the old home of the miller, a traditional bakery and an oven on wood for baking bread were set up. Luiza, a baker who took on the family tradition, rediscovered traditional recipes from the region and now makes bread for both tourists and locals. Some bio specialties made here are also available in Sibiu, at the Biocoop association of organic producers in the area.
A second building of this living cultural ensemble consists of the mill and the blacksmith workshop. The actual mill has a simple circuit for grinding corn and a complete circuit for grinding wheat grain, elevators, seed cleaning systems and a restored sieve for flour, made in 1920 in Braşov. Next to them is an old “Langen & Wolf” engine, brought to Hosman after the Second World War. The smithy shop also has a few tools and an old threshing machine. Just like the mill, the blacksmith workshop was renovated on its initial site. Although the main mode of transportation here is the cart pulled by horses, there are no other public blacksmith workshops open in Hosman, so villagers still come at the Old Mill for repairs and other services.
The barn of the household was set up to host small events like workshops and presentations and local events. Besides guided tours of the Old Mill, hosts organize here bakery, smithy and milling workshops of two hours, for both adults and children. They can be accompanied by translation for an additional fee.
Overlooking the street, the mill shop sells bread and pastry goodies, all made at the Old Mill. In an authentic setting with carefully restored furniture specific to shops in Altana region, the small shop also sells souvenirs made by local craftsmen. This is where tourists can also find presentation materials with details on the surroundings, including details on accommodation in the area and visiting routes in the program initiated in 2007, “Traveling among cultures in the footsteps of Samuel Brukenthal”.
A special thing about the Old Mill is that they can organize brunches and picnics with homemade bread and traditional delicacies in the apple tree orchard behind the mill. Tourists can also take their breakfast, lunch or dinner at the mill, based on reservations.
Visiting the old mill
The Old Mill can be visited from May to September, from Monday to Sunday, 12:00 – 16:00. Visits are made based on appointments by e-mail or phone.
Old mill guided tours of 60 minutes are available in English, German, Hungarian and Romanian.
How to get there
Hosman is located 27 km away from Sibiu and can be reached by car on road 106, turning right on road 45, the main street that crosses the village.
The Old Mill/ Moara Veche/ Alte Mühle/ Régi Malom, Hosman village, Nocrich locality, Sibiu County
Phone: +40 748 800 049 (Gabriela Cotarus)
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.moara-veche.ro (info available in German and Romanian)
Photo source: Moara Veche – Alte Mühle – Régi Malom – Old Mill facebook page
The castle is seeing recently support for its transformation. The Romanian Cultural Institute is organizing here on October 31st the first concert in a series of events meant to offer a new life to the place. The ancient music ensemble Flauto Dolce and Nicolae Voiculet will perform at the castle, the venue where Franz Liszt gave one of his last concerts for Queen Elizabeth of Greece. More details about this event can be found here.
