Of Arab origin, it is the irrigation system of the fertile plains of Tajuña, which still exists. The Muslim peasants worked, devised and built the entire irrigation system of the crops with their ditches and canals, and this is what was notified in 1580 by Dr. Mejía, priest  from Morata, in the the Relations of the Peoples of Spain:

“And there is no way that the irrigation that there is now in this village was ordered and done as the present is by the Moors, more than four hundred years ago”.

Source: History of the Villa de Morata de Tajuña
Jesús ​​Antonio de la Torre Briceño

In the term of Morata de Tajuña, up to eight dams were built with the purpose of damming the water in the riverbed, raising its level with the aim of diverting it through pipelines, with the purpose of its use for irrigation or other tasks. Several of them can be seen on our tour. Like that of the Molino de la Huerta de Angulo, or El Taray.

Perfect example of what was the use of the driving force of the waters of the Tajuña River. From time immemorial the mechanical devices to grind wheat and barley and turn them into flour were used along the banks of the Tajuña. Rodezno type, it´s the only mill of the eighteenth century perfectly preserved in the Community of Madrid. In addition to contemplating the facilities of the mill, which still works, inside the building the visitor can make an interesting tour of the exhibition dedicated to the world of grinding, as well as the process of restoration of machinery.

Opening hours:
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays *. Free admission
Summer Time (April 1st to October 31st): 11:30 to 14:30 H and from 16 to 19 H.
Winter Time (November 1st to March 31st): 11 to 15 h and from 16 to 18 h.
Special openings for groups :
Contact: 684 45 23 02-918730380
Mail: museodelamolineria-uniges3.net
Web: museodelamolineria.es

* The museum will remain closed from July 1st to September 15th and from December 15th to January 15th.

At the foot of the road to Valdelaguna is now a work house, known as La Magdalena, which is remembersed as being a hermitage on the porch located at the entrance of the house. The origin of this building is medieval, closing to the cult in 1778; built as a house of work taking advantage of part of its structure.

Source: History of the Villa de Morata de Tajuña
Jesús ​​Antonio de la Torre Briceño

It is situated on a  gentle slope close to the road. Its construction dates from the last third of the eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Built with a limestone base and a rammed wall, it has a circular shape made up of two rings. Historically they were of elite possessions sinc the  privilege  was reserved to the feudal lordships, constitutes of what was called Pigeon rights, very coveted in medieval times. It is built inside the possessions of the Count of Altamira, which were fenced in this area of ​​the valley; hence its name of Estacada.

Source: History of the Villa de Morata de Tajuña
Jesús ​​Antonio de la Torre Briceño

The current residence for the elderly Taray Island has been over the last three centuries an industrial complex that has been dedicated to several activities, from a mill of cloths, to a paper factory, through the production of electricity in the dawn of twentieth century.

The existence of mills and mills on the banks of the Tajuña is documented, at least, from the eleventh century, but even before, during the presence of the Arabs there was already proof of wáter mills in the Banks of the Tajuña. The flour mills, located along the course of the Tajuña River, were one of the oldest industries of the riverside towns.

The main mill that was in the term of Morata since time immemorial was located on Taray Island. It was of the mill type of Rodez, like the one that can be seen working in Morata, in Huerta de Angulo.

The importance of this mil is that it was acquired by the Marquis of Leganés and Count of Altamira, lord of the town, carrying out important works in 1660.

El Molino del Taray (Taray Mill)  was reconverted at the beginning of the 18th century in Batán, initiated this activity that lasted until the middle of the 19th century. From these dates onward it would  work as a paper and cardboard factory and later on a  paper factory whose main client was the newspaper companies, reaching an annual production of one million kilos of paper, employing some 150 workers between men and women.

It is also noted that electricity was produced on Taray Island. This activity of the industrial complex was already associated with the facilities since the beginning of the 20th century. In fact, along with the light that was produced in the mill of the Huerta de Angulo, the supply of Morata also came from the old mill from the late nineteenth century and so published by El Imparcial on June 13, 1898:

“In Morata de Tajuña the electric lighting has been inaugurated. The neighborhood celebrated the improvement with music, public dances and other rejoicings. ”

In the second decade of the twentieth century, it was the company Marín Hermanos that took over the facilities with the aim of producing waste and regenerated cotton. This activity lasted until 1975.

After years of decline and abandonment, with the progressive deterioration of the facilities, the Taray Island space hosted a ceramics workshop and, permanently, the residence for the elderly promoted by Father Ángel and Mensajeros de la Paz that was inagurated in 1988 and that  prevented these buildings, so linked to the history of Morata, from disappearing from the local heritage.