THE POND OF THE MILLS

Some medieval traces of Târgoviște are preserved on the north-west and north-east side through the so-called Mill Pond, a ditch on which waters derived from the Ialomița River were channeled.

Formerly called the "Old Pond", it is an artificial watercourse, which was a source of energy for mills and other installations and a defensive element, part of the fortifications of the old city.

Over seven km long and dug upstream from the Teiş bridges, flowing into Ialomița at the lower end of the city, with a wide riverbed of approx. 4 m and more than 2 m deep, dates from the beginning of the establishment of the reign, being closely related to the building of the Royal Court.

After the capital moved to Bucharest, the strategic value of the Pond disappeared and it gradually turned into an artificial watercourse on which the mills were located, as well as other well-known industrial installations in traditional production: oil, textiles - felt, irrigation devices and installations.

The pond was common to all mills, but not every place could be used for a mill. The good place of the mill, thought of by the "master builder of water," was called the ford or place of the mill.

Until the years 1951-1952, two irrigation installations with wooden buckets and channels (gutters) were maintained on Iazul Morilor. Until the establishment of communism, the mills in Târgovişte were preserved and functioned.