An Analysis of Historic Stone Masonry Windmills in Lithuania

Often out in hazardous corners of Lithuania, stonemasonry windmill and the people who lived and worked in them have highly contributed for many centuries to the development of Lithuania. These were a fundamental part of the pre-industrial society and have been used in Lithuania until the beginning of twentieth century. In the modern era of electric mills, these majestic masonry landmarks are more of a nostalgic, romantic and historic visitor destination, silently standing guard over the Lithuanian countryside and the coasts. They surely represent an important man-made element of the Lithuanian landscape. Stonemasonry windmills are at risk, not only because often neglected and abandoned, but also because of the serious effects of climate change in terms of more frequent and destructive natural disasters. This paper addresses the problem of assessing the typical structural weaknesses of Lithuanian masonry windmills, with particular emphasis on the structural quality of the masonry material, as a first step for conservation of heritage masonry structures.