Myloi, Rethymno

Myloi (Μύλοι ) Rethymno

Myloi are currently settlements (sections) of the local community Chromonastiriou of the municipality of Rethymno in the region of Crete (Kallikratis program). From 1999 to 2010, according to the then administrative division of Greece, it was included in the municipal district of Chromonastiri of the Kapodistrian municipality of Rethymno. Ano and Kato Myloi have been characterized as traditional settlements of medium cultural value (category II) (Government Gazette 728/1995) [1] [2]

History, geography of the area

Rethymnon Mills was formerly a settlement built inside the Mylonian Gorge at a distance of 7 km from Rethymnon, to the left of the highway to Chromonastiri. It consisted of two neighborhoods of Apano Myloi and Kato Myloi. From 1972, Apano-Kato Myloi was abandoned and its inhabitants settled in the new settlement of Myloi, located west, outside the gorge, at an altitude of 270 meters. The old settlements of Myloi in the gorge are now a tourist area. The area south of the old settlements of Myloi is rich in spring waters, so water mills have been built and operated since the time the waterfalls began to be used for energy production. The gorge is home to many rare species of Cretan flora and is very easy to access. [3] [4]
The beginning of the gorge, settlement

The watermills

We endure from the book / work "The watermills of Rethymno, A historical approach to the prosperity and decline of the pre-industrial settlement" by Manousos Maragakis, in collaboration with the students of the group TECHNOMATHIA-MYLOMATHEIA of EPL. Rethymno, Rethymno 1996, the following information: Along the riverbed, which crosses the gorge, there are ruins of old watermills from which the pre-industrial settlements of Pano and Kato Myloi took their names. Their history, as well as the history of watermills, probably dates back to the Middle Ages. The oldest date of existence of watermills in Myloi comes to light through a notarial (notarial) document concerning a permanent rental of a mill on May 31, 1643. The production and especially their grinding services were particularly important over the past centuries, because they continuously supplied city ​​of Rethymno and the surrounding areas with flour for pastries. The main reason for the creation of the mills was the agricultural policy and specifically the policy for wheat, its production and processing, which the Venetians applied after years of persuasion to the Most Peaceful Republic of Venice. This policy of siege carried out by the Venetian conquerors was the work of the greatest strategic importance for independence, during a period of exclusion of the island from enemy fleets.

During the Turkish occupation, most Turks lived in the Lower Mills as well as in scattered houses and farms along the river and further north, up to St. Mark's. The lands in this area were chosen by the Turks because they were more productive, the waters more, the wells higher for more energy in the watermills and the market of Rethymno closer. The Turks called the settlement Deimenlou or Deimenlik, which means mill-mill. During the German occupation, 10 watermills reopened more intensively because the city's diesel-powered flour mills stopped operating due to lack of fuel.
In 1963, the Ministry of Social Services, after a geologist's report, decided to relocate the settlement. For this purpose, the area "Frachto" was expropriated and 20 plots of land were granted to an equal number of families and credits were allocated for infrastructure projects. In 1972 the new houses were handed over while the two settlements, Pano and Kato Myloi, were abandoned and permanently abandoned. There are still remnants of the water network as well as dismantled parts of the watermill mechanism, which began to decline in the late 19th century and were gradually abandoned in the early 20th century.

The canyon

This green gorge hosts many rare species of Cretan flora. Its entrance is to the south of the village Chromonastiri and its exit is near Xiro Chorio. [5] Touring the gorge is only possible on foot, with a two-hour journey that compensates its travelers with unique refreshing leisure images, especially in spring and summer. [6] The gorge is literally drowned in the green and one can distinguish the ruins of the stone houses of the two settlements and the remains of the thirty or so watermills that existed. Most watermills are located along the Mylonian stream, and access to them is not very easy due to the steep geography and the relief of the area. The waters from the Chromonastirian and Cappadocian streams join and create the Mylonian stream that, reinforced by the surrounding springs, of Agios Antonios, the Five Virgins and other smaller ones, transferred a large amount of water throughout the year and gave movement to all mills at the same time. and they ended up further north on the river Platane.

The caves on the east and west slopes of the gorge are innumerable. Around there are very picturesque churches that are still preserved: Agios Antonios, Timios Stavros, Agios Ioannis (in a cave), Agia Pente Parthenes, Agia Paraskevi, Agios Nikolaos and further north Panagia tou Halevi [7].
other information

The old Pano and Kato Myloi have been declared protected monuments (Government Gazette D '728 / 21-9-1995).

The area has joined the Rethymnon Cadastral Office, already from 7-7-2005 (Chromonastiri). (Other areas served by this office: Rethymno, Adele, Argyroupoli, Armeni, Atsipopoulo, Gerani, Episkopi, Maroulas, Prasies, Prines, Roussospiti) [8]
See also

List of traditional settlements of Greece

Municipality of Rethymno

Administrative division of the prefecture of Rethymno (Kapodistrias program)

Municipality of Rethymno (Kapodistrias program)
Rethymno municipality districts.png
External links

Information on the website of the (former) Prefecture of Rethymno (route Rethymno - Agia Irini - Roussospiti - Chromonastiri - Myloi - Rethymno)
The settlements of the local community Chromonastiriou
TMyloi on the website of the Municipality of Rethymno [dead link]
Driver: Cycling routes (in pdf format and form) Prefectural tourist promotion committee, retrieved 7-4-2012
http://mili-crete.weebly.com/

References, Sources, Notes

Ministry of Environment, Archive of Traditional Settlements and Preserved Buildings Archived 2012-04-05 at Wayback Machine. retrieved 10-4-2012
Michalis Emm. Antonogiannakis, O Vrysinas, The mountain of Rethymno, topographic, geographical, historical, social and folkloric view, Athens 2010, p. 391
"The gorges of Rethymno (the gorge of Mylos) on the tourist promotion website of the Prefecture". Archived from the original on December 26, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
Michalis Emm. Antonogiannakis, op. Cit., Pp. 365-366
Guide to agritourism and alternative activities, printed by the Tourism Promotion Committee of the Prefecture, p.30
The gorge is also suggested by the Municipality of Rethymno, on its website, as a "walking route": http://www.rethymno.gr/city/walk-around/mylon-gorge.html, http://www.rethymno.gr /city/George/gorges.html
The Monastery of Halevi on the website of the Municipality of Rethymno
"Search for Cadastral Offices". Archived from the original on April 8, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.

Municipal unit Rethymno
Municipal Community Rethymno
Agia Eirini (Αγία Ειρήνη)
Anogeia (Ανώγεια, τα)
Gallos (Γάλλος, ο)
Giannoudi (Γιαννούδιον, το)
Μεγάλο Μετόχι, το
Mikro Metochi (Μικρό Μετόχι, το)
Ξηρόν Χωρίον, το
Rethymno (Ρέθυμνον, το)
Tria Monastiria (Τρία Μοναστήρια, τα)
Community Armenoi
Άγιος Γεώργιος, ο
Armenoi (Αρμένοι, οι)
Somatas (Σωματάς, ο)
Foteinos (Φωτεινός, ο)
Community Goulediana
Γενή, η
Goulediana (Γουλεδιανά, τα)
Community Kare
Ampelaki (Αμπελάκι, το)
Kare (Καρέ)
Community Kastellos
Kastellos (Κάστελλος, ο)
Community Koumes
Koumoi (Κούμοι, οι)
Community Maroulas
Dilofo (Δίλοφο, το)
Maroulas (Μαρουλάς, ο)
Community Oros
Oros (Όρος, το)
Community Prasies
Prasies (Πρασιαί, αι)
Community Roussospiti
Roussospiti (Ρουσσοσπίτιον, το)
Community Selli
Μύρθιος, η
Σελλίον, το
Community Chromonastiri
Kapediana (Καπεδιανά, τα)
Myloi (Μύλοι, οι)
Prinedes (Πρινέδες, οι)
Chromonastiri (Χρομοναστήριον, το)

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