The Rother's Mills complex on Mill Island is a significant monument of industrial architecture from the mid-19th century. It is surrounded by the Brda River from the north and the Grain Canal from the west. As part of the expansion of the Royal Mills complex in 1846, the mills were named after the Prussian Minister of Agriculture, Christian von Rother.
They were the largest facility of this type in Bydgoszcz, featuring not only a massive production building with a grain warehouse, but also a boiler room and an engine room with a chimney, a flour granary, a pumping station (turbine house) and fish ladders. The main building is four stories high and made of brick, its interior layout has been preserved with galleries on each floor. Both the eastern and western wings were constructed using half-timbered construction. The wing situated on the riverside is elevated on a high stone foundation and features bay windows with transport entrances. The buildings are set on wooden piles.
In the 1980s, grain was still transported by barges to Rother's mills via the Grain Canal. In the 1990s, the mills stopped operating. Despite plans to convert them into a hotel and conference complex, the buildings fell into disrepair. In 2013, they were handed over to the city, revivified, and opened in April 2021 as a Science and Culture Center, with the aim of transforming and enhancing the historic space through exhibits, installations, and activities.
Today, Rother's Mills boasts a diverse array of facilities, including display and conference spaces, which are regularly occupied by a variety of events, including exhibitions, festivals, workshops, and concerts. There are two permanent exhibitions here: "Knots. The story of the city by the river"- dedicated to the history of the city, but also its future, and "The Mill – the Machine" - in the spirit of a science center, an exhibition for self-experimentation where you can see and experience the fascinating world of science and technology. There are also restaurants, the New Place café, the "Woda" bakery, and in the summer also the "Mały Domek" ice cream parlor. The majestic interiors attract visitors with their charming architecture, and from the Viewpoint there is a panorama of the entire Mill Island, which can be admired free of charge.
