Contrary to how the mills were built at the time of the Knights of Saint John, the Xewkija mill was not built on a hill to be weighed down by the wind, but on a flat stretch as the village of Xewkija begins. This mill was the second one built in Gozo during the time of the Knights. It was built in 1710 under the leadership of Grand Master Raymundo Perellos (1697-1720).
The Xewkija mill is the oldest existing one in Gozo. The other mills in Gozo were built later, and part of them under the British. This mill worked from 1710 to 1886. It has an octagonal shape, i.e. with eight points. It was built facing the main winds with its walls facing North, South, West, East, South-West, South-East, and North-East.
This mill was restored to its former glory in 2021 when an extensive restoration project was completed by the Ministry for Gozo with the help of European funds. The inauguration took place on January 29, 2021. Sanitary facilities were built and buildings that did not originally exist in the 1700s were demolished.
The windmill is open daily for visitors, and free of charge.
