The four historic Kato Mili windmills on the Chora promontory, symbol of Mykonos
The image shows the four Kato Mili windmills, Mykonos most iconic monument. These white cylindrical structures with conical thatched roofs and wooden blades were built in the 16th century by the Venetians to harness the strong Aegean winds and grind grain grown on the island. Arranged in a row on the promontory overlooking Chora harbor, the windmills are now the symbol of the island and one of Greece most photographed attractions. Some tourists wander among the structures, admiring the traditional engineering up close. The late afternoon sun illuminates the white walls creating sharp shadows. The blades, now stationary for decades, testify to an era when the island economy was based on agriculture. The arid, rocky terrain typical of the Cyclades surrounds the windmills.
