cistercian monasteries, in particular, made extensive use of water wheels to power mills of many kinds. an early example of a very large waterwheel is still extant at the early 13th century real monasterio de nuestra senora de rueda, a cistercian monastery in the aragon region of spain. grist mills (for corn) were undoubtedly the most common, but there were also sawmills, fulling mills and mills to fulfill many other labor-intensive tasks. the water wheel remained competitive with the steam engine well into the industrial revolution.