St. Peter's Square

About this place

San Pedro Square has a special, unmistakable aroma. It dates back 100 years, to when the millstones began producing gofio. This industry arose sharing facilities with the old Torreón de Luz (Light Tower), which generated electricity for the entire town. The driving force behind both facilities was Antonio González Martín. The mill has been in its current location for over 50 years. The work of its founder was continued first by his wife, and then by his nephew Javier. Juan Manuel Casanova, who had worked for all three, took over the business, and today, retired, his son Semidán manages the century-old mill. Gofio is a food made from unsifted flour of toasted grains, with a dark or yellowish hue, depending on its composition and the degree to which it has been toasted. It is a product created by the first inhabitants of the Canary Islands, the aboriginal people. Due to its nutritional value, it is used in children's diets and is part of UN food programs. Besides the aroma of roasted grain, the mill is also known for the sound of the millstones grinding. The building retains the charm of old-fashioned machinery, although it has been modernized, but without losing its historical essence. Production begins with the roasting of the grain (corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley) in heated machines. The roasted grain then falls into the storage area, where two large millstones grind it. Packaging at the top of the building completes the production process, yielding an average of 500 kilos per day.