Mykonos Windmills

It has been said that no trip to Greece is complete without visiting the Mykonos windmills .

I absolutely agree to this belief, because they look superb from any angle. Moreover, like the other attractions of the island, the windmills are the symbols of the island and represent an impressive sight.

Sixteen at number, they have been used for grinding the agricultural products. All painted in white, circular, having a conical roof made of wood, their silhouette can be seen on the heights above Chora or near Alefkantra on Mykonos.

They function and are brought to life by the wind that blows 200 and 300 days a year. The Upper Mills of Chora and the windmills that operated at Ano Meria served the residents of the local area and the country side. The Lower Mills of Chora were traditionally involved in the grinding process of products that came outside the island.

Building near the windmills was forbidden. A building would have caused unbalanced and unequal pressure of the wind on certain one-piece sails which in turn would have destroyed the whole rotating mechanism.

Today Mykonos windmills aren’t used for grinding. They are still important for the historical heritage they carry. Some of them have been restored and now are museum (i.e. Bonis mill) while others have been restored and used and dwellings.