10 things you may (not) know about Windmills
You have seen them on many Greek islands. You have probably even taken a picture of them to remind you your unforgettable greek summer.
Windmills, then, have centuries of history and stand against the Wind in the Cyclades, where most of them are located, in the Dodecanese, on the islands of the northeastern Aegean and in Crete.
Did you know that the Windmills of the Cyclades:
- are a typical example of Cycladic architecture
- more than 600 windmills operated in the past
- they were used for grinding grain and pumping water
- they could grind from 20 to 70 kilos of grain
- they were expensive to build
- they were placed away from buildings so as not to obstruct the passage of air
- they had a miller, the professional who operated the mill
- they have been identified with the island of Mykonos
- they had a period of prosperity in the 16th century due to the development of the economy, trade and shipping
- they were a meeting point and social interaction between the inhabitants