Mills in Panevezys, Lithuania

In Lithuania, the first mills appeared before the 12th century. There used to be about a thosand of them, many of which have not survived to this day, yet others have been preserved.

In Panevėžys, the J. Bežys windmill was built around 1880. In 1948, it was abandoned, and in 1979 it was transferred to the education department. A school observatory was planned to be opened at the mill. Astronomer A. Yushka has even donated a telescope to the windmill, but later it was returned to the family of J. Bežys.

Nearby, there is a second mill of Z. Pranskunas, which was built 5 years before the mill of J. Bežys. It was used to grind grain until 1980. Later, it was planned to be transfered to the Museum of Local Lore with an exposition about nature arranged in its premises, but after regained national Independence, the partly restored mill was returned to the descendants of the former owners.