Talar Mill Settlement

The Dwa Młyny Settlement in Talar is a complex of two wooden water mills on the river Grabia, connected with the Regional Museum named after Jan Radgowski, which opened in July 2024. The mills house historic machinery and tools and preserve the memory of over two hundred years of milling craft in this location. Administratively, the settlement lies in the gmina Dobroń, in the village of Ldzań, in Pabianice county.

Mills from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries

Both main mills date from the late 19th century and are built in traditional wooden construction. The first served as a water mill, while the smaller mill complemented the work carried out there. The complex comprises two main buildings, an auxiliary mill, turbine buildings and sluices on the Grabia regulating water flow. The mills operated by water power, one of the cheapest and most reliable energy sources before electrification. The buildings are listed as monuments and represent the traditional wooden architecture of the region.

History in documents—from Długosz to Radgowski

The first historical mention of the mill settlement comes from Jan Długosz's chronicle from 1568, meaning the locality existed as a milling centre for at least five hundred years. For centuries the mills ground grain for local residents, and the craft was passed down through generations, until electrification and large industrial mills took over the function of traditional water mills.

Jan Radgowski—the conservationist who saved the settlement

A turning point for the settlement came when Jan Radgowski purchased both mills in 2008. Radgowski, a visual artist and monument conservationist, saw historical value in the deteriorating buildings and devoted himself to their lengthy restoration: he renewed wooden elements, repaired sluices and turbines. He died in 2022, and his family continues work on maintaining the museum.

Regional Museum—the collection

The Regional Museum named after Jan Radgowski was officially opened on 7 July 2024, sixteen years after restoration of the mills began. The collection presents the cultural heritage of the Łódź region: traditional ceramics, wooden art works, sculptures, textiles and decorative items from the 17th–20th centuries, arranged in both the mills and additional buildings in the complex.

Surroundings and access

The settlement is located in picturesque terrain near Dobroń, on the Grabia. A bar with meals and drinks for visitors operates on site, open during extended hours at weekends when the museum is open.

Practical information

• Address: Talar 8, 95-082 Dobroń
• Administrative location: gmina Dobroń, village of Ldzań (Talar settlement), Pabianice county, Łódź voivodeship
• Museum opening hours: Saturday–Sunday and public holidays, 12:00–17:00
• Bar on site: daily except Monday, approximately 11:00–20:00 (opening hours should be checked before visiting)
• Contact: tel. 660 007 777, e-mail osadadwamlyny@gmail.com, Facebook profile "Osada Dwa Młyny"
• What to expect: visits to two 19th-century wooden mills, regional collection (ceramics, sculptures, textiles), a walk along the Grabia, a bar on the complex grounds