Mylopotamos, Kythira
Encyclopedia
Mylopotamos is a village on the island of Kythira
, southern Greece
. It was named Mylopotamos because there are 22 watermills built along a small stream. The water mills were built for grinding wheat
. Today 21 of the mills are in ruins and one, the Phil's (Φιλιππή'ς) water mill, is in working condition. Phil's watermill belongs to the grandson of the last owner, Filippas (Φίλιππας), and it has been in the family for 350 years.
In the town there are three Caves, a Venetian Castle and the Monastery of Orphan Mary. The gorge where the 22 mills are found starts from a magnificent waterfall named "Fonisa",(Φόνισσα, female killer), the only one on the island. The stream above the waterfall springs from the mountain in the middle of town, by the "platea" square,during the summer coming right out from the mountain. Upstream from town to the distant mountains there is no water during the summer. During the rainy season water flows from the distant mountains to town, filling up the up-stream portion of the stream. The stream from town flows about 200 meters to the waterfall. The mills start from the base of the water fall and go down stream to the sea. On a cliff by the gorge, is the church, Saint Catherine, which was built into the mountain. At the end of the gorge, before the water reaches the sea, is the Monastery of Orphan Mary with its cave, the second biggest cave on the island. The gorge concludes with one of the many beautiful beaches on the island called "Kalami" (Καλάμι, reed).
Kythira
Cythera is an island in Greece, once part of the Ionian Islands. It lies opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is administratively part of the Islands regional unit, which is part of the Attica region , Greece.For many centuries, while naval travel was the only means...
, southern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It was named Mylopotamos because there are 22 watermills built along a small stream. The water mills were built for grinding wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
. Today 21 of the mills are in ruins and one, the Phil's (Φιλιππή'ς) water mill, is in working condition. Phil's watermill belongs to the grandson of the last owner, Filippas (Φίλιππας), and it has been in the family for 350 years.
In the town there are three Caves, a Venetian Castle and the Monastery of Orphan Mary. The gorge where the 22 mills are found starts from a magnificent waterfall named "Fonisa",(Φόνισσα, female killer), the only one on the island. The stream above the waterfall springs from the mountain in the middle of town, by the "platea" square,during the summer coming right out from the mountain. Upstream from town to the distant mountains there is no water during the summer. During the rainy season water flows from the distant mountains to town, filling up the up-stream portion of the stream. The stream from town flows about 200 meters to the waterfall. The mills start from the base of the water fall and go down stream to the sea. On a cliff by the gorge, is the church, Saint Catherine, which was built into the mountain. At the end of the gorge, before the water reaches the sea, is the Monastery of Orphan Mary with its cave, the second biggest cave on the island. The gorge concludes with one of the many beautiful beaches on the island called "Kalami" (Καλάμι, reed).